N=1 Dual String Pairs and their Massless Spectra

We construct two chains of fourdimensional F-theory/heterotic dual string pairs with N=1 supersymmetry. On the F-theory side as well as on the heterotic side the geometry of the involved manifolds relies on del Pezzo surfaces. We match the massless spectra by using, for one chain of models, an index formula to count the heterotic bundle moduli and determine the dual F-theory spectra from the Hodge numbers of the fourfolds $X^4$ and of the type IIB base spaces.Comment: 22 pages, latex, some references correcte

Phenolic compounds in juices of apple cultivars and their relation to antioxidant activity

Apples and their juices are important sources of phenolic compounds in human diet. Using the same juice processing method, we compared phenolic composition as well as antioxidant activity of juices from various table apple cultivars, grown at the same location. Antioxidant activity of apple juices was estimated by application of two assays, ABTS cation radical decolorization and by scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by xanthine/xanthine oxidase (O2·-, H2O2, OH·; superoxide assisted Fenton reaction), as measured by inhibition of ethylene release from KMB (α-Keto-γ-(methylthio)butyric acid). The apple juices differed in phenolic content and antioxidant activity, where cultivar differences were more relevant than environmental factors. Furthermore, to improve antioxidant performance in the XOD-test, a juice low in phenol content was supplemented with the appropriate amounts of phenols to the level of the best juice indicating that these phenolics contribute to the antioxidant activity of the apple juice. In ac­cordance to literature, the phenolic compounds re­presenting the main anti­oxidant activity in the apple juices comprise flavan-3-ols and chlorogenic acid.

Moduli Dependent Non-Holomorphic Contributions of Massive States to Gravitational Couplings and C2C^2-Terms in ZNZ_N-Orbifold Compactifications

It is pointed out that massive states in D=4, N=1 supergravity-matter theories can, in general, at the 1-loop level contribute non-holomorphic terms to quadratic gravitational couplings. It is then shown in the context of $(2,2)$-symmetric $Z_N$-orbifold theories that, for constant moduli backgrounds, the inclusion of such contributions can result in the cancellation of naked $C^2$-terms. ${\cal R}^2$-terms can also arise but, being ghost free, need not cancel.Comment: 38 pages, HUB-IEP-94/20, UPR-634T (references added

Threshold Corrections and Symmetry Enhancement in String Compactifications

We present the computation of threshold functions for Abelian orbifold compactifications. Specifically, starting from the massive, moduli-dependent string spectrum after compactification, we derive the threshold functions as target space duality invariant free energies (sum over massive string states). In particular we work out the dependence on the continuous Wilson line moduli fields. In addition we concentrate on the physically interesting effect that at certain critical points in the orbifold moduli spaces additional massless states appear in the string spectrum leading to logarithmic singularities in the threshold functions. We discuss this effect for the gauge coupling threshold corrections; here the appearance of additional massless states is directly related to the Higgs effect in string theory. In addition the singularities in the threshold functions are relevant for the loop corrections to the gravitational coupling constants.Comment: 68 pages (equations 8.16 and 8.17 corrected; added footnotes 4,5,11

Curved BPS domain wall solutions in four-dimensional N=2 supergravity

We construct four-dimensional domain wall solutions of N=2 gauged supergravity coupled to vector and to hypermultiplets. The gauged supergravity theories that we consider are obtained by performing two types of Abelian gauging. In both cases we find that the behaviour of the scalar fields belonging to the vector multiplets is governed by the so-called attractor equations known from the study of BPS black hole solutions in ungauged N=2 supergravity theories. The scalar fields belonging to the hypermultiplets, on the other hand, are either constant or exhibit a run-away behaviour. These domain wall solutions preserve 1/2 of supersymmetry and they are, in general, curved. We briefly comment on the amount of supersymmetry preserved by domain wall solutions in gauged supergravity theories obtained by more general gaugings.Comment: 18 pages, latex, no figures, final version for Nuclear Physics B (typos corrected plus minor changes

Moduli Spaces and Target Space Duality Symmetries in (0,2) ZN(0,2)\; Z_N Orbifold Theories with Continuous Wilson Lines

We present the coset structure of the untwisted moduli space of heterotic $(0,2) \; Z_N$ orbifold compactifications with continuous Wilson lines. For the cases where the internal 6-torus $T_6$ is given by the direct sum $T_4 \oplus T_2$, we explicitly construct the K\"{a}hler potentials associated with the underlying 2-torus $T_2$. We then discuss the transformation properties of these K\"{a}hler potentials under target space modular symmetries. For the case where the $Z_N$ twist possesses eigenvalues of $-1$, we find that holomorphic terms occur in the K\"{a}hler potential describing the mixing of complex Wilson moduli. As a consequence, the associated $T$ and $U$ moduli are also shown to mix under target space modular transformations.Comment: 43 pages, HUB-IEP-94/

On the Vacuum Structure of Type II String Compactifications on Calabi-Yau Spaces with H-Fluxes

We discuss the vacuum structure of type IIA/B Calabi-Yau string compactifications to four dimensions in the presence of n-form H-fluxes. These will lift the vacuum degeneracy in the Calabi-Yau moduli space, and for generic points in the moduli space, N=2 supersymmetry will be broken. However, for certain `aligned' choices of the H-flux vector, supersymmetric ground states are possible at the degeneration points of the Calabi-Yau geometry. We will investigate in detail the H-flux induced superpotential and the corresponding scalar potential at several degeneration points, such as the Calabi-Yau large volume limit, the conifold loci, the Seiberg-Witten points, the strong coupling point and the conformal points. Some emphasis is given to the question whether partial supersymmetry breaking can be realized at those points. We also relate the H-flux induced superpotential to the formalism of gauged N=2 supergravity. Finally we point out the analogies between the Calabi-Yau vacuum structure due to H-fluxes and the attractor formalism of N=2 black holes.Comment: 47 pages, 4 eps figures, references adde

Perturbative Couplings and Modular Forms in N=2 String Models with a Wilson Line

We consider a class of four parameter D=4, N=2 string models, namely heterotic strings compactified on K3 times T2 together with their dual type II partners on Calabi-Yau three-folds. With the help of generalized modular forms (such as Siegel and Jacobi forms), we compute the perturbative prepotential and the perturbative Wilsonian gravitational coupling F1 for each of the models in this class. We check heterotic/type II duality for one of the models by relating the modular forms in the heterotic description to the known instanton numbers in the type II description. We comment on the relation of our results to recent proposals for closely related models.Comment: 42 pages, LaTeX, revised version contains additional reference

On-Mass-Shell Gaugino Condensation in Z_{N} Orbifold Compactifications

We discuss non-perturbative aspects of string effective field theories with N=1 supersymmetry in four dimensions. By the use of a scalar potential, which is on-shell invariant under the supersymmetric duality of the dilaton, we study gaugino condensation in (2,2) symmetric Z_{N} orbifold compactifications. The duality under consideration relates a two-form antisymmetric tensor to a pseudoscalar. We show, that our approach is independent of the superfield-representation of the dilaton and preserves the U(1)_{PQ} Peccei-Quinn symmetry exactly.Comment: Standard-Late