Ignatios Antoniadis

The existence of envelopes is studied for systems of differential equations in connection with the method of asymptotic splittings which allows one to dete

The existence of envelopes is studied for systems of differential equations in connection with the method of asymptotic splittings which allows to determine the singularity structure of the solutions. The result is applied to braneworlds consisting of a 3-brane in a five-dimensional bulk, in the presence of an analog of a bulk perfect fluid parametrizing a generic class of bulk matter. We find that all flat brane solutions suffer from a finite distance singularity contrary to previous claims. We then study the possibility of avoiding finite distance singularities by cutting the bulk and gluing regular solutions at the position of the brane. Further imposing physical conditions such as finite Planck mass on the brane and positive energy conditions on the bulk fluid, excludes however this possibility, as well.

I discuss the status of the mass hierarchy problem and prospects for beyond the Standard Model physics in the light of the Higgs scalar discovery at the LHC and the experimental searches for new physics. In particular, I will discuss in this context low energy supersymmetry and large extra dimensions with low string scale.

Lowering the string scale in the TeV region provides a theoretical framework for solving the mass hierarchy problem and unifying all interactions. The apparent weakness of gravity can then be accounted by the existence of large internal dimensions, in the submillimeter region, and transverse to a braneworld where our universe must be confined. I review the main properties of this scenario and its experimental implications.

We calculate gauge instanton corrections to a class of higher derivative string effective couplings introduced in [1]. We work in Type I string theory compactified on K3xT2 and realise gauge instantons in terms of D5-branes wrapping the internal space. In the field theory limit we reproduce the deformed ADHM action on a general {\Omega}-background from which one can compute the non-perturbative gauge theory partition function using localisation. This is a non-perturbative extension of [1] and provides further evidence for our proposal of a string theory realisation of the {\Omega}-background.

I will discuss the status of the mass hierarchy problem and prospects for beyond the Standard Model physics in the light of the Higgs scalar discovery at the LHC and the experimental searches for new physics. In particular, I will discuss in this context low energy supersymmetry, living with the fine tuning and strings at the TeV scale.

A worldsheet realization of the refined topological string is proposed in terms of physical string amplitudes that compute generalized N=2 F-terms of the form F_{g,n} W^{2g}Y^{2n} in the effective supergravity action. These terms involve the chiral Weyl superfield W and a superfield Y defined as an N=2 chiral projection of a particular anti-chiral T-bar vector multiplet. In Heterotic and Type I theories, obtained upon compactification on the six-dimensional manifold K3xT2, T is the usual K\"ahler modulus of the T2 torus. These amplitudes are computed exactly at the one-loop level in string theory. They are shown to reproduce the correct perturbative part of the Nekrasov partition function in the field theory limit when expanded around an SU(2) enhancement point of the string moduli space. The two deformation parameters epsilon_- and epsilon_+ of the Omega-supergravity background are then identified with the constant field-strength backgrounds for the anti-self-dual graviphoton and self-dual gauge field of the T-bar vector multiplet, respectively.