Grand Unification without a Hierarchy Problem

Lead Research Organisation: University of Glasgow
Department Name: School of Physics and Astronomy

Abstract

The vast body research on Grand Unified Field Theories has been within the context of Supersymmetry, presenting it primarily as a solution to the Hierarchy Problem. With the LHC now having thoroughly explored the TeV energy regime, Supersymmetry is being pushed more and more to higher energies and this creates its own "little hierarchy problem", making it an unattractive solution. Recently this has inspired research to explore the rich topic of Grand Unification without low energy Supersymmetry, but instead of confronting the Hierarchy Problem head on, most research simply ignores it. In this project we aim to construct and study models of Grand Unification that use alternative solutions for the Hierarchy problem. These models need to fulfil four properties: they must be free from fine-tuning; they must have a unified description of the three forces of the Standard Model, including gauge coupling and Yukawa unification; they must reproduce Standard Model Physics and Experimental observations at low energies; and they must provide new predictions that can be tested at current or future colliders. The student will be required to aid in the construction of the models at the level of the Action including an examination of the fine-tuning, derive and implement the Renormalisation Group Equations for the evolution of couplings, determine the low energy behaviour of the model to confront with the experimental data, and finally perform simulations of crucial observables to test the models. This research will be published in high impact journals and presented by the student at international conferences.

Publications

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Studentship Projects

Project Reference Relationship Related To Start End Student Name
ST/X508391/1 01/10/2022 30/09/2026
2748204 Studentship ST/X508391/1 01/10/2022 31/03/2026 Alastair Gosnay