Minimalistic musings about the Standard Model

TL;DR

This paper explores a minimalistic perspective on the Standard Model, emphasizing gauge gravity and its implications for Higgs inflation, quantum corrections, and potential experimental tests, inspired by Veltman's foundational contributions.

Contribution

It presents a minimalistic approach to the Standard Model focusing on gauge gravity and its effects on Higgs inflation and quantum corrections, with potential experimental implications.

Findings

Gauge gravity provides an improved large field behavior for Higgs inflation.

Some effects of the model are experimentally accessible or refutable.

Discussion of quantum corrections within the minimalistic framework.

Abstract

\hspace{2,0cm}{{\bf A tribute to Martinus Veltman 1931-2021}} Martinus ("Tini") Veltman 's early contributions to the Standard Model were essential for its succes. After some nostalgic reminiscences, I turn to the Standard Model with a minimalistic attitude, the point of view that beyond the SM there is only the Planck scale. Known since long, the gravitational force can be obtained as the gauge theory of local Poincar\'e symmetry, called gauge gravity. This gauge theory of gravity embodies {\it per se} a Palatini formulation. This causes the potential of non-minimally coupled Higgs inflation to have an intriguing improved large field behaviour. Some of its effects are experimentally accessible or refutable. The question of quantum corrections is discussed.