Varying Alpha and the Electroweak Model

Abstract

Inspired by recent claims for a varying fine structure constant, alpha, we investigate the effect of ``promoting coupling constants to variables'' upon various parameters of the standard model. We first consider a toy model: Proca's theory of the massive photon. We then explore the electroweak theory with one and two dilaton fields. We find that a varying alpha unavoidably implies varying W and Z masses. This follows from gauge invariance, and is to be contrasted with Proca' theory. For the two dilaton theory the Weinberg angle is also variable, but Fermi's constant and the tree level fermion masses remain constant unless the Higgs' potential becomes dynamical. We outline some cosmological implications.

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Cited by in corpus (28)

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• Cosmological Bounds on Spatial Variations of Physical Constants
• Cosmology Intertwined: A Review of the Particle Physics, Astrophysics, and Cosmology Associated with the Cosmological Tensions and Anomalies
• Varying Couplings in Electroweak Theory
• Varying-Alpha Cosmologies with Potentials
• The Local Effects of Cosmological Variations in Physical 'Constants' and Scalar Fields I. Spherically Symmetric Spacetimes
• Varying Alpha
• The Local Effects of Cosmological Variations in Physical 'Constants' and Scalar Fields II. Quasi-Spherical Spacetimes
• Heavy photophilic scalar at the LHC from a varying electromagnetic coupling
• Varying electric charge in multiscale spacetimes
• Quantum field theory with varying couplings
• Standard Model in multiscale theories and observational constraints
• Varying-Alpha and K-Essence
• Quantum fields, cosmological constant and symmetry doubling
• Relaxation of first-class constraints and the quantization of gauge theories: from "matter without matter" to the reappearance of time in quantum gravity
• Do we live in an eigenstate of the "fundamental constants" operators?
• Charge non-conservation, dequantisation, and induced electric dipole moments in varying-alpha theories
• Varying gauge couplings and collider phenomenology
• Cosmic String Spacetime in Dilaton Gravity and Flat Rotation Curves
• Observable Effects of Scalar Fields and Varying Constants
• Spacetime variation of $\alpha$ and the CMB power spectra after the recombination
• Loop Quantum Cosmology and the Fine Structure Constant
• Dilatonic Topological Defects in 3+1 Dimensions and their Embeddings
• Cosmological Consequences of Topological Defects: Dark Energy and Varying Fundamental Constants