Particle theory

Abstract:

We develop a gauge-invariant formalism to describe metric perturbations in five-dimensional brane-world theories. In particular, this formalism applies to models originating from heterotic M theory. We introduce a generalized longitudinal gauge for scalar perturbations. In this gauge, we derive the five-dimensional evolution equations for scalar perturbations as well as the most general structure of the scalar brane stress-energy tensor. As an application, we discuss some aspects of the evolution of fluctuations on the brane. Moreover, we show how the five-dimensional formalism can be matched to the known four-dimensional one in the limit where an effective four-dimensional description is appropriate. ©2000 The American Physical Society.

Abstract:

A plausible explanation for the existence of additional light sterile neutrinos is that they correspond to modulini, fermionic partners of moduli, which propagate in new large dimensions. We discuss the phenomenological implications of such states and show that solar neutrino oscillation is well described by small angle MSW oscillation to the tower of Kaluza-Klein states associated with the modulini. In the optimal case the recoil electron energy spectrum agrees precisely with the measured one, in contrast to the single sterile neutrino case which is disfavoured. We also consider how all oscillation phenomena can be explained in a model including bulk neutrino states. In particular, we show that a naturally maximal mixing for atmospheric neutrinos can be easily obtained. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.