Some Results in M-Theory Inspired Phenomenology

Abstract

We consider string phenomenological models based on 11D Horava-Witten M-theory with 5 branes in the bulk. If the 5-branes cluster close to the distant orbifold plane (d_n\equiv 1-z_n\simeq 0.1) and if the topological charges of the physical plane vanish (β^{(0)}_i=0), then the Witten εterms (to first order) are correctly small and a qualitative picture of the quark and lepton mass hierarchy arises without significant fine tuning. If right handed neutrinos exist, a possible gravitationally induced cubic holomorphic contribution to the Kahler potential can exist scaled by the 11D Planck mass. These terms give rise to Dirac neutrino masses at the electroweak scale. This mechanism (different from the see-saw mechanism) is seen to account for both the atmospheric and solar neutrino oscillations. The model also gives rise to possible non-universal soft breaking A parameters in the u and d second and third generation quark sector (A_{2,3}^{(u,d)}) which naturally can account for the possible (2.4σ) break down of the Standard Model predictions in the recent B-factory data for the B->ϕK_s decays.

Talk presented at Deserfest: A Celebration of the Life and Works of Stanley Deser, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 3-5 April, 2004