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If the Weak Were Strong and Strong Were Weak

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Lohitsiri, Nakarin 

Abstract

We explore the phase structure of the Standard Model as the relative strengths of the SU(2) weak force and SU(3) strong force are varied. With a single generation of fermions, the structure of chiral symmetry breaking suggests that there is no phase transition as we interpolate between the SU(3)-confining phase and the SU(2)-confining phase. Remarkably, the massless left-handed neutrino, familiar in our world, morphs smoothly into a massless right-handed down-quark. With multiple generations, a similar metamorphosis occurs, but now proceeding via a phase transition. In the second half of the paper we introduce a two-parameter extension of the Standard Model, a chiral gauge theory with gauge group U(1) × Sp(r ) × SU(N). We again explore the phase structure of the theory as the relative strengths of the Sp(r ) and SU(N) gauge couplings vary.

Description

Keywords

4902 Mathematical Physics, 5107 Particle and High Energy Physics, 49 Mathematical Sciences, 51 Physical Sciences

Journal Title

SciPost Physics

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2542-4653
2542-4653

Volume Title

7

Publisher

SciPost
Sponsorship
Royal Society (WM160059)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (ST/P000681/1)
Simons Foundation (567525)
We are supported by the STFC consolidated grant ST/P000681/1. DT is a Wolfson Royal Society Research Merit Award holder and is supported by a Simons Investigator Award. NL is supported by the Internal Graduate Scholarship from Trinity College, Cambridge, and by the Thai Government.