(11.02.) A Heterotic Road towards Unification
Patrick Vaudrevange (LMU)
11.02.2016 at 16:15
Motivated by phenomenology we discuss extensions of the Standard Model, in detail grand unified theories (GUTs) and supersymmetry (SUSY). It is shown that these extensions might point towards extra-dimensions and, hence, towards string theory. Therefore, we analyse compactifications of the heterotic string, especially on six-dimensional orbifolds. A complete classification of orbifolds that preserve SUSY in four dimensions is given and we present some of their properties, like the mechanism of orbifold-GUT-breaking, the origin of discrete symmetries (including R- symmetries) and discrete anomalies. These symmetries might be of phenomenological interest as they can be used to address the problem of proton decay, the mu-problem, the flavour puzzle and the QCD axion.
Arnold Sommerfeld Center
Theresienstrasse 37
Room 348