No Arabic abstract
By fibering the duality between the $E_{8}times E_{8}$ heterotic string on $T^{3}$ and M-theory on K3, we study heterotic duals of M-theory compactified on $G_{2}$ orbifolds of the form $T^{7}/mathbb{Z}_{2}^{3}$. While the heterotic compactification space is straightforward, the description of the gauge bundle is subtle, involving the physics of point-like instantons on orbifold singularities. By comparing the gauge groups of the dual theories, we deduce behavior of a half-$G_{2}$ limit, which is the M-theory analog of the stable degeneration limit of F-theory. The heterotic backgrounds exhibit point-like instantons that are localized on pairs of orbifold loci, similar to the gauge-locking phenomenon seen in Hov{r}ava-Witten compactifications. In this way, the geometry of the $G_{2}$ orbifold is translated to bundle data in the heterotic background. While the instanton configuration looks surprising from the perspective of the $E_{8}times E_{8}$ heterotic string, it may be understood as T-dual $text{Spin}(32)/mathbb{Z}_{2}$ instantons along with winding shifts originating in a dual Type I compactification.
We present calculation of the anomaly cancellation in M-theory on orbifolds $S^1/Z_2$ and $T^5/Z_2$ in the upstairs approach. The main requirement that allows one to uniquely define solutions to the modified Bianchi identities in this case is that the field strength $G$ be globally defined on $S^1$ or $T^5$ and properly transforming under $Z_2$. We solve for general $G$ that satisfies these requirements and explicitly construct anomaly-free theories in the upstairs approach. We also obtain the solutions in the presence of five-branes. All these constructions show equivalence of the downstairs and upstairs approaches. For example in the $S^1/Z_2$ case the ten-dimensional gauge coupling and the anomaly cancellation at each wall are the same as in the downstairs approach.
We reconsider the ingredients of moduli stabilization in heterotic M-theory. On this line we close a gap in the literature deriving the Kaehler potential dependence on vector bundle moduli and charged matter. Crucial in this derivation is our superspace formulation of 5d heterotic M-theory taking into account the Bianchi identities modified by brane terms. Likewise, we obtain the Fayet-Iliopolous terms due to brane localised anomalous U(1)s. After assembling perturbative and non-perturbative contributions to the superpotential, we study supersymmetric (adS) vacua. It is found that the susy condition decouples the bundle moduli from the geometric moduli. We show that M-theory supersymmetric vacua without five-branes can be found, albeit not at phenomenologically interesting values of the geometric moduli. This result is fairly independent of the choice of vector bundle at the observable brane.
Recently spatially localized anomalies have been considered in higher dimensional field theories. The question of the quantum consistency and stability of these theories needs further discussion. Here we would like to investigate what string theory might teach us about theories with localized anomalies. We consider the Z_3 orbifold of the heterotic E_8 x E_8 theory, and compute the anomaly of the gaugino in the presence of Wilson lines. We find an anomaly localized at the fixed points, which depends crucially on the local untwisted spectra at those points. We show that non-Abelian anomalies cancel locally at the fixed points for all Z_3 models with or without additional Wilson lines. At various fixed points different anomalous U(1)s may be present, but at most one at a given fixed point. It is in general not possible to construct one generator which is the sole source of the anomalous U(1)s at the various fixed points.
We study orbifolds by permutations of two identical N=2 minimal models within the Gepner construction of four dimensional heterotic strings. This is done using the new N=2 supersymmetric permutation orbifold building blocks we have recently developed. We compare our results with the old method of modding out the full string partition function. The overlap between these two approaches is surprisingly small, but whenever a comparison can be made we find complete agreement. The use of permutation building blocks allows us to use the complete arsenal of simple current techniques that is available for standard Gepner models, vastly extending what could previously be done for permutation orbifolds. In particular, we consider (0,2) models, breaking of SO(10) to subgroups, weight-lifting for the minimal models and B-L lifting. Some previously observed phenomena, for example concerning family number quantization, extend to this new class as well, and in the lifted models three family models occur with abundance comparable to two or four.
We study heterotic asymmetric orbifold models. By utilizing the lattice engineering technique, we classify (22,6)-dimensional Narain lattices with right-moving non-Abelian group factors which can be starting points for Z3 asymmetric orbifold construction. We also calculate gauge symmetry breaking patterns.