de Sitter vacua via consistent terms

Area of Science:

• Theoretical Physics
• String Theory and M-Theory
• Quantum Field Theory

Background:

• Achieving stable de Sitter or Minkowski vacua is a significant challenge in string theory and M-theory compactifications.
• Spontaneously breaking supersymmetry (N = 1) while avoiding massless scalars is crucial for realistic vacuum construction.
• Flux compactifications are a key framework for addressing these challenges but require specific mechanisms for vacuum stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a new, general mechanism for generating stable de Sitter or Minkowski vacua.
• To demonstrate the applicability of this mechanism within superstring and M-theory compactifications with fluxes.
• To provide parametric control over the sign and magnitude of the vacuum energy.

Main Methods:

• Development of a mechanism utilizing a gauged U(1) symmetry.
• Incorporation of both axionic shift and R symmetry within the U(1) gauge.
• Application to N = 1 supergravity models, specifically in the context of flux compactifications.

Main Results:

• Successful production of locally stable de Sitter or Minkowski vacua.
• Spontaneous breaking of N = 1 supersymmetry.
• Absence of problematic massless scalars in the resulting vacuum states.

Conclusions:

• The proposed mechanism offers a viable route to constructing realistic vacua in string theory.
• The gauged U(1) symmetry provides powerful constraints on potential contributions, ensuring stability.
• This framework allows for controlled tuning of vacuum energy, essential for cosmological applications.