The Exact MSSM Spectrum from String Theory

We show the existence of realistic vacua in string theory whose observable sector has exactly the matter content of the MSSM. This is achieved by compactifying the E_8 x E_8 heterotic superstring on a smooth Calabi-Yau threefold with an SU(4) gauge instanton and a Z_3 x Z_3 Wilson line. Specifically, the observable sector is N=1 supersymmetric with gauge group SU(3)_C x SU(2)_L x U(1)_Y x U(1)_{B-L}, three families of quarks and leptons, each family with a right-handed neutrino, and one Higgs-Higgs conjugate pair. Importantly, there are no extra vector-like pairs and no exotic matter in the zero mode spectrum. There are, in addition, 6 geometric moduli and 13 gauge instanton moduli in the observable sector. The holomorphic SU(4) vector bundle of the observable sector is slope-stable.Comment: 15 pages, LaTeX; v2: Hidden sector is unstable, symbol typesetting error corrected, clarifications and references added; v3: New discussion of hidden secto

Elliptic Calabi-Yau Threefolds with Z_3 x Z_3 Wilson Lines

A torus fibered Calabi-Yau threefold with first homotopy group Z_3 x Z_3 is constructed as a free quotient of a fiber product of two dP_9 surfaces. Calabi-Yau threefolds of this type admit Z_3 x Z_3 Wilson lines. In conjunction with SU(4) holomorphic vector bundles, such vacua lead to anomaly free, three generation models of particle physics with a right handed neutrino and a U(1)_{B-L} gauge factor, in addition to the SU(3)_C x SU(2)_L x U(1)_Y standard model gauge group. This factor helps to naturally suppress nucleon decay. The moduli space and Dolbeault cohomology of the threefold is also discussed.Comment: 51 pages, 13 figures; v2: references adde

The Moduli of Reducible Vector Bundles

A procedure for computing the dimensions of the moduli spaces of reducible, holomorphic vector bundles on elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds X is presented. This procedure is applied to poly-stable rank n+m bundles of the form V + pi* M, where V is a stable vector bundle with structure group SU(n) on X and M is a stable vector bundle with structure group SU(m) on the base surface B of X. Such bundles arise from small instanton transitions involving five-branes wrapped on fibers of the elliptic fibration. The structure and physical meaning of these transitions are discussed.Comment: 33+1 page

Hermitian Yang-Mills instantons on Calabi-Yau cones

We study and construct non-abelian hermitian Yang-Mills (HYM) instantons on Calabi-Yau cones. By means of a particular isometry preserving ansatz, the HYM equations are reduced to a novel Higgs-Yang-Mills flow on the Einstein-Kahler base. For any 2d-dimensional Calabi-Yau cone, we find explicit solutions of the flow equations that correspond to non-trivial SU(d) HYM instantons. These can be regarded as deformations of the spin connection of the Calabi-Yau cone.Comment: 17 page

The Spectra of Heterotic Standard Model Vacua

A formalism for determining the massless spectrum of a class of realistic heterotic string vacua is presented. These vacua, which consist of SU(5) holomorphic bundles on torus-fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds with fundamental group Z_2, lead to low energy theories with standard model gauge group (SU(3)_C x SU(2)_L x U(1)_Y)/Z_6 and three families of quarks and leptons. A methodology for determining the sheaf cohomology of these bundles and the representation of Z_2 on each cohomology group is given. Combining these results with the action of a Z_2 Wilson line, we compute, tabulate and discuss the massless spectrum.Comment: 41+1pp, 2 fig

The Particle Spectrum of Heterotic Compactifications

Techniques are presented for computing the cohomology of stable, holomorphic vector bundles over elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds. These cohomology groups explicitly determine the spectrum of the low energy, four-dimensional theory. Generic points in vector bundle moduli space manifest an identical spectrum. However, it is shown that on subsets of moduli space of co-dimension one or higher, the spectrum can abruptly jump to many different values. Both analytic and numerical data illustrating this phenomenon are presented. This result opens the possibility of tunneling or phase transitions between different particle spectra in the same heterotic compactification. In the course of this discussion, a classification of SU(5) GUT theories within a specific context is presented.Comment: 77 pages, 3 figure

Heterotic Standard Model Moduli

In previous papers, we introduced a heterotic standard model and discussed its basic properties. The Calabi-Yau threefold has, generically, three Kahler and three complex structure moduli. The observable sector of this vacuum has the spectrum of the MSSM with one additional pair of Higgs-Higgs conjugate fields. The hidden sector has no charged matter in the strongly coupled string and only minimal matter for weak coupling. Additionally, the spectrum of both sectors will contain vector bundle moduli. The exact number of such moduli was conjectured to be small, but was not explicitly computed. In this paper, we rectify this and present a formalism for computing the number of vector bundle moduli. Using this formalism, the number of moduli in both the observable and strongly coupled hidden sectors is explicitly calculated.Comment: 28 pages, LaTeX; v2: typos corrected, references added; v3: clarifications, references adde

World-sheet Instanton Superpotentials in Heterotic String theory and their Moduli Dependence

To understand in detail the contribution of a world-sheet instanton to the superpotential in a heterotic string compactification, one has to understand the moduli dependence (bundle and complex structure moduli) of the one-loop determinants from the fluctuations, which accompany the classical exponential contribution (involving K\"ahler moduli) when evaluating the world-volume partition function. Here we use techniques to describe geometrically these Pfaffians for spectral bundles over rational base curves in elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds, and provide a (partially exhaustive) list of cases involving {\em factorising} (or vanishing) superpotential. This gives a conceptual explanation and generalisation of the few previously known cases which were obtained just experimentally by a numerical computation.Comment: 57 pages; minor changes, discussion section 1.3 adde

A Two-Form Formulation of the Vector-Tensor Multiplet in Central Charge Superspace

A two-form formulation for the N=2 vector-tensor multiplet is constructed using superfield methods in central charge superspace. The N=2 non-Abelian standard supergauge multiplet in central charge superspace is also discussed, as is with the associated Chern-Simons form. We give the constraints, solve the Bianchi identities and present the action for a theory of the vector-tensor multiplet coupled to the non-Abelian supergauge multiplet via the Chern-Simons form.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX2e with AMS-LaTe

Moduli Dependent mu-Terms in a Heterotic Standard Model

In this paper, we present a formalism for computing the non-vanishing Higgs mu-terms in a heterotic standard model. This is accomplished by calculating the cubic product of the cohomology groups associated with the vector bundle moduli (phi), Higgs (H) and Higgs conjugate (Hbar) superfields. This leads to terms proportional to phi H Hbar in the low energy superpotential which, for non-zero moduli expectation values, generate moduli dependent mu-terms of the form H Hbar. It is found that these interactions are subject to two very restrictive selection rules, each arising from a Leray spectral sequence, which greatly reduce the number of moduli that can couple to Higgs-Higgs conjugate fields. We apply our formalism to a specific heterotic standard model vacuum. The non-vanishing cubic interactions phi H Hbar are explicitly computed in this context and shown to contain only four of the nineteen vector bundle moduli.Comment: 23 pages, LaTe