03.03.2021 (Wednesday)

Hyperbolic compactification of M-theory and de Sitter quantum gravity

Triangular Seminar Gonzalo Torroba (Centro Atomico Bariloche )

at:
16:30 KCL
room online
abstract:

In this talk we will present a mechanism for accelerated expansion of the universe in the generic case of negative-curvature compactifications of M-theory, with minimal ingredients. M-theory on a hyperbolic manifold with small closed geodesics supporting Casimir energy, along with a single classical source (7-form flux), contains a 3-term structure for volume stabilization at positive potential energy. We find that a combination of warping and hyperbolic rigidity effects can stabilize the metric and form field. A simple generalization incorporating 4-form flux produces axion monodromy inflation, along with other forms of accelerated expansion. Our approach provides a simple uplift of the large-N M2-brane theory to de Sitter, and introduces new connections between mathematics and the physics of string/M theory compactifications. Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/94504664165?pwd=c3VmMDNsbkRwWWdoUUxIRDhUcjB4dz09 (for password email dionysios.anninos@kcl.ac.uk)