260 research outputs found
Five-brane Instantons vs Flux-induced Gauging of Isometries
In five-dimensional heterotic M-theory there is necessarily nonzero
background flux, which leads to gauging of an isometry of the universal
hypermultiplet moduli space. This isometry, however, is poised to be broken by
M5-brane instanton effects. We show that, similarly to string theory, the
background flux allows only brane instantons that preserve the above isometry.
The zero-mode counting for the M5 instantons is related to the number of
solutions of the Dirac equation on their worldvolume. We investigate that
equation in the presence of generic background flux and also, in a particular
case, with nonzero worldvolume flux.Comment: 27 pages; reference adde
Supergravity description of spacetime instantons
We present and discuss BPS instanton solutions that appear in type II string
theory compactifications on Calabi-Yau threefolds. From an effective action
point of view these arise as finite action solutions of the Euclidean equations
of motion in four-dimensional N=2 supergravity coupled to tensor multiplets. As
a solution generating technique we make use of the c-map, which produces
instanton solutions from either Euclidean black holes or from Taub-NUT like
geometries.Comment: 35 pages, some clarifications adde
D=4, N=2 Gauged Supergravity in the Presence of Tensor Multiplets
Using superspace techniques we construct the general theory describing D=4,
N=2 supergravity coupled to an arbitrary number of vector and scalar--tensor
multiplets. The scalar manifold of the theory is the direct product of a
special Kaehler and a reduction of a Quaternionic-Kaehler manifold. We perform
the electric gauging of a subgroup of the isometries of such manifold as well
as ``magnetic'' deformations of the theory discussing the consistency
conditions arising in this process. The resulting scalar potential is the sum
of a symplectic invariant part (which in some instances can be recast into the
standard form of the gauged N =2 theory) and of a non--invariant part, both
giving new deformations. We also show the relation of such theories to flux
ompactifications of type II string theories.Comment: LaTeX, 26 pages. v2 Improved discussion in sect. 4 and references
adde
An index for the Dirac operator on D3 branes with background fluxes
We study the problem of instanton generated superpotentials in Calabi-Yau
orientifold compactifications directly in type IIB string theory. To this end,
we derive the Dirac equation on a Euclidean D3 brane in the presence of
background fluxes. We propose an index which governs whether the generation of
a superpotential in the effective 4d theory by D3 brane instantons is possible.
Applying the formalism to various classes of examples, including the K3 x
T^2/Z_2 orientifold, in the absence and presence of fluxes, we show that our
results are consistent with conclusions attainable via duality from an M-theory
analysis.Comment: Fermion coupling to five-form restored, conclusions of the paper
unchange
A preliminary analysis of in-depth accident data for powered two-wheelers and bicycles in Europe
Despite progress from scientific and technological advancements, road safety remains a major issue worldwide. Road accident impacts such as fatalities, injuries and property damage consist considerable costs borne not only by involved people but society as well. This study aims to present preliminary findings of in-depth accident analysis for two-wheelers (bicycles and powered two wheelers â PTWs) across six countries in Europe. Data regarding the conditions underlying accident occurrence are presented, including time and date, weather, vehicle and road conditions and rider-related parameters such as age, intoxication and use of protective equipment. In addition, a Two Step Cluster Analysis is implemented in order to explore any possible classification of the analysed cases. It appears that two clusters are formed: the first includes more favourable conditions (âno wind, no drugs, good lightingâ) while the second consists of less favourable conditions for road safety (âwindy, lighting, unknown DUI conditionâ). This hints at a meaningful separation of the examination of two-wheeler accidents when the influence of outside factors is considerable. The inclusion of different but representative areas across Europe offers robustness and transferability to the data and respective results
De Sitter vacua from N=2 gauged supergravity
Typical de Sitter (dS) vacua of gauged supergravity correspond to saddle
points of the potential and often the unstable mode runs into a singularity. We
explore the possibility to obtain dS points where the unstable mode goes on
both sides into a supersymmetric smooth vacuum. Within N=2 gauged supergravity
coupled to the universal hypermultiplet, we have found a potential which has
two supersymmetric minima (one of them can be flat) and these are connected by
a de Sitter saddle point. In order to obtain this potential by an Abelian
gauging, it was important to include the recently proposed quantum corrections
to the universal hypermultiplet sector. Our results apply to four as well as
five dimensional gauged supergravity theories.Comment: 25 pages, 1 figure, add refs and corrected typo
Metastable de Sitter vacua in N=2 to N=1 truncated supergravity
We study the possibility of achieving metastable de Sitter vacua in general
N=2 to N=1 truncated supergravities without vector multiplets, and compare with
the situations arising in N=2 theories with only hypermultiplets and N=1
theories with only chiral multiplets. In N=2 theories based on a quaternionic
manifold and a graviphoton gauging, de Sitter vacua are necessarily unstable,
as a result of the peculiar properties of the geometry. In N=1 theories based
on a Kahler manifold and a superpotential, de Sitter vacua can instead be
metastable provided the geometry satisfies some constraint and the
superpotential can be freely adjusted. In N=2 to N=1 truncations, the crucial
requirement is then that the tachyon of the mother theory be projected out from
the daughter theory, so that the original unstable vacuum is projected to a
metastable vacuum. We study the circumstances under which this may happen and
derive general constraints for metastability on the geometry and the gauging.
We then study in full detail the simplest case of quaternionic manifolds of
dimension four with at least one isometry, for which there exists a general
parametrization, and study two types of truncations defining Kahler
submanifolds of dimension two. As an application, we finally discuss the case
of the universal hypermultiplet of N=2 superstrings and its truncations to the
dilaton chiral multiplet of N=1 superstrings. We argue that de Sitter vacua in
such theories are necessarily unstable in weakly coupled situations, while they
can in principle be metastable in strongly coupled regimes.Comment: 40 pages, no figure
D-instantons and twistors: some exact results
We present some results on instanton corrections to the hypermultiplet moduli
space in Calabi-Yau compactifications of Type II string theories. Previously,
using twistor methods, only a class of D-instantons (D2-instantons wrapping
A-cycles) was incorporated exactly and the rest was treated only linearly. We
go beyond the linear approximation and give a set of holomorphic functions
which, through a known procedure, capture the effect of D-instantons at all
orders. Moreover, we show that for a sector where all instanton charges have
vanishing symplectic invariant scalar product, the hypermultiplet metric can be
computed explicitly.Comment: 32 pages, 3 figures, uses JHEP3.cls; some changes in section 3.3.3;
corrected formula for the contact potentia
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