Gaugino Condensation and the Vacuum Expectation Value of the Dilaton

TL;DR

This paper explores how a nontrivial gauge kinetic function could stabilize the dilaton in gaugino condensation models, addressing the runaway problem and influencing gauge coupling values in supergravity and string theories.

Contribution

It proposes that a nontrivial gauge kinetic function $f(S)$ can resolve the runaway dilaton issue, with potential constraints from symmetry considerations.

Findings

A nontrivial gauge kinetic function can stabilize the dilaton.

Symmetry arguments may constrain the form of $f(S)$.

Addresses the gauge coupling determination in supergravity models.

Abstract

The mechanism of gaugino condensation has emerged as a prime candidate for supersymmetry breakdown in low energy effective supergravity (string) models. One of the open questions in this approach concerns the size of the gauge coupling constant which is dynamically fixed through the vev of the dilaton. We argue that a nontrivial gauge kinetic function $f(S)$ could solve the potential problem of a runaway dilaton. The actual form of $f(S)$ might be constrained by symmetry arguments.