High Energy Physics - Theory, abstract
hep-th/0607006

From: Nikolaos Mavromatos [view email]

Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2006 18:26:41 GMT (340kb)

The issue of Dark Energy in String Theory

Authors: Nick E. Mavromatos (King's Coll. London)

Comments: Based on Invited lecture at the ``Third Aegean Summer School on: The Invisible Universe: Dark matter and Dark energy'', Karfas, Chios Island (Greece) September 26-October 1 2005

Recent astrophysical observations, pertaining to either high-redshift supernovae or cosmic microwave background temperature fluctuations, as those measured recently by the WMAP satellite, provide us with data of unprecedented accuracy, pointing towards two (related) facts: (i) our Universe is accelerated at present, and (ii) more than 70 % of its energy content consists of an unknown substance, termed dark energy, which is believed responsible for its current acceleration. Both of these facts are a challenge to String theory. In this review I outline briefly the challenges, the problems and possible avenues for research towards a resolution of the Dark Energy issue in string theory.

http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0607006