Spectral networks and higher web-like structures

We derive traffic rule for spectral networks for A_2 theory for Riemann surface with punctures and use it to study in details the moduli space M of flat GL(3,C) connections on P^1 with 3 full punctures. We apply the simplified traffic rule to find the global description of M as the fibration with symplectic fibers and to study the space of line defects in 4d theory corresponding to the conformal point in the base of M. We define higher web-like structures, not previously discussed in the literature. They give rise to line defects independent of the defects corresponding to the traces of holonomies.Comment: 22 pages, 14 figure

Gauge Mediation in F-Theory GUT Models

We study a simple framework for gauge-mediated supersymmetry-breaking in local GUT models based on F-theory 7-branes and demonstrate that a mechanism for solving both the \mu and \mu/B_{\mu} problems emerges in a natural way. In particular, a straightforward coupling of the messengers to the Higgs sector leads to a geometry which not only provides us with an approximate U(1)_{PQ} symmetry that forbids the generation of \mu at the GUT scale, it also forces the SUSY-breaking spurion field to carry a nontrivial PQ charge. This connects the breaking of SUSY to the generation of \mu so that the same scale enters both. Moreover, the messenger sector naturally realizes the D3-instanton triggered Polonyi model of arXiv:0808.1286 so this scale is exponentially suppressed relative to M_{GUT}. The effective action at low scales is in fact precisely of the form of the "sweet spot supersymmetry" scenario studied by Ibe and Kitano in arXiv:0705.3686.Comment: 34 pages, 4 figures; v4 revisions to section

Global Gluing and G-flux

Local models that capture the 7-brane physics of F-theory compactifications for supersymmetric GUTs are conveniently described in terms of an E_8 gauge theory in the presence of a Higgs bundle. Though the Higgs bundle data is usually determined by the local geometry and G-flux, additional gluing data must be specified whenever the Higgs bundle spectral cover is not smooth. In this paper, we argue that this additional information is determined by data of the M-theory 3-form that is not necessarily captured by the cohomology class of the G-flux. More specifically, we show that when the 3-form is specified in terms of a line bundle on a spectral divisor, which is a global extension of the Higgs bundle spectral cover, the gluing data of the local model is uniquely determined in a way that ensures agreement with Heterotic results whenever a Heterotic dual exists.Comment: 22 page

Surface operators in 3d Topological Field Theory and 2d Rational Conformal Field Theory

We study surface operators in 3d Topological Field Theory and their relations with 2d Rational Conformal Field Theory. We show that a surface operator gives rise to a consistent gluing of chiral and anti-chiral sectors in the 2d RCFT. The algebraic properties of the resulting 2d RCFT, such as the classification of symmetry-preserving boundary conditions, are expressed in terms of properties of the surface operator. We show that to every surface operator one may attach a Morita-equivalence class of symmetric Frobenius algebras in the ribbon category of bulk line operators. This provides a simple interpretation of the results of Fuchs, Runkel and Schweigert on the construction of 2d RCFTs from Frobenius algebras. We also show that every topological boundary condition in a 3d TFT gives rise to a commutative Frobenius algebra in the category of bulk line operators. We illustrate these general considerations by studying in detail surface operators in abelian Chern-Simons theory.Comment: 20 pages, latex; 17 jpg figure

F-theory GUTs with U(1) Symmetries: Generalities and Survey

We study the structure of SU(5) F-theory GUT models that engineer additional U(1) symmetries. These are highly constrained by a set of relations observed by Dudas and Palti (DP) that originate from the physics of 4D anomaly cancellation. Using the DP relations, we find a general tension between unification and the suppression of dimension 5 proton decay when one or more U(1)'s are PQ symmetries and hypercharge flux is used to break the SU(5) GUT group. We then specialize to spectral cover models, whose global completions in F- theory we know how to construct. In that setting, we provide a technical derivation of the DP relations, construct spectral covers that yield all possible solutions to them, and provide a complete survey of spectral cover models for SU(5) GUTs that exhibit two U(1) symmetries.Comment: 27 pages plus 5 appendices (70 pages total) ; v2 references adde

Monodromies, fluxes, and compact three-generation F-theory GUTs

We analyze constraints for embedding local SU(5) F-theory GUTs into consistent compactifications and construct explicit three-generation models based on the geometry of [1]. The key tool for studying constraints in this problem when there is an underlying E_8 structure is the spectral cover, which encodes all of the symmetries that fix the allowed couplings in the superpotential, as well as the consistent, supersymmetric G-fluxes. Imposing phenomenological requirements such as the existence of three generations, top and bottom Yukawa couplings, good flavor structure and absence of exotics and of a tree-level μ-term, we derive stringent constraints on the allowed spectral covers. The resulting spectral covers are in conflict with the neutrino scenarios that have been studied in local F-theory models unless we allow for the possibility of additional charged fields, perhaps playing the role of gauge messengers, that do not comprise complete GUT multiplets. Quite remarkably, the existence of additional incomplete GUT multiplets below the GUT scale is necessary for consistency with gauge coupling "unification", as their effect can precisely cancel that of the internal hypercharge flux, which distorts the gauge couplings already at M_(GUT)