Heterotic strings onΤ3/ℤ2, Nikulin involutions and M-theory
Heterotic strings onΤ3/ℤ2, Nikulin involutions and M-theory
We first describe the low energy dynamics of ten dimensional heterotic supergravity compactified on the smooth, flat 3-manifold T
3/Z2, without supersymmetry,
and explain how it arises from flat heterotic gauge fields. The semi-classical theory has
both Coulomb and Higgs branches of non-supersymmetric vacua. We then give an exact
worldsheet description as asymmetric orbifolds of T
3
, where the orbifold generator involves
a Nikulin non-symplectic involution θ of the even self-dual lattice Γ(19,3). Along the way we
briefly compare our findings with M-theory on K3/θ. Our construction gives a novel CFT
description of the semi-classical field theory moduli space. In particular, the Wilson line
parameters in the lattice I ⊂ Γ(19,3) of signature (19 − s, 1) which is invariant under θ, and
in its orthogonal complement N, correspond respectively to Coulomb and Higgs branch
moduli. There is a rich pattern of transitions amongst Higgs and Coulomb branches which
we describe using the worldsheet theory.
Acharya, Bobby Samir
43a10a54-46c5-4c09-a41b-d40acd5850f0
Aldazabal, Gerardo
e0e883f0-f851-4ecc-b70e-88d23c9758c3
Font, Anamaría
49571756-e269-4129-890e-d2c693f88241
Narain, Kumar
e168a4f2-844e-45c1-b220-ae9759de458b
Zadeh, Ida G.
f1a525ce-9b07-456b-a4f3-435434f833ae
26 September 2022
Acharya, Bobby Samir
43a10a54-46c5-4c09-a41b-d40acd5850f0
Aldazabal, Gerardo
e0e883f0-f851-4ecc-b70e-88d23c9758c3
Font, Anamaría
49571756-e269-4129-890e-d2c693f88241
Narain, Kumar
e168a4f2-844e-45c1-b220-ae9759de458b
Zadeh, Ida G.
f1a525ce-9b07-456b-a4f3-435434f833ae
Acharya, Bobby Samir, Aldazabal, Gerardo, Font, Anamaría, Narain, Kumar and Zadeh, Ida G.
(2022)
Heterotic strings onΤ3/ℤ2, Nikulin involutions and M-theory.
JHEP, 2022, [209].
(doi:10.1007/JHEP09(2022)209).
Abstract
We first describe the low energy dynamics of ten dimensional heterotic supergravity compactified on the smooth, flat 3-manifold T
3/Z2, without supersymmetry,
and explain how it arises from flat heterotic gauge fields. The semi-classical theory has
both Coulomb and Higgs branches of non-supersymmetric vacua. We then give an exact
worldsheet description as asymmetric orbifolds of T
3
, where the orbifold generator involves
a Nikulin non-symplectic involution θ of the even self-dual lattice Γ(19,3). Along the way we
briefly compare our findings with M-theory on K3/θ. Our construction gives a novel CFT
description of the semi-classical field theory moduli space. In particular, the Wilson line
parameters in the lattice I ⊂ Γ(19,3) of signature (19 − s, 1) which is invariant under θ, and
in its orthogonal complement N, correspond respectively to Coulomb and Higgs branch
moduli. There is a rich pattern of transitions amongst Higgs and Coulomb branches which
we describe using the worldsheet theory.
Text
JHEP09(2022)209 (1)
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 6 September 2022
Published date: 26 September 2022
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 501694
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/501694
ISSN: 1126-6708
PURE UUID: 89fb363b-298c-4ba7-952e-7865d7b4b3b4
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Date deposited: 06 Jun 2025 16:33
Last modified: 22 Aug 2025 02:43
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Contributors
Author:
Bobby Samir Acharya
Author:
Gerardo Aldazabal
Author:
Anamaría Font
Author:
Kumar Narain
Author:
Ida G. Zadeh
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