15–16 Dec 2020
Centre for Particle Theory, Durham
Europe/London timezone

Avoided Deconfinement in Randall-Sundrum Models

16 Dec 2020, 14:00
30m
Teams (Centre for Particle Theory, Durham)

Teams

Centre for Particle Theory, Durham

IPPP & Dept. Mathematical Sciences Durham University South Road Durham DH1 3LE

Speaker

Michael Nee (Oxford University)

Description

In this talk I will discuss first order phase transitions in Randall-Sundrum models which are dual to (de)confinement phase transitions in large-$N$ gauge theories. The transition rate is suppressed by a factor $\exp(-N^2)$, and does not complete for $N \gg 1$, leading to an eternally inflating phase. The constraint on $N$ to avoid this fate is strong enough that the RS effective field theory is only marginally under control. We present a mechanism where the IR brane remains stabilised at very high temperature, so that the theory stays in the confined phase at arbitrarily high energies. This mechanism of avoided deconfinement is similar to Weinberg's symmetry non-restoration mechanism. Avoided deconfinement allows for a viable cosmology for parametrically large-$N$ theories. Early universe phenomena such as WIMP freeze-out, axion abundance, baryogenesis and phase transitions are qualitatively modified in the model, leading to new possibilities for phenomenological applications.

Length of talk 15-25 minutes
Would you be interested in receiving feedback on your talk? Yes
Are you happy for your talk to be recorded? Yes
Will you be pre-recording your talk? No

Primary authors

Michael Nee (Oxford University) Dr Prateek Agrawal (Oxford University)

Presentation materials