Higher derivative type II string effective actions, automorphic forms and E11

By dimensionally reducing the ten-dimensional higher derivative type IIA string theory effective action we place constraints on the automorphic forms that appear in the effective action in lower dimensions. We propose a number of properties of such automorphic forms and consider the prospects that E11 can play a role in the formulation of the higher derivative string theory effective action.Comment: 34 page

Supersymmetry constraints on the R^4 multiplet in type IIB on T^2

We consider a class of eight derivative interactions in the effective action of type IIB string theory compactified on T^2. These 1/2 BPS interactions have moduli dependent couplings. We impose the constraints of supersymmetry to show that each of these couplings satisfy a first order differential equation on moduli space which relate it to other couplings in the same supermuliplet. These equations can be iterated to give second order differential equations for the various couplings. The couplings which only depend on the SO(2)\SL(2,R) moduli satisfy Laplace equation on moduli space, and are given by modular forms of SL(2,Z). On the other hand, the ones that only depend on the SO(3)\SL(3,R) moduli satisfy Poisson equation on moduli space, where the source terms are given by other couplings in the same supermultiplet. The couplings of the interactions which are charged under SU(2) are not automorphic forms of SL(3,Z). Among the interactions we consider, the R^4 coupling depends on all the moduli.Comment: 89 pages, LaTe

Constraints on Automorphic Forms of Higher Derivative Terms from Compactification

By dimensionally reducing the higher derivative corrections of ten-dimensional IIB theory on a torus we deduce constraints on the E_{n+1} automorphic forms that occur in d=10-n dimensions. In particular we argue that these automorphic forms involve the representation of E_{n+1} with fundamental weight \lambda^{n+1}, which is also the representation to which the string charges in d dimensions belong. We also consider a similar calculation for the reduction of higher derivative terms in eleven-dimensional M-theory.Comment: Minor corrections, to appear in JHE

Eisenstein series for infinite-dimensional U-duality groups

We consider Eisenstein series appearing as coefficients of curvature corrections in the low-energy expansion of type II string theory four-graviton scattering amplitudes. We define these Eisenstein series over all groups in the E_n series of string duality groups, and in particular for the infinite-dimensional Kac-Moody groups E9, E10 and E11. We show that, remarkably, the so-called constant term of Kac-Moody-Eisenstein series contains only a finite number of terms for particular choices of a parameter appearing in the definition of the series. This resonates with the idea that the constant term of the Eisenstein series encodes perturbative string corrections in BPS-protected sectors allowing only a finite number of corrections. We underpin our findings with an extensive discussion of physical degeneration limits in D<3 space-time dimensions.Comment: 69 pages. v2: Added references and small additions, to be published in JHE