To evolve a complete understanding of the vacuum structure of our universe one needs to study an ultraviolet complete theory of all interactions thus in particular a theory of quantum gravity. The starting point for such a study is widely believed to be string theory.
For the advanced reader, here are some of the question I’m currently tackling
- Search and analysis of Strong Gravitational Lenses using machine learning.
- Stringy corrections to the Kähler moduli space metric of 4d, N=1 effective supergravity theories in F-theory , and consequences thereof for moduli stabilization and (meta-) stable vacua.
- The Moduli space metric of theories with 4 supercharges might not be a product of – Kähler x Complex Structure – globally. Does the metric contain off-diagonal elements at higher-order in the string length?
- By integrating out massive KK-states at one-loop in Calabi-Yau fourfold reductions one obtains remnants in the 3, N=2 & 4d, N=1 supergravity theories?
My research is devoted to gaining full model independent control of the relevant string length and Kaluza Klein quantum induced corrections to the Wilsonian low energy effective field theories of string theory. The phenomenologically relevant low energy effective theories are four-dimensional supersymmetric theories of gravity and other fields such as scalars, vectors, and fermions. The main focus of those studies concern the Kählerpotential of 4d, N=1 and 3d, N=2 supergravity theories, due to their relevance for phemonemlogy of particlephysics and cosmologywithin string theory. You may also follow me on HEP-Inspire. or on Research Gate.
2018-Now
- In two single author publications I provide evidence for a novel alpha’-correction to the 4d Kähler coordinates which breaks the no-scale structure. The resulting scalar potential from the leading order alpha’-corrections may suffice to stabilize all Kähler moduli in de Sitter and Minkowski vacua. by tuning of the flux-superpotential.
2017
- We discuss the three-dimensional Kählerpotential & coordinates, the no-scale structure and the resulting scalar potential obtained from higher-derivatives terms in eleven-dimensions . We cast light on a new elusive correction to the 3d Kähler-coordinates admitting the interpretation of a KK one-loop correction obtained on the circular reduction from four to three dimensions. view publication
- Revising higher-derivative terms in ten & eleven dimensions. We use supersymmetry in four and five dimensions to draw conclusions about the structure of the ten and eleven-dimensional theories. In fact, we encounter novel eight-derivative terms in ten as well as eleven dimensions, which have been overseen in the literature but are necessary for consistency of the theories. view publication
2016
- Revisiting the Euler characteristic correction to the 4d, N=1 Kählerpotential for Calabi-Yau threefolds with an arbitrary number of 4-cycles. I.e. the BBHL correction to the Kählerpotential is recomputed for arbitrary number of Kähler moduli. We explicitly derive the metric background by solving the ten-dimensional modified Einstein equations. The resulting internal six-dimenisonal manifold is no longer Ricci -flat, i.e. is no longer Calabi-Yau. view publication
- Novel four-derivative terms to four-dimensional theories or in other words string theory induced friction terms for inflation are computed. More concretely, those are four-derivative terms of an arbitrary number of Kähler deformations of Calabi-Yau threefold which couple to the four-dimensional Ricci tensor. Those couplings favour slow role inflation when the role of the inflaton is played by one of the Kähler moduli. view publication
2015
- My Ph.D. thesis on geometric corrections to string effective actions. New results include higher-deriviative induced terms of complex structure deformations of the internal manifold. Those correspond to deformations of 4-cycles of the internal fourfold. Also the imprint of 5-cycle deformations on the effective theory are presented. view publication
- The effective action of warped M-theory reductions with higher-derivative terms – Part II . Following up the previous – Part I – we show that the warp factor in full generality may be integrated into a Kählerpotential. We furthermore, suggest that the Kähler-coordinates i.e. the complex structure on the Kähler moduli space needs to be expressed as divisor integrals of the compactification fourfold. view publication
2014
- The effective action of warped M-theory reductions with higher-derivative terms – Part I. The effective three-dimensional theory including the dynamical imprint of deformations of an arbitrary number of 6-cycles in the internal space is derived. view publication
- We reexamine M-theory warped fourfold vacua in the presence of higher-curvature terms. The modified Einstein equations @ eight-derivatives are solved explicitly for the new background metric. The internal space is no longer Calabi-Yau, thus no longer Ricci-flat. Furthermore, we find that the 5th torsion class is non-vanishing. view publication
2013
- We analyze the hypothetical uplift – in F-theory – of a novel topological correction from a three-dimensional theory to four dimensions. The previously derived correction in three dimension given by the third Chern form of the internal manifold when naively uplifted to four dimensions simply counts the number of the self intersections of present stacks of D7 branes. view publication
- We derive a novel correction to the 3d, N=2 Kählerpotential given by the third Chern form of the internal Calabi-Yau fourfold. Uplifted to four dimensions in the framework of F-theory this results in a leading order alpha prime squared – the fourth power in the string length – correction. view publication