346 research outputs found
The Breakdown of Topology at Small Scales
We discuss how a topology (the Zariski topology) on a space can appear to
break down at small distances due to D-brane decay. The mechanism proposed
coincides perfectly with the phase picture of Calabi-Yau moduli spaces. The
topology breaks down as one approaches non-geometric phases. This picture is
not without its limitations, which are also discussed.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure
Quivers from Matrix Factorizations
We discuss how matrix factorizations offer a practical method of computing
the quiver and associated superpotential for a hypersurface singularity. This
method also yields explicit geometrical interpretations of D-branes (i.e.,
quiver representations) on a resolution given in terms of Grassmannians. As an
example we analyze some non-toric singularities which are resolved by a single
CP1 but have "length" greater than one. These examples have a much richer
structure than conifolds. A picture is proposed that relates matrix
factorizations in Landau-Ginzburg theories to the way that matrix
factorizations are used in this paper to perform noncommutative resolutions.Comment: 33 pages, (minor changes
C^2/Z_n Fractional branes and Monodromy
We construct geometric representatives for the C^2/Z_n fractional branes in
terms of branes wrapping certain exceptional cycles of the resolution. In the
process we use large radius and conifold-type monodromies, and also check some
of the orbifold quantum symmetries. We find the explicit Seiberg-duality which
connects our fractional branes to the ones given by the McKay correspondence.
We also comment on the Harvey-Moore BPS algebras.Comment: 34 pages, v1 identical to v2, v3: typos fixed, discussion of
Harvey-Moore BPS algebras update
Mirror Manifolds in Higher Dimension
We describe mirror manifolds in dimensions different from the familiar case
of complex threefolds. We emphasize the simplifying features of dimension three
and supply more robust methods that do not rely on such special characteristics
and hence naturally generalize to other dimensions. The moduli spaces for
Calabi--Yau -folds are somewhat different from the ``special K\"ahler
manifolds'' which had occurred for , and we indicate the new geometrical
structures which arise. We formulate and apply procedures which allow for the
construction of mirror maps and the calculation of order-by-order instanton
corrections to Yukawa couplings. Mathematically, these corrections are expected
to correspond to calculating Chern classes of various parameter spaces (Hilbert
schemes) for rational curves on Calabi--Yau manifolds. Our results agree with
those obtained by more traditional mathematical methods in the limited number
of cases for which the latter analysis can be carried out. Finally, we make
explicit some striking relations between instanton corrections for various
Yukawa couplings, derived from the associativity of the operator product
algebra.Comment: 44 pages plus 3 tables using harvma
Homological Type of Geometric Transitions
The present paper gives an account and quantifies the change in topology
induced by small and type II geometric transitions, by introducing the notion
of the \emph{homological type} of a geometric transition. The obtained results
agree with, and go further than, most results and estimates, given to date by
several authors, both in mathematical and physical literature.Comment: 36 pages. Minor changes: A reference and a related comment in Remark
3.2 were added. This is the final version accepted for publication in the
journal Geometriae Dedicat
Flop Transitions in M-theory Cosmology
We study flop-transitions for M-theory on Calabi-Yau three-folds and their
applications to cosmology in the context of the effective five-dimensional
supergravity theory. In particular, the additional hypermultiplet which becomes
massless at the transition is included in the effective action. We find the
potential for this hypermultiplet which includes quadratic and quartic terms as
well as additional dependence on the Kahler moduli. By constructing explicit
cosmological solutions, it is demonstrated that a flop-transition can indeed by
achieved dynamically, as long as the hypermultiplet is set to zero. Once
excitations of the hypermultiplet are taken into account we find that the
transition is generically not completed but the system is stabilised close to
the transition region. Regions of moduli space close to flop-transitions can,
therefore, be viewed as preferred by the cosmological evolution.Comment: 18 pages, Latex, 8 eps-figures, typos correcte
Exceptional collections and D-branes probing toric singularities
We demonstrate that a strongly exceptional collection on a singular toric
surface can be used to derive the gauge theory on a stack of D3-branes probing
the Calabi-Yau singularity caused by the surface shrinking to zero size. A
strongly exceptional collection, i.e., an ordered set of sheaves satisfying
special mapping properties, gives a convenient basis of D-branes. We find such
collections and analyze the gauge theories for weighted projective spaces, and
many of the Y^{p,q} and L^{p,q,r} spaces. In particular, we prove the strong
exceptionality for all p in the Y^{p,p-1} case, and similarly for the
Y^{p,p-2r} case.Comment: 49 pages, 6 figures; v2 refs added; v3 published versio
Topological Field Theory and Rational Curves
We analyze the superstring propagating on a Calabi-Yau threefold. This theory
naturally leads to the consideration of Witten's topological non-linear
sigma-model and the structure of rational curves on the Calabi-Yau manifold. We
study in detail the case of the world-sheet of the string being mapped to a
multiple cover of an isolated rational curve and we show that a natural
compactification of the moduli space of such a multiple cover leads to a
formula in agreement with a conjecture by Candelas, de la Ossa, Green and
Parkes.Comment: 20 page
Quivers, Tilings, Branes and Rhombi
We describe a simple algorithm that computes the recently discovered brane
tilings for a given generic toric singular Calabi-Yau threefold. This therefore
gives AdS/CFT dual quiver gauge theories for D3-branes probing the given
non-compact manifold. The algorithm solves a longstanding problem by computing
superpotentials for these theories directly from the toric diagram of the
singularity. We study the parameter space of a-maximization; this study is made
possible by identifying the R-charges of bifundamental fields as angles in the
brane tiling. We also study Seiberg duality from a new perspective.Comment: 36 pages, 40 figures, JHEP
Systematic model behavior of adsorption on flat surfaces
A low density film on a flat surface is described by an expansion involving
the first four virial coefficients. The first coefficient (alone) yields the
Henry's law regime, while the next three correct for the effects of
interactions. The results permit exploration of the idea of universal
adsorption behavior, which is compared with experimental data for a number of
systems
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