Four-dimensional heterotic strings-orbifolds and covariant lattices

Two - so far unrelated - constructions of four-dimensional heterotic string theories are discussed within a common framework. We show that four-dimensional heterotic string theories which are based on covariant self-dual lattices are equivalent to a wide class of asymmetric orbifolds. This equivalence provides an explicit realization of twist fields and allows the straight-forward calculation of scattering amplitudes of various massless fields. “Topological” properties of the orbifolds, like the number of fixed points, are related to group theoretical features of the covariant lattices. Two explicit examples illustrate our conclusions.