Gauge coupling unification without leptoquarks

Understand

We propose an interpretation of the gauge coupling unification scale which is not related to any new particle threshold.

• We revisit Grand Unified Theories and show that it is possible to completely eliminate the scalar as well as vector leptoquarks from the particle physics spectrum.
• As a consequence, in our approach the gauge hierarchy problem is put on different grounds, and the proton may be absolutely stable.
• In order to achieve that, we employ a number of nonlinear gauge-invariant constraints which only affect the superheavy degrees of freedom.