Electroweak symmetry breaking without a Higgs

In summary: If LHC/TEV does NOT find higgs/top quark condensates/technicolor, and LHC does find WW scattering in according with his predictions, I think he deserves a nobel prize in physics.
  • #1
A/4
56
3
Interesting new paper from John Moffat:

http://arxiv.org/abs/0709.4269

Introduces a non-local, finite QFT that dynamically generates boson and fermion masses as loop corrections. Experimental evidence for the theory will be visible in WW scattering at the LHC (coupling goes to zero, which is distinct from various other models with Higgs fields).

Comments?
 
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  • #2
A/4 said:
Interesting new paper from John Moffat:

http://arxiv.org/abs/0709.4269

Introduces a non-local, finite QFT that dynamically generates boson and fermion masses as loop corrections. Experimental evidence for the theory will be visible in WW scattering at the LHC (coupling goes to zero, which is distinct from various other models with Higgs fields).

Comments?

1- if this paper holds, and if LHC/TEV does NOT find higgs/top quark condensates/technicolor, it will be an impressive first paper in new research directions,
2- it is very parsimonious in that only the already discovered SM particles "exist" although DM remains a mystery. SUSY doubles the # of particles.
3- it undermines a central argument for SUSY (the hierarchy problem), providing indirect support for NEW/TWP
4- it might provide a big boost to LQG preon ribbon style particle physics.

If LHC/TEV does NOT find higgs/top quark condensates/technicolor, and LHC does find WW scattering in according with his predictions, I think he deserves a nobel prize in physics.
 
  • #3
ensabah6 said:
1- if this paper holds, and if LHC/TEV does NOT find higgs/top quark condensates/technicolor, it will be an impressive first paper in new research directions,
2- it is very parsimonious in that only the already discovered SM particles "exist" although DM remains a mystery. SUSY doubles the # of particles.
3- it undermines a central argument for SUSY (the hierarchy problem), providing indirect support for NEW/TWP
4- it might provide a big boost to LQG preon ribbon style particle physics.

If LHC/TEV does NOT find higgs/top quark condensates/technicolor, and LHC does find WW scattering in according with his predictions, I think he deserves a nobel prize in physics.

Vis-a-vis points 2 and 3, Moffat has historically omitted orthodox predictions in his theories. In certain ways, this is a plus: simplicity is better than complexity. Why have a model that predicts more particles than we have observed? It's a bold move to address the elephant in the room: what if we see nothing out of the LHC?

But, in other ways it creates more problems than it solves. In the 80s and 90s, he was promoting a non-symmetric gravitational theory (NGT), which posited a spacetime metric with off-diagonal terms. Some of the novel predictions included dipole gravitational radiation. Although it encompassed GR in its formulation, it was obviously inconsistent with other theories that required a symmetric metric. I can't remember what the resolution was to this, but it seems that NGT has since faded away.
 
  • #4
It breaks locality though, so its rather contrived.

In general in phenemonology, people like to have a

1) Well motivated theory (in the sense that there's something more fundamental behind it, or is utilized to solve a particular problem -eg hierarchy)
2) Simple model (so no extra random particles that don't have much use other than to clutter up things)
3) Respect for the usual symmetries and analytic conditions (Gauge invariance, Lorentz invariance, unitarity, etc etc)
4) Natural. In the sense that there's not too much finetunning.

Unfortunately its very rare to find new models that respect those conditions, so people usually relax one or more of the conditions above. But be sure that each such new model tends to be seen as problematic and unlikely.
 

1. What is Electroweak Symmetry Breaking?

Electroweak symmetry breaking is a phenomenon in particle physics where the electroweak force, which unifies the electromagnetic and weak nuclear forces, is broken into two separate forces at high energies. This allows for the existence of the Higgs boson, which gives particles their mass.

2. How does Electroweak Symmetry Breaking occur without a Higgs boson?

In some theories, Electroweak Symmetry Breaking can occur without the presence of a Higgs boson. This is known as "electroweak symmetry breaking without a Higgs" and is based on the idea that the Higgs boson is not the only particle that can give particles their mass. Other theories propose alternative mechanisms for mass generation, such as technicolor or supersymmetry.

3. Can the existence of Electroweak Symmetry Breaking without a Higgs be proven?

Currently, there is no experimental evidence that definitively proves the existence of electroweak symmetry breaking without a Higgs. The discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 at the Large Hadron Collider supported the Standard Model and the role of the Higgs boson in electroweak symmetry breaking. However, further research and experiments are being conducted to explore alternative theories and mechanisms for electroweak symmetry breaking.

4. What are the implications of electroweak symmetry breaking without a Higgs?

If electroweak symmetry breaking can occur without a Higgs boson, it could lead to a deeper understanding of the fundamental forces and particles in the universe. It could also potentially open up new avenues for research and the development of new theories that could better explain the origins of mass and the nature of the electroweak force.

5. How does the possibility of electroweak symmetry breaking without a Higgs impact current theories and research in particle physics?

The possibility of electroweak symmetry breaking without a Higgs has sparked new interest and research in alternative theories and mechanisms for mass generation. It has also raised questions about the validity of the Standard Model and the role of the Higgs boson in electroweak symmetry breaking. Further experiments and research are needed to fully understand the implications and impact of this possibility on current theories and research in particle physics.

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