Braneworld Effective Field Theories--Holography, Consistency and Conformal Effects

TL;DR

This paper explores the limitations of exactly localized braneworlds in 5D theories with gravity, proposing quasilocalized models that exhibit observable conformal effects, and discusses their implications for testing warped braneworld scenarios.

Contribution

It demonstrates the non-existence of exactly localized braneworld limits with gravity and advocates for quasilocalized models, revealing testable conformal effects in warped braneworlds.

Findings

Exactly localized braneworlds do not arise as limits of 5D theories with gravity.

Quasilocalized fields resolve inconsistencies in braneworld models.

Observable conformal effects can test warped braneworld hypotheses.

Abstract

Braneworld theories are often described as low-energy effective field theories (EFTs) featuring an infinitely thin 3-brane and 4D fields exactly localized on it. We investigate whether an exactly localized braneworld can arise as a limit of a theory of 5D fields. Using a holographic formalism we argue that such limit does not exist in the presence of gravity, therefore implying a discontinuity in the space of EFTs. We then present specific models involving exactly localized fields in which inconsistencies appear, which are solved when fields are taken as quasilocalized. Part of our arguments rely on conjectures from the "swampland" program. Our investigation motivates braneworld EFTs built from 5D fields, i.e. quasilocalized braneworlds. Observable effects from quasilocalization are significant for warped braneworlds such as Randall-Sundrum II (RSII), and are reminiscent of a conformal hidden sector. Focusing on the gauge-gravity sector we show that manifestations of the quasilocalized warped braneworld include i) an anomalous running of SM gauge couplings ii) a conformal contribution to SM gauge boson scattering induced by 5D gravity. Constraining these effects puts an upper bound on the 5D EFT cutoff, implying that the warped braneworld hypothesis could---at least in principle---be tested completely.