Gauge sector statistics of intersecting D‐brane models

In this paper, which is based on the first part of the author's PhD thesis, we review the statistics of the open string sector in T⁶/(ℤ₂ × ℤ₂) orientifold compactifications of type IIA. After an introduction to the orientifold setup we discuss the two different techniques that have been developed, using either a saddle point approximation or a direct computer based method. We explain the two approaches by means of eight‐ and six‐dimensional toy models and present the results for the four‐dimensional models in detail. Special emphasis is placed on models containing phenomenologically interesting gauge groups, in particular those containing a standard model, Pati‐Salam or SU(5) part.     

Gauge threshold corrections in intersecting brane world models

We calculate the one‐loop corrections to gauge couplings in N = 1 supersymmetric brane world models, which are realized in an type IIA orbifold/orientifold background with several stacks of D6 branes wrapped on 3‐cycles with non‐vanishing intersections. Contributions arise from both N = 1 and N = 2 open string subsectors. In contrast to what is known from ordinary orbifold theories, N = 1 subsectors do give rise to moduli‐dependent one‐loop corrections.     

The Integral Form of D = 3 Chern‐Simons Theories Probing Singularities

We consider D=3 supersymmetric Chern Simons gauge theories both from the point of view of their formal structure and of their applications to the AdS₄/CFT₃ correspondence. From the structural view‐point, we use the new formalism of integral forms in superspace that utilizes the rheonomic Lagrangians and the Picture Changing Operators, as an algorithmic tool providing the connection between different approaches to supersymmetric theories. We provide here the generalization to an arbitrary Kähler manifold with arbitrary gauge group and arbitrary superpotential of the rheonomic lagrangian of D=3 matter coupled gauge theories constructed years ago. From the point of view of the AdS₄/CFT₃ correspondence and more generally of M2‐branes we emphasize the role of the Kähler quotient data in determining the field content and the interactions of the Cherns Simons gauge theory when the transverse space to the brane is a non‐compact Kähler quotient K ₄ of some flat variety with respect to a suitable group. The crepant resolutions of singularities fall in this category. In the present paper we anticipate the general scheme how the geometrical data are to be utilized in the construction of the D=3 Chern‐Simons Theory supposedly dual to the corresponding M2‐brane solution.     

Instanton strings and hyper-Kähler geometry

We discuss two-dimensional sigma models on moduli spaces of instantons on K3 surfaces. These N = (4, 4) superconformal field theories describe the near-horizon dynamics of the D1-D5-brane system and are dual to string theory on AdS³. We derive a precise map relating the moduli of the K3 type 1113 string compactification to the moduli of these conformal field theories and the corresponding classical hyper-Kahler geometry. We conclude that in the absence of background gauge fields, the metric on the instanton moduli spaces degenerates exactly to the orbifold symmetric product of K3. Turning on a self-dual NS B-field deforms this symmetric product to a manifold that is diffeomorphic to the Hilbert scheme. We also comment on the mathematical applications of string duality to the global issues of deformations of hyper-Kähler manifolds.     

Aspects of stability and phenomenology in type IIA orientifolds with intersecting D6‐branes

Intersecting branes have been the subject of an elaborate string model building for several years. After a general introduction into string theory, this work introduces in detail the toroidal and $\mathbb{Z}_N$‐orientifolds. The picture involving D9‐branes with B‐fluxes is shortly reviewed, but the main discussion employs the T‐dual picture of intersecting D6‐branes. The derivation of the R‐R and NS‐NS tadpole cancellation conditions in the conformal field theory is shown in great detail. Various aspects of the open and closed chiral and non‐chiral massless spectrum are discussed, involving spacetime anomalies and the generalized Green‐Schwarz mechanism. An introduction into possible gauge breaking mechanisms is given, too. Afterwards, both 𝒩 = 1 supersymmetric and non‐supersymmetric approaches to low energy model building are treated. Firstly, the problem of complex structure instabilities in toroidal ΩR‐orientifolds is approached by a $\mathbb{Z}_3$‐orbifolded model. In particular, a stable non‐supersymmetric standard‐like model with three fermion generations is discussed. This model features the standard model gauge groups at the same time as having a massless hypercharge, but possessing an additional global B‐L symmetry. The electroweak Higgs mechanism and the Yukawa couplings are not realized in the usual way. It is shown that this model descends naturally from a flipped SU(5) GUT model, where the string scale has to be at least of the order of the GUT scale. Secondly, supersymmetric models on the $\mathbb{Z}_4$‐orbifold are discussed, involving exceptional 3‐cycles and the explicit construction of fractional D‐branes. A three generation Pati‐Salam model is constructed as a particular example, where several brane recombination mechanisms are used, yielding non‐flat and non‐factorizable branes. This model even can be broken down to a MSSM‐like model with a massless hypercharge. Finally, the possibility that unstable closed and open string moduli could have played the role of the inflaton in the evolution of the universe is being explored. In the closed string sector, the important slow‐rolling requirement can only be fulfilled for very specific cases, where some moduli are frozen and a special choice of coordinates is taken. In the open string sector, inflation does not seem to be possible at all.     

M‐theory solutions invariant under D(2,1; γ) ⊕ D(2,1;γ)

We simplify and extend the construction of half‐BPS solutions to 11‐dimensional supergravity, with isometry superalgebra D(2,1;γ) ⊕ D(2,1;γ). Their space‐time has the form AdS₃× S³× S³ warped over a Riemann surface Σ. It describes near‐horizon geometries of M2 branes ending on, or intersecting with, M5 branes along a common string. The general solution to the BPS equations is specified by a reduced set of data (γ, h, G), where γ is the real parameter of the isometry superalgebra, and h and G are functions on Σ whose differential equations and regularity conditions depend only on the sign of γ. The magnitude of γ enters only through the map of h,G onto the supergravity fields, thereby promoting all solutions into families parametrized by |γ|. By analyzing the regularity conditions for the supergravity fields, we prove two general theorems: (i) that the only solution with a 2‐dimensional CFT dual is AdS₃× S³× S³× ℝ², modulo discrete identifications of the flat ℝ², and (ii) that solutions with γ < 0 cannot have more than one asymptotic higher‐dimensional AdS region. We classify the allowed singularities of h and G near the boundary of Σ, and identify four local solutions: asymptotic AdS₄/Z₂ or AdS₇^′ regions; highly‐curved M5‐branes; and a coordinate singularity called the “cap”. By putting these “Lego” pieces together we recover all known global regular solutions with the above symmetry, including the self‐dual strings on M5 for γ <0, and the Janus solution for γ > 0, but now promoted to families parametrized by |γ|. We also construct exactly new regular solutions which are asymptotic to AdS₄/Z₂ for γ < 0, and conjecture that they are a different superconformal limit of the self‐dual string. Finally, we construct exactly γ > 0 solutions with highly curved M5‐brane regions, which are the formal continuation of the self‐dual string solutions across the decompactification point at γ = 0.     

Toric <Emphasis Type="Italic">G</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spin</Emphasis>(7) Holonomy Spaces from Gravitational Instantons and Other Examples

Non-compact G ₂ holonomy metrics that arise from a T ² bundle over a hyper-Kähler space are constructed. These are one parameter deformations of certain metrics studied by Gibbons, Lü, Pope and Stelle in [1]. Seven-dimensional spaces with G ₂ holonomy fibered over the Taub-Nut and the Eguchi-Hanson gravitational instantons are found, together with other examples. By using the Apostolov-Salamon theorem [2], we construct a new example that, still being a T ² bundle over hyper-Kähler, represents a non-trivial two parameter deformation of the metrics studied in [1]. We then review the Spin(7) metrics arising from a T ³ bundle over a hyper-Kähler and we find a two parameter deformation of such spaces as well. We show that if the hyper-Kähler base satisfies certain properties, a non-trivial three parameter deformation is also possible. The relation between these spaces with half-flat and almost G ₂ holonomy structures is briefly discussed.     

World-volume action for fractional branes

We study the world-volume action of fractional Dp-branes of type IIA string theory compactified on the orbifold T⁴/Z₂. The geometric relation between these branes and wrapped branes is investigated using conformal techniques. In particular we examine in detail various scattering amplitudes and find that the leading low-energy interactions are consistent with the boundary action derived geometrically.     

Instantons, Poisson Structures and Generalized Kähler Geometry

Using the idea of a generalized Kähler structure, we construct bihermitian metrics on CP² and CP¹×CP¹, and show that any such structure on a compact 4-manifold M defines one on the moduli space of anti-self-dual connections on a fixed principal bundle over M. We highlight the role of holomorphic Poisson structures in all these constructions.     

Three generations in the fermionic construction

We obtain three generation SU(3)_c × SU(2)_L × U(1)_Y string models in all of the exactly solvable (0, 2) constructions sampled by fermionization. None of these examples, including those that are symmetric abelian orbifolds, rely on the ℤ₂ × ℤ₂ orbifold underlying the NAHE basis. We present the first known three generation models for which the hypercharge normalization, k₁, takes values smaller than that obtained from an SU(5) embedding, thus lowering the effective gauge coupling unification scale. All of the models contain fractional electrically charged and vectorlike exotic matter that could survive in the light spectrum.     

Compactifications of the heterotic string with unitary bundles

We describe a large new class of four‐dimensional supersymmetric string vacua defined as compactifications of the E₈ × E₈ and the SO(32) heterotic string on smooth Calabi‐Yau threefolds with unitary gauge bundles and heterotic five‐branes. The conventional gauge symmetry breaking via Wilson lines is replaced by the embedding of non‐flat line bundles into the ten‐dimensional gauge group, thus opening up the way for phenomenologically interesting string compactifications on simply connected manifolds. After a detailed analysis of the four‐dimensional effective theory we exemplify the general framework by means of a couple of explicit examples involving the spectral cover construction of stable holomorphic bundles. As for the SO(32) heterotic string, the resulting vacua can be viewed, in the S‐dual Type I picture, as a generalisation of magnetized D9/D5‐brane models. In the case of the E₈ × E₈ string, we find a natural way to construct realistic MSSM‐like models, either directly or via a flipped SU(5) GUT scenario.     

ASK/PSK-correspondence and the <Emphasis Type="Italic">r</Emphasis>-map

We formulate a correspondence between affine and projective special Kähler manifolds of the same dimension. As an application, we show that, under this correspondence, the affine special Kähler manifolds in the image of the rigid r-map are mapped to one-parameter deformations of projective special Kähler manifolds in the image of the supergravity r-map. The above one-parameter deformations are interpreted as perturbative \(\alpha '\)-corrections in heterotic and type II string compactifications with \(N=2\) supersymmetry. Also affine special Kähler manifolds with quadratic prepotential are mapped to one-parameter families of projective special Kähler manifolds with quadratic prepotential. We show that the completeness of the deformed supergravity r-map metric depends solely on the (well-understood) completeness of the undeformed metric and the sign of the deformation parameter.     

Constraining the Kähler Moduli in the Heterotic Standard Model

Phenomenological implications of the volume of the Calabi-Yau threefolds on the hidden and observable M-theory boundaries, together with slope stability of their corresponding vector bundles, constrain the set of Kähler moduli which give rise to realistic compactifications of the strongly coupled heterotic string. When vector bundles are constructed using extensions, we provide simple rules to determine lower and upper bounds to the region of the Kähler moduli space where such compactifications can exist. We show how small these regions can be, working out in full detail the case of the recently proposed Heterotic Standard Model. More explicitly, we exhibit Kähler classes in these regions for which the visible vector bundle is stable. On the other hand, there is no polarization for which the hidden bundle is stable.     

Singular Hyperbolic Monopoles

We study the twistor theory of singular hyperbolic SU(2) monopoles following the approach taken by Kronheimer [9] in the Euclidean case. We use our results to show that the moduli space of charge 1 monopoles possesses a natural 2-sphere of scalar flat Kähler metrics. In the zero mass limit, the metrics reduce to a class of metrics first studied by LeBrun in [10].     

Obstructions to the Existence of Sasaki–Einstein Metrics

We describe two simple obstructions to the existence of Ricci-flat Kähler cone metrics on isolated Gorenstein singularities or, equivalently, to the existence of Sasaki-Einstein metrics on the links of these singularities. In particular, this also leads to new obstructions for Kähler–Einstein metrics on Fano orbifolds. We present several families of hypersurface singularities that are obstructed, including 3-fold and 4-fold singularities of ADE type that have been studied previously in the physics literature. We show that the AdS/CFT dual of one obstruction is that the R–charge of a gauge invariant chiral primary operator violates the unitarity bound.     

Evaporation of microscopic black holes in string theory and the bound on species

We address the question how string compactifications with D‐branes are consistent with the black hole bound, which arises in any theory with number of particle species to which the black holes can evaporate. For the Kaluza‐Klein particles, both longitudinal and transversal to the D‐branes, it is relatively easy to see that the black hole bound is saturated, and the geometric relations can be understood in the language of species‐counting. We next address the question of the black hole evaporation into the higher string states and discover, that contrary to the naive intuition, the exponentially growing number of Regge states does not preclude the existence of semi‐classical black holes of sub‐stringy size. Our analysis indicates that the effective number of string resonances to which such micro black holes evaporate is not exponentially large but is bounded by N = 1/g_s², which suggests the interpretation of the well‐known relation between the Planck and string scales as the saturation of the black hole bound on the species number. In addition, we also discuss some other issues in D‐brane compactifications with a low string scale of order TeV, such as the masses of light moduli fields.     

Vortex Equations in Abelian Gauged σ-Models

We consider nonlinear gauged σ-models with Kähler domain and target. For a special choice of potential these models admit Bogomolny (or self-duality) equations — the so-called vortex equations. Here we describe the space of solutions and energy spectrum of the vortex equations when the gauge group is a torus T ⁿ , the domain is compact, and the target is We also obtain a large family of solutions when the target is a compact Kähler toric manifold.     

Cohomological Yang–Mills theories on Kähler 3-folds

We study topological gauge theories with N_c=(2,0) supersymmetry based on stable bundles on general Kähler 3-folds. In order to have a theory that is well defined and well behaved, we consider a model based on an extension of the usual holomorphic bundle by including a holomorphic 3-form. The correlation functions of the model describe complex 3-dimensional generalizations of Donaldson–Witten type invariants. We show that the path integral can be written as a sum of contributions from stable bundles and a complex 3-dimensional version of Seiberg–Witten monopoles. We study certain deformations of the theory, which allow us to consider the situation of reducible connections. We shortly discuss situations of reduced holonomy. After dimensional reduction to a Kähler 2-fold, the theory reduces to Vafa–Witten theory. On a Calabi–Yau 3-fold, the supersymmetry is enhanced to N_c=(2,2). This model may be used to describe classical limits of certain compactifications of (matrix) string theory.