Gauge Couplings calculated from Multiple Point Criticality yield $\alpha^{-1}=136._8\pm 9$: At Last the Elusive Case of $U(1)$

Abstract

We calculate the $U(1)$ continuum gauge coupling using the values of action parameters at the multiple point in the phase diagram of a lattice gauge theory. The multiple point is where a maximum number of phases convene. We obtain for the running inverse finestructure constant the values $\alpha_1^{-1}=56\pm 5$ and $\alpha_1^{-1}=99\pm 5$ at respectively the Planck scale and the $M_Z$ scale. The gauge group underlying the phase diagram in which we seek multiple point values of action parameters is what we call the Anti Grand Unified Theory (AGUT) gauge group $SMG^3$ which is the Cartesian product of 3 standard model groups (SMGs). There is one SMG factor for each of the $N_{gen}=3$ generations of quarks and leptons. In our model, this gauge group $SMG^3$ is the predecessor to the usual standard model group. The latter arises as the diagonal subgroup surviving the Planck scale breakdown of $SMG^3. This breakdown leads to a weakening of the $U(1)$ coupling by a $N_{gen}$-related factor. The most important correction obtained from using multiple point parameter values (in a multi-parameter phase diagram instead of the single critical parameter value obtained say in the 1-dimensional phase diagram of a Wilson action) comes from including the influence of having phases confined solely w.r.t. discrete subgroups. In particular, what matters is that the degree of first-orderness is taken into account in making the transition from these latter phases at the multiple point to the totally Coulomb-like phase. Combined with the results of earlier work on the non-Abelian gauge couplings, the results presented here lead to our prediction of $\alpha^{-1}=136._8\pm 9$ as the value for the fine-structure constant at low energies.