Weierstrass meets Enriques

We study in detail the degeneration of K3 to T^4/Z_2. We obtain an explicit embedding of the lattice of collapsed cycles of T^4/Z_2 into the lattice of integral cycles of K3 in two different ways. Our first method exploits the duality to the heterotic string on T^3. This allows us to describe the degeneration in terms of Wilson lines. Our second method is based on the blow-up of T^4/Z_2. From this blow-up, we directly construct the full lattice of integral cycles of K3. Finally, we use our results to describe the action of the Enriques involution on elliptic K3 surfaces, finding that a Weierstrass model description is consistent with the Enriques involution only in the F-theory limit.Comment: 35 pages, 9 figure

Tate Form and Weak Coupling Limits in F-theory

We consider the weak coupling limit of F-theory in the presence of non-Abelian gauge groups implemented using the traditional ansatz coming from Tate's algorithm. We classify the types of singularities that could appear in the weak coupling limit and explain their resolution. In particular, the weak coupling limit of SU(n) gauge groups leads to an orientifold theory which suffers from conifold singulaties that do not admit a crepant resolution compatible with the orientifold involution. We present a simple resolution to this problem by introducing a new weak coupling regime that admits singularities compatible with both a crepant resolution and an orientifold symmetry. We also comment on possible applications of the new limit to model building. We finally discuss other unexpected phenomena as for example the existence of several non-equivalent directions to flow from strong to weak coupling leading to different gauge groups.Comment: 34 page

Human Development and Tourism Specialization. Evidence from a Panel of Developed and Developing Countries

In the present study we analyze the relationship between tourism and human development for a selection of 63 countries from 1996 to 2008. Findings confirm that, on average, tourism is positively associated with human development. By decomposing the effect of tourism on each human development indicator, we find that literacy rate appears to be the most affected. This result suggests that the impact of tourism in the host country is much broader respect to the purely economic effect. Furthermore, it suggests the need of further investigating the relationship between human development and tourism

Fluxes and Warping for Gauge Couplings in F-theory

We compute flux-dependent corrections in the four-dimensional F-theory effective action using the M-theory dual description. In M-theory the 7-brane fluxes are encoded by four-form flux and modify the background geometry and Kaluza-Klein reduction ansatz. In particular, the flux sources a warp factor which also depends on the torus directions of the compactification fourfold. This dependence is crucial in the derivation of the four-dimensional action, although the torus fiber is auxiliary in F-theory. In M-theory the 7-branes are described by an infinite array of Taub-NUT spaces. We use the explicit metric on this geometry to derive the locally corrected warp factor and M-theory three-from as closed expressions. We focus on contributions to the 7-brane gauge coupling function from this M-theory back-reaction and show that terms quadratic in the internal seven-brane flux are induced. The real part of the gauge coupling function is modified by the M-theory warp factor while the imaginary part is corrected due to a modified M-theory three-form potential. The obtained contributions match the known weak string coupling result, but also yield additional terms suppressed at weak coupling. This shows that the completion of the M-theory reduction opens the way to compute various corrections in a genuine F-theory setting away from the weak string coupling limit.Comment: 46 page

New F-theory lifts II: Permutation orientifolds and enhanced singularities

In this paper, a procedure is developed to construct compact F-theory fourfolds corresponding to perturbative IIB O7/O3 models on CICY threefolds with permutation involutions. The method is explained in generality, and then applied to specific examples where the involution permutes two Del Pezzo surfaces. The fourfold construction is successfully tested by comparing the D3 charges predicted by F-theory and IIB string theory. The constructed smooth fourfolds are then taken to the locus in moduli space where they have enhanced SU(5) singularities. A general, intuitive method is developed for engineering the desired singularities in Weierstrass models for complicated D7-brane setups.Comment: 24 pages, 8 tables, typos corrected, minor errors corrected, refs. adde

On Instanton Effects in F-theory

We revisit the issue of M5-brane instanton corrections to the superpotential in F-theory compactifications on elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau fourfolds. Elaborating on concrete geometries, we compare the instanton zero modes for non-perturbative F-theory models with the zero modes in their perturbative Sen limit. The fermionic matter zero modes localized on the intersection of the instanton with the space-time filling D7-branes show up in a geometric way in F-theory. Methods for their computation are developed and, not surprisingly, exceptional gauge group structures do appear. Finally, quite intriguing geometrical aspects of the one-loop determinant are discussed.Comment: 52 pages, 8 figures, 13 tables; v2: extended discussion of matter zero modes, refs added; v3: sections 3.3 + 4.1 restructure

A new CY elliptic fibration and tadpole cancellation

Tadpole cancellation in Sen limits in F-theory was recently studied by Aluffi and Esole. We extend their results, generalizing the elliptic fibrations they used and obtaining a new case of universal tadpole cancellation, at least numerically. We could not find an actual Sen limit having the correct brane content, and we argue that such a limit may not exist. We also give a uniform description of the fibration used by Aluffi and Esole as well as a new, simple, fibration which has non-Kodaira type fibers.Comment: 18 pages; added references and minor change

Superconformal Yang-Mills quantum mechanics and Calogero model with OSp(N|2,R) symmetry

In spacetime dimension two, pure Yang-Mills possesses no physical degrees of freedom, and consequently it admits a supersymmetric extension to couple to an arbitrary number, N say, of Majorana-Weyl gauginos. This results in (N,0) super Yang-Mills. Further, its dimensional reduction to mechanics doubles the number of supersymmetries, from N to N+N, to include conformal supercharges, and leads to a superconformal Yang-Mills quantum mechanics with symmetry group OSp(N|2,R). We comment on its connection to AdS_2 \times S^{N-1} and reduction to a supersymmetric Calogero model.Comment: 1+28 pages, no figure; Refs added. To appear in JHE

Abelian Gauge Fluxes and Local Models in F-Theory

We analyze the Abelian gauge fluxes in local F-theory models with G_S=SU(6) and SO(10). For the case of G_S=SO(10), there is a no-go theorem which states that for an exotic-free spectrum, there are no solutions for U(1)^2 gauge fluxes. We explicitly construct the U(1)^2 gauge fluxes with an exotic-free bulk spectrum for the case of G_S=SU(6). We also analyze the conditions for the curves supporting the given field content and discuss non-minimal spectra of the MSSM with doublet-triplet splitting.Comment: 43 pages, 15 tables; typos corrected, reference adde