SearcharxivSearch

arXiv subjects

Charles Doran

Publications and source records attributed to Charles Doran.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

Orientifolds for F-theory on K3 Surfaces

We study F-theory orientifolds, starting with products of two elliptic curves, but focusing mostly on a family of K3 surfaces, lattice polarized by the rank-17 lattice $\langle 8 \rangle \oplus 2D_8(-1)$, generalizing the family (to which it degenerates) of Kummer surfaces of products of two non-isogenous elliptic curves. After a thorough study of the complex geometry of this family and its elliptic fibrations, we proceed to study real structures on the K3 surfaces in the family which are equivariant with respect to an elliptic fibration. We also study the physics of the associated F-theory orientifolds with a particular focus on the impact of the real structure on the charge spectrum. We also study how these orientifolds degenerate to the case of isotrivial Kummer surface fibrations.

hep-th

Enumerative geometry and modularity in two-modulus K3-fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds

Motivated in part by the modular properties of enumerative invariants of K3-fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds, we introduce a family of 39 Calabi-Yau mirror pairs $(X,Y)$ with $h_{1,1}(X)=h_{2,1}(Y)=2$, labelled by certain integer quadruples $(m,i,j,s)$ with $m\leq 11$. On the A-model side, $X$ arises as a complete intersection in a projective bundle over a Fano fourfold $V_m^{[i,j]}$, and admits a Tyurin degeneration into a pair of degree $m$ Fano threefolds $F_m^{[i]}\cup F_m^{[j]}$ intersecting on an anticanonical K3 divisor of degree $2m$. On the B-model side, $Y$ is fibered by $M_{m}$-polarized K3-surfaces of Picard rank 19, and determined by a branched covering of $\mathbb{P}^1$, consistent with the Doran-Harder-Thompson mirror conjecture. When $s=0$, $Y$ itself acquires a Tyurin degeneration, and correspondingly $X$ acquires a fibration by degree $2m$ K3 surfaces, such that the two K\"ahler moduli control the size of the K3-fiber and base $\mathbb{P}^1$. While the mirror pairs with $m\leq 4$ can be realized as complete intersections in products of projective spaces or as hypersurfaces in toric varieties, the examples with $m\geq 5$ are intrinsically non-toric. We obtain uniform formulae for the genus 0 and 1 topological free energies near the Tyurin degeneration (mirror to the large base limit), exhibiting modular properties under the Fricke-extended congruence group $\Gamma_0(m)^+$. We use these results to compute the vertical Gopakumar-Vafa and Noether-Lefschetz invariants and check that their generating functions satisfy the expected modular properties. We also compute generating series of Gopakumar-Vafa invariants with fixed non-zero base degree and exhibit their modular properties.

hep-th

Modularity of Landau-Ginzburg models

For each Fano threefold, we construct a family of Landau-Ginzburg models which satisfy many expectations coming from different aspects of mirror symmetry; they are log Calabi-Yau varieties with proper potential maps; they admit open algebraic torus charts on which the potential function $w$ restricts to a Laurent polynomial satisfying a deformation of the Minkowski ansatz; the general fibres of $w$ are Dolgachev-Nikulin dual to the anticanonical hypersurfaces in $X$. To do this, we study the deformation theory of Landau-Ginzburg models in arbitrary dimension, following the third-named author, Kontsevich, and Pantev, specializing to the case of Landau-Ginzburg models obtained from Laurent polynomials. Our proof of Dolgachev-Nikulin mirror symmetry is by detailed case-by-case analysis, refining work of Cheltsov and the fifth-named author.

math.AG

Unwinding toric degenerations and mirror symmetry for Grassmannians

The most fundamental example of mirror symmetry compares the Fermat hypersurfaces in P^n and P^n/G, where G is a finite group that acts on P^n and preserves the Fermat hypersurface. We generalise this to hypersurfaces in Grassmannians, where the picture is richer and more complex. There is a finite group G that acts on the Grassmannian Gr(n,r) and preserves an appropriate Calabi-Yau hypersurface. We establish how mirror symmetry, toric degenerations, blow-ups and variation of GIT relate the Calabi-Yau hypersurfaces inside Gr(n,r) and Gr(n,r)/G. This allows us to describe a compactification of the Eguchi-Hori-Xiong mirror to the Grassmannian, inside a blow-up of the quotient of the Grassmannian by G.

math.AG

Geometric Variations of Local Systems and Elliptic Surfaces

Geometric variations of local systems are families of variations of Hodge structure; they typically correspond to fibrations of Kähler manifolds for which each fibre itself is fibred by codimension one Kähler manifolds. In this article, we introduce the formalism of geometric variations of local systems and then specialize the theory to study families of elliptic surfaces. We interpret a construction of twisted elliptic surface families used by Besser-Livné in terms of the middle convolution functor, and use explicit methods to calculate the variations of Hodge structure underlying the universal families of $M_N$-polarized K3 surfaces. Finally, we explain the connection between geometric variations of local systems and geometric isomonodromic deformations, which were originally considered by the first author in 1999.

math.AG

Geometrization of N-Extended 1-Dimensional Supersymmetry Algebras

The problem of classifying off-shell representations of the $N$-extended one-dimensional super Poincaré algebra is closely related to the study of a class of decorated $N$-regular, $N$-edge colored bipartite graphs known as {\em Adinkras}. In this paper we {\em canonically} realize these graphs as Grothendieck ``dessins d'enfants,'' or Belyi curves uniformized by certain normal torsion-free subgroups of the $(N,N,2)$-triangle group. We exhibit an explicit algebraic model over $\mathbb{Q}(ζ_{2N})$, as a complete intersection of quadrics in projective space, and use Galois descent to prove that the curves are, in fact, definable over $\mathbb{Q}$ itself. The stage is thereby set for the geometric interpretation of the remaining Adinkra decorations in Part II.

hep-th

Specialization of cycles and the K-theory elevator

A general specialization map is constructed for higher Chow groups and used to prove a "going-up" theorem for algebraic cycles and their regulators. The results are applied to study the degeneration of the modified diagonal cycle of Gross and Schoen, and of the coordinate symbol on a genus-2 curve.

math.AG

Geometrization of $N$-Extended $1$-Dimensional Supersymmetry Algebras II

The problem of classifying off-shell representations of the $N$ -extended one-dimensional super Poincaré algebra is closely related to the study of a class of decorated $N$-regular, $N$-edge colored bipartite graphs known as Adinkras. In previous work we canonically embedded these graphs into explicitly uniformized Riemann surfaces via the "dessins d'enfant" construction of Grothendieck. The Adinkra graphs carry two additional structures: a selection of dashed edges and an assignment of integral helghts to the vertices. In this paper, we complete the passage from algebra, through discrete structures, to geometry. We show that the dashings correspond to special spin structures on the Riemann surface, defining thereby super Riemann surfaces. Height assignments determine discrete Morse functions, from which we produce a set of Morse divisors which capture the topological properties of the height assignments.

hep-th

Vertical D4-D2-D0 bound states on K3 fibrations and modularity

An explicit formula is derived for the generating function of vertical D4-D2-D0 bound states on smooth K3 fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds, generalizing previous results of Gholampour and Sheshmani. It is also shown that this formula satisfies strong modularity properties, as predicted by string theory. This leads to a new construction of vector valued modular forms which exhibits some of the features of a generalized Hecke transform.

hep-th

String theory on elliptic curve orientifolds and KR-theory

We analyze the brane content and charges in all of the orientifold string theories on space-times of the form E x R^8, where E is an elliptic curve with holomorphic or anti-holomorphic involution. Many of these theories involve "twistings" coming from the B-field and/or sign choices on the orientifold planes. A description of these theories from the point of view of algebraic geometry, using the Legendre normal form, naturally divides them into three groupings. The physical theories within each grouping are related to one another via sequences of T-dualities. Our approach agrees with both previous topological calculations of twisted KR-theory and known physics arguments, and explains how the twistings originate from both a mathematical and a physical perspective.

hep-th

T-duality For Orientifolds and Twisted KR-theory

D-brane charges in orientifold string theories are classified by the KR-theory of Atiyah. However, this is assuming that all O-planes have the same sign. When there are O-planes of different signs, physics demands a "KR-theory with a sign choice" which up until now has not been studied by mathematicians (with the unique exception of Moutuou, who didn't have a specific application in mind). We give a definition of this theory and compute it for orientifold theories compactified on a circle and 2-torus. We also explain how and why additional "twisting" is implemented. We show that our results satisfy all possible T-duality relationships for orientifold string theories on elliptic curves, which will be studied further in subsequent work.

hep-th

Short Tops and Semistable Degenerations

One may construct a large class of Calabi-Yau varieties by taking anticanonical hypersurfaces in toric varieties obtained from reflexive polytopes. If the intersection of a reflexive polytope with a hyperplane through the origin yields a lower-dimensional reflexive polytope, then the corresponding Calabi-Yau varieties are fibered by lower-dimensional Calabi-Yau varieties. A top generalizes the idea of splitting a reflexive polytope into two pieces. In contrast to the classification of reflexive polytopes, there are infinite families of equivalence classes of tops. Tops may be used to describe either fibrations or degenerations of Calabi-Yau varieties. We give a simple combinatorial condition on tops which produces semistable degenerations of K3 surfaces, and, when appropriate smoothness conditions are met, semistable degenerations of Calabi-Yau threefolds. Our method is constructive: given a fixed reflexive polytope which will lie on the boundary of the top, we describe an algorithm for constructing tops which yields semistable degenerations of the corresponding hypersurfaces. The properties of each degeneration may be computed directly from the combinatorial structure of the top.

math.AG

Normal functions, Picard-Fuchs equations, and elliptic fibrations on K3 surfaces

Using Gauss-Manin derivatives of normal functions, we arrive at some remarkable results on the non-triviality of the transcendental regulator for $K_m$ of a very general projective algebraic manifold. Our strongest results are for the transcendental regulator for $K_1$ of a very general $K3$ surface. We also construct an explicit family of $K_1$ cycles on $H \oplus E_8 \oplus E_8$-polarized $K3$ surfaces, and show they are indecomposable by a direct evaluation of the real regulator. Critical use is made of natural elliptic fibrations, hypersurface normal forms, and an explicit parametrization by modular functions.

math.AG

An application of Cubical Cohomology to Adinkras and Supersymmetry Representations

An Adinkra is a class of graphs with certain signs marking its vertices and edges, which encodes off-shell representations of the super Poincaré algebra. The markings on the vertices and edges of an Adinkra are cochains for cubical cohomology. This article explores the cubical cohomology of Adinkras, treating these markings analogously to characteristic classes on smooth manifolds.

hep-th

Algebraic K-theory of toric hypersurfaces

We construct classes in the motivic cohomology of certain 1-parameter families of Calabi-Yau hypersurfaces in toric Fano n-folds, with applications to local mirror symmetry (growth of genus 0 instanton numbers) and inhomogeneous Picard-Fuchs equations. In the case where the family is classically modular the classes are related to Belinson's Eisenstein symbol; the Abel-Jacobi map (or rational regulator) is computed in this paper for both kinds of cycles. For the "modular toric" families where the cycles essentially coincide, we obtain a motivic (and computationally effective) explanation of a phenomenon observed by Villegas, Stienstra, and Bertin.

math.AG

Families of Quintic Calabi-Yau 3-Folds with Discrete Symmetries

At special loci in their moduli spaces, Calabi-Yau manifolds are endowed with discrete symmetries. Over the years, such spaces have been intensely studied and have found a variety of important applications. As string compactifications they are phenomenologically favored, and considerably simplify many important calculations. Mathematically, they provided the framework for the first construction of mirror manifolds, and the resulting rational curve counts. Thus, it is of significant interest to investigate such manifolds further. In this paper, we consider several unexplored loci within familiar families of Calabi-Yau hypersurfaces that have large but unexpected discrete symmetry groups. By deriving, correcting, and generalizing a technique similar to that of Candelas, de la Ossa and Rodriguez-Villegas, we find a calculationally tractable means of finding the Picard-Fuchs equations satisfied by the periods of all 3-forms in these families. To provide a modest point of comparison, we then briefly investigate the relation between the size of the symmetry group along these loci and the number of nonzero Yukawa couplings. We include an introductory exposition of the mathematics involved, intended to be accessible to physicists, in order to make the discussion self-contained.

hep-th

Crosscaps in Gepner Models and the Moduli space of T2 Orientifolds

We study T^2 orientifolds and their moduli space in detail. Geometrical insight into the involutive automorphisms of T^2 allows a straightforward derivation of the moduli space of orientifolded T^2s. Using c=3 Gepner models, we compare the explicit worldsheet sigma model of an orientifolded T^2 compactification with the CFT results. In doing so, we derive half-supersymmetry preserving crosscap coefficients for generic unoriented Gepner models using simple current techniques to construct the charges and tensions of Calabi-Yau orientifold planes. For T^2s we are able to identify the O-plane charge directly as the number of fixed points of the involution; this number plays an important role throughout our analysis. At several points we make connections with the mathematical literature on real elliptic curves. We conclude with a preliminary extension of these results to elliptically fibered K3s.

hep-th