Radion stabilization with(out) Gauss-Bonnet interactions and inflation

Radion stabilization is analyzed in 5-dimensional models with branes in the presence of Gauss-Bonnet interactions. The Goldberger-Wise mechanism is considered for static and inflating backgrounds. The necessary and sufficient conditions for stability are given for the static case. The influence of the Gauss-Bonnet term on the radion mass and the inter-brane distance is analyzed and illustrated by numerical examples. The interplay between the radion stabilization and the cosmological constant problem is discussed.