SU(5) Grand Unified Model from Non-perturbative String Theory

Mirjam Cvetic and Timo Weigand posted a new paper today (arXiv:0807.3953v2 [hep-th]) on symmetry breaking and SU(5) GUT model building from supergravity/non-perturbative string theory. The abstract is as follows:

We propose a robust supergravity model of dynamical supersymmetry breaking and gauge mediation, and a natural embedding in non-perturbative string theory with D-branes. A chiral field (and its mirror) charged under "anomalous" U(1)'s acts as a Polonyi field whose hierarchical Polonyi-term can be generated by string instantons. Further quartic superpotential terms arise naturally as a tree-level decoupling effect of massive string states. A robust supersymmetry breaking minimum allows for gauge mediation with soft masses at the TeV scale, which we realise for a globally consistent SU(5) GUT model of Type I string theory, with a D1-instanton inducing the Polonyi term.