Constraints on Theories With Large Extra Dimensions

TL;DR

This paper examines constraints on theories with large extra dimensions, suggesting a fundamental scale of at least 10 TeV, and discusses implications for gravity, flux values, and cosmology.

Contribution

It provides updated bounds on the fundamental scale and size of extra dimensions, and explores their implications for string theory and cosmology.

Findings

Fundamental scale likely at least 10 TeV.

Radial dilaton mass can naturally be in the millimeter gravitational range.

Existing experiments set a lower bound of 6-10 TeV on the energy scale.

Abstract

Recently, a number of authors have challenged the conventional assumption that the string scale, Planck mass, and unification scale are roughly comparable. It has been suggested that the string scale could be as low as a TeV. In this note, we explore constraints on these scenarios. We argue that the most plausible cases have a fundamental scale of at least 10 TeV and five dimensions of inverse size 10 MeV. We show that a radial dilaton mass in the range of proposed millimeter scale gravitational arises naturally in these scenarios. Most other scenarios require huge values of flux and may not be realizable in M Theory. Existing precision experiments put a conservative lower bound of 6-10 TeV on the fundamental energy scale. We note that large dimensions with bulk supersymmetry might be a natural framework for quintessence, and make some other tentative remarks about cosmology.