If the Weak Were Strong and Strong Were Weak

David Tong, Nakarin Lohitsiri, Apollo-University Of Cambridge Repository, Apollo-University Of Cambridge Repository
2019
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
more » ... 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.
doi:10.17863/cam.45862 fatcat:xgjy7lhht5htvo5qelwuixds4e