No Arabic abstract
Taking $mathbf{O}(D,D)$ covariant field variables as its truly fundamental constituents, Double Field Theory can accommodate not only conventional supergravity but also non-Riemannian gravities that may be classified by two non-negative integers, $(n,bar{n})$. Such non-Riemannian backgrounds render a propagating string chiral and anti-chiral over $n$ and $bar{n}$ dimensions respectively. Examples include, but are not limited to, Newton--Cartan, Carroll, or Gomis--Ooguri. Here we analyze the variational principle with care for a generic $(n,bar{n})$ non-Riemannian sector. We recognize a nontrivial subtlety for ${nbar{n} eq 0}$ that infinitesimal variations generically include those which change $(n,bar{n})$. This seems to suggest that the various non-Riemannian gravities should better be identified as different solution sectors of Double Field Theory rather than viewed as independent theories. Separate verification of our results as string worldsheet beta-functions may enlarge the scope of the string landscape far beyond Riemann.
Double Field Theory provides a geometric framework capable of describing string theory backgrounds that cannot be understood purely in terms of Riemannian geometry -- not only globally (`non-geometry), but even locally (`non-Riemannian). In this work, we show that the non-relativistic closed string theory of Gomis and Ooguri [1] arises precisely as such a non-Riemannian string background, and that the Gomis-Ooguri sigma model is equivalent to the Double Field Theory sigma model of [2] on this background. We further show that the target-space formulation of Double Field Theory on this non-Riemannian background correctly reproduces the appropriate sector of the Gomis-Ooguri string spectrum. To do this, we develop a general semi-covariant formalism describing perturbations in Double Field Theory. We derive compact expressions for the linearized equations of motion around a generic on-shell background, and construct the corresponding fluctuation Lagrangian in terms of novel completely covariant second order differential operators. We also present a new non-Riemannian solution featuring Schrodinger conformal symmetry.
We construct a double field theory coupled to the fields present in Vasilievs equations. Employing the semi-covariant differential geometry, we spell a functional in which each term is completely covariant with respect to $mathbf{O}(4,4)$ T-duality, doubled diffeomorphisms, $mathbf{Spin}(1,3)$ local Lorentz symmetry and, separately, $mathbf{HS}(4)$ higher spin gauge symmetry. We identify a minimal set of BPS-like conditions whose solutions automatically satisfy the full Euler-Lagrange equations. As such a solution, we derive a linear dilaton vacuum. With extra algebraic constraints further supplemented, the BPS-like conditions reduce to the bosonic Vasiliev equations.
In the AdS$_3$/CFT$_2$ correspondence, we find some conformal field theory (CFT) states that have no bulk description by the Ba~nados geometry. We elaborate the constraints for a CFT state to be geometric, i.e., having a dual Ba~nados metric, by comparing the order of central charge of the entanglement/Renyi entropy obtained respectively from the holographic method and the replica trick in CFT. We find that the geometric CFT states fulfill Bohrs correspondence principle by reducing the quantum KdV hierarchy to its classical counterpart. We call the CFT states that satisfy the geometric constraints geometric states, and otherwise non-geometric states. We give examples of both the geometric and non-geometric states, with the latter case including the superposition states and descendant states.
We propose a novel Kaluza-Klein scheme which assumes the internal space to be maximally non-Riemannian, meaning that no Riemannian metric can be defined for any subspace. Its description is only possible through Double Field Theory but not within supergravity. We spell out the corresponding Scherk-Schwarz twistable Kaluza--Klein ansatz, and point out that the internal space prevents rigidly any graviscalar moduli. Plugging the same ansatz into higher-dimensional pure Double Field Theory and also to a known doubled-yet-gauged string action, we recover heterotic supergravity as well as heterotic worldsheet action. In this way, we show that 1) supergravity and Yang-Mills theory can be unified into higher-dimensional pure Double Field Theory, free of moduli, and 2) heterotic string theory may have a higher-dimensional non-Riemannian origin.
In a completely systematic and geometric way, we derive maximal and half-maximal supersymmetric gauged double field theories in lower than ten dimensions. To this end, we apply a simple twisting ansatz to the $D=10$ ungauged maximal and half-maximal supersymmetric double field theories constructed previously within the so-called semi-covariant formalism. The twisting ansatz may not satisfy the section condition. Nonetheless, all the features of the semi-covariant formalism, including its complete covariantizability, are still valid after the twist under alternative consistency conditions. The twist allows gaugings as supersymmetry preserving deformations of the $D=10$ untwisted theories after Scherk-Schwarz-type dimensional reductions. The maximal supersymmetric twist requires an extra condition to ensure both the Ramond-Ramond gauge symmetry and the $32$ supersymmetries unbroken.