Radion tunneling in modified theories of gravity

TL;DR

This paper explores radion tunneling in a five-dimensional warped spacetime governed by higher curvature F(R) gravity, analyzing stability and potential implications for the gauge hierarchy problem.

Contribution

It introduces a model with higher curvature gravity affecting radion stability and identifies parameter regions where tunneling is suppressed, linking to hierarchy problem solutions.

Findings

Radion tunneling probability can be highly suppressed in certain parameter regimes.

The model connects radion stability with resolving the gauge hierarchy problem.

Higher curvature F(R) gravity influences the scalar degree of freedom and brane stability.

Abstract

We consider a five dimensional warped spacetime where the bulk geometry is governed by higher curvature $F(R)$ gravity. In this model, we determine the modulus potential originating from the scalar degree of freedom of higher curvature gravity. In the presence of this potential, we investigate the possibility of modulus (radion) tunneling leading to an instability in the brane configuration. Our results reveal that the parametric regions where the tunneling probability is highly suppressed, corresponds to the parametric values required to resolve the gauge hierarchy problem.