211 research outputs found
On Flux Quantization in F-Theory II: Unitary and Symplectic Gauge Groups
We study the quantization of the M-theory G-flux on elliptically fibered
Calabi-Yau fourfolds with singularities giving rise to unitary and symplectic
gauge groups. We seek and find its relation to the Freed-Witten quantization of
worldvolume fluxes on 7-branes in type IIB orientifold compactifications on
Calabi-Yau threefolds. By explicitly constructing the appropriate four-cycles
on which to calculate the periods of the second Chern class of the fourfolds,
we find that there is a half-integral shift in the quantization of G-flux
whenever the corresponding dual 7-brane is wrapped on a non-spin submanifold.
This correspondence of quantizations holds for all unitary and symplectic gauge
groups, except for SU(3), which behaves mysteriously. We also perform our
analysis in the case where, in addition to the aforementioned gauge groups,
there is also a 'flavor' U(1)-gauge group.Comment: 33 pages, 4 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
On Flux Quantization in F-Theory
We study the problem of four-form flux quantization in F-theory
compactifications. We prove that for smooth, elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau
fourfolds with a Weierstrass representation, the flux is always integrally
quantized. This implies that any possible half-integral quantization effects
must come from 7-branes, i.e. from singularities of the fourfold. We
subsequently analyze the quantization rule on explicit fourfolds with Sp(N)
singularities, and connect our findings via Sen's limit to IIB string theory.
Via direct computations we find that the four-form is half-integrally quantized
whenever the corresponding 7-brane stacks wrap non-spin complex surfaces, in
accordance with the perturbative Freed-Witten anomaly. Our calculations on the
fourfolds are done via toric techniques, whereas in IIB we rely on Sen's
tachyon condensation picture to treat bound states of branes. Finally, we give
general formulae for the curvature- and flux-induced D3 tadpoles for general
fourfolds with Sp(N) singularities.Comment: 46 page
Bogomol'nyi Bounds for Gravitational Cosmic Strings
We present a new method for finding lower bounds on the energy of topological
cosmic string solutions in gravitational field theories. This new method
produces bounds that are valid over the entire space of solutions, unlike the
traditional approach, where the bounds obtained are only valid for
cylindrically symmetric solutions. This method is shown to be a generalisation
of the well-known Bogomol'nyi procedure for non-gravitational theories and as
such, it can be used to find gravitational Bogomol'nyi bounds for models
wherever the traditional Bogomol'nyi procedure can be applied in the
non-gravitational limit. Furthermore, this method yields Bogomol'nyi equations
that do not rule out the existence of asymmetric bound-saturating solutions.Comment: 17 pages - final version (accepted for publication in JHEP
Classical resolution of singularities in dilaton cosmologies
For models of dilaton-gravity with a possible exponential potential, such as
the tensor-scalar sector of IIA supergravity, we show how cosmological
solutions correspond to trajectories in a 2D Milne space (parametrized by the
dilaton and the scale factor). Cosmological singularities correspond to points
at which a trajectory meets the Milne horizon, but the trajectories can be
smoothly continued through the horizon to an instanton solution of the
Euclidean theory. We find some exact cosmology/instanton solutions that lift to
black holes in one higher dimension. For one such solution, the singularities
of a big crunch to big bang transition mediated by an instanton phase lift to
the black hole and cosmological horizons of de Sitter Schwarzschild spacetimes.Comment: 24 pages, 2 figure
Supersymmetric and Kappa-invariant Coincident D0-Branes
We propose a generic supersymmetric and kappa-invariant action for describing
coincident D0-branes with non-abelian matter fields on their worldline. The
action is shown to be in agreement with the Matrix Theory limit of the
ND0-brane effective action.Comment: JHEP style, 1+8 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
Cosmological D-instantons and Cyclic Universes
For models of gravity coupled to hyperbolic sigma models, such as the
metric-scalar sector of IIB supergravity, we show how smooth trajectories in
the `augmented target space' connect FLRW cosmologies to non-extremal
D-instantons through a cosmological singularity. In particular, we find closed
cyclic universes that undergo an endless sequence of big-bang to big-crunch
cycles separated by instanton `phases'. We also find `big-bounce' universes in
which a collapsing closed universe bounces off its cosmological singularity to
become an open expanding universe.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figures. v2: minor change
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