Taxonomy of scalar potential with U-dual fluxes

Abstract

In the context of $N =1$ four-dimensional type IIB supergravity theories, the U-dual completion arguments suggest to include four S-dual pairs of fluxes in the holomorphic superpotential, namely the so-called $(F, \, H), \, (Q, \, P), \, (P^\prime, Q^\prime)$ and $(H^\prime, \, F^\prime)$. These can generically induce cubic polynomials for the complex-structure moduli as well as the K\"ahler-moduli in the flux superpotential. In this article, we explore the insights of the four-dimensional non-geometric scalar potential in the presence of such generalized U-dual fluxes by considering an explicit type IIB toroidal compactification model based on an orientifold of ${\mathbb T}^6/({\mathbb Z}_2 \times {\mathbb Z}_2)$ orbifold. First, we observe that the flux superpotential induces a huge scalar potential having a total of 76276 terms involving 128 flux parameters and 14 real scalars. Subsequently, we invoke a new set of (the so-called) ``axionic fluxes" comprising combinations of the standard fluxes and the RR axions, and it turns out that these axionic fluxes can be very useful in rewriting the scalar potential in a relatively compact form. In this regard, using the metric of the compactifying toroidal sixfold, we present a new formulation of the effective scalar potential, which might be useful for understanding the higher-dimensional origin of the various pieces via the so-called ``dimensional oxidation" process. We also discuss the generalized Bianchi identities and the tadpole cancellation conditions, which can be important while seeking the physical (AdS/dS) vacua in such models.