Mark B. Wise

Weak Decays of Heavy Mesons in the Static Quark Approximation

Abstract When one or more quarks are heavy compared to hadronic scales, some new symmetries appear in the low energy effective lagrangian for QCD. We exploit these static quark symmetries to derive model-independent normalizations of some weak hadronic matrix elements involving heavy quarks, as well as many relationships between such matrix elements. We briefly discuss how some of these conditions can be used to improve determinations of Kobayashi-Maskawa angles.

Modulus stabilization with bulk fields

We propose a mechanism for stabilizing the size of the extra dimension in the Randall-Sundrum scenario. The potential for the modulus field that sets the size of the fifth dimension is generated by a bulk scalar with quartic interactions localized on the two 3-branes. The minimum of this potential yields a compactification scale that solves the hierarchy problem without fine-tuning of parameters. (c) 1999 The American Physical Society.

WEAK TRANSITION FORM-FACTORS BETWEEN HEAVY MESONS

Abstract We present an extension of our earlier observations on symmetries in operation in the weak decays of heavy mesons containing a single heavy quark. The new symmetries allow us to obtain absolutely normalized model-independent predictions in the heavy quark limit of all of the form factors for the Q1 →Q2 induced weak pseudoscalar and pseudoscalar to vector transitions in terms of a single universal function ξ(t) with ξ(0) = 1.

Minimal low-energy supergravity☆

Abstract We discuss the motivation for considering models of particle physics based on 0=1 supergravity. Analysis of the scalar potential for such models suggests a minimal low energy sector. We use the renormalization group to relate parameters at the grand unification scale to their low energy (i.e. ∼100 GeV) values and show that renormalization effects drive spontaneous breakdown of SU(2)×U(1) to U(1) for a top quark mass between 55–200 GeV. The phenomenology of minimal low energy supergravity is discussed.

A New expansion for nucleon-nucleon interactions

Abstract We introduce a new and well defined power counting for the effective field theory describing nucleon-nucleon interactions. Because of the large NN scattering lengths it differs from other applications of chiral perturbation theory and is facilitated by introducing an unusual subtraction scheme and renormalization group analysis. Calculation to subleading order in the expansion can be done analytically, and we present the results for both the 1 S 0 and 3 S 1 − 3 D 1 channels.

Two nucleon systems from effective field theory

Abstract We elaborate on a new technique for computing properties of nucleon-nucleon interactions in terms of an effective field theory derived from low energy NN scattering data. Details of how the expansion is carried out to higher orders are presented. Analytic formulae are given for the amplitude to subleading order in both the 1 S 0 and 3 S 1 − 3 D 1 channels.

Constraints on Generalized Inflationary Cosmologies

We consider cosmologies having an inflationary period during which the Robertson-Walker scale factor is an arbitrary function of time satisfying R > 0 (not necessarily an exponential). We show that any such inflationary period will produce long-wavelength gravitational waves which can affect present observations of the microwave background. Using present bounds on the quadrupole anisotropy we derive constraints on general background. Using present bounds on the power law inflation (R ∼ tp) are considered in detail and the maximum reheating temperature is given as a function of p. Finally, predictions for the anisotropy of the microwave background produced by gravitational waves generated by ordinary exponential inflation are presented.

Phenomenology of a stabilized modulus

We explore the phenomenology of a stabilized modulus field in the Randall-Sundrum scenario. It is found that if the large separation between branes arises from a small bulk scalar mass then the modulus (i.e. radion) is likely to be lighter than the lowest Kaluza-Klein excitations of bulk fields, and consequently may be the first direct signature of the model. Four-dimensional general covariance completely determines the couplings of the modulus to Standard Model fields. The strength of these couplings is determined by a single parameter which is set by the TeV rather than the Planck scale.

Heavy Meson Form-factors From {QCD}

Abstract We calculate the leading QCD radiative corrections to the relations which follow from the decoupling of the heavy quark spin as the quark mass goes to infinity and from the symmetry between systems with different heavy quarks. One of the effects we calculate gives the leading q2-dependence of the form factor of a heavey quark, which in turn dominates the q2-dependence of the form factors of bound states of the heavy quark with light quarks. This, combined with the normalization of the form factor provided by symmetry, gives us a first principles calculation of the heavy meson (or baryon) form factors in the limit of very large heavy quark mass.

Leading logarithms of heavy quark masses in processes with light and heavy quarks

The matrix elements of operators containing both heavy quark (Q) and light quark (q) fields can contain large logarithms of the type ln(mQ2/μ2), where μ is a typical QCD mass scale and mQ is the heavy quark mass. We outline a method for summing leading logarithms of this type. We apply it to the decay constant fM of a low lying pseudoscalar meson M with Qq flavor quantum numbers and predict the ratios of decay constants for mesons with different heavy flavors. We also apply it to a matrix element of a four-quark operator which is relevant for B0−B0 mixing.