arXiv subjects

Jacques Distler

Publications and source records attributed to Jacques Distler.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

Nilpotent orbits and codimension-two defects of 6d N=(2,0) theories

We study the local properties of a class of codimension-2 defects of the 6d N=(2,0) theories of type J=A,D,E labeled by nilpotent orbits of a Lie algebra \mathfrak{g}, where \mathfrak{g} is determined by J and the outer-automorphism twist around the defect. This class is a natural generalisation of the defects of the 6d theory of type SU(N) labeled by a Young diagram with N boxes. For any of these defects, we determine its contribution to the dimension of the Higgs branch, to the Coulomb branch operators and their scaling dimensions, to the 4d central charges a and c, and to the flavour central charge k.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Quantization of Fayet-Iliopoulos Parameters in Supergravity

In this short note we discuss quantization of the Fayet-Iliopoulos parameter in supergravity theories. We argue that in supergravity, the Fayet-Iliopoulos parameter determines a lift of the group action to a line bundle, and such lifts are quantized. Just as D-terms in rigid N=1 supersymmetry are interpreted in terms of moment maps and symplectic reductions, we argue that in supergravity the quantization of the Fayet-Iliopoulos parameter has a natural understanding in terms of linearizations in geometric invariant theory (GIT) quotients, the algebro-geometric version of symplectic quotients.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Tinkertoys for Gaiotto Duality

We describe a procedure for classifying N=2 superconformal theories of the type introduced by Davide Gaiotto. Any curve, C, on which the 6D A_{N-1} SCFT is compactified, can be decomposed into 3-punctured spheres, connected by cylinders. We classify the spheres, and the cylinders that connect them. The classification is carried out explicitly, up through N=5, and for several families of SCFTs for arbitrary N. These lead to a wealth of new S-dualities between Lagrangian and non-Lagrangian N=2 SCFTs.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Orientifold Precis

We give a precise and concise formulation of the orientifold construction in Type II superstring theory. Our results include anomaly cancellation on the worldsheet and a spacetime computation of the background Ramond-Ramond charge.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Spin structures and superstrings

In superstring theory spin structures are present on both the 2-dimensional worldsheet and 10-dimensional spacetime. We present a new proposal for the B-field in superstring theory and demonstrate its interaction with worldsheet spin structures. Our formulation generalizes to orientifolds, where various twistings appear. A special case of the orientifold worldsheet B-field amplitude is a KO-theoretic construction of the Z/8Z-valued Kervaire invariant on pin-minus surfaces.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

There is no "Theory of Everything" inside E8

We analyze certain subgroups of real and complex forms of the Lie group E8, and deduce that any "Theory of Everything" obtained by embedding the gauge groups of gravity and the Standard Model into a real or complex form of E8 lacks certain representation-theoretic properties required by physical reality. The arguments themselves amount to representation theory of Lie algebras in the spirit of Dynkin's classic papers and are written for mathematicians.

math.RT↗

arXiv2008

General F-Term Gauge Mediation

In a model-independent formalism of gauge mediation, Meade, Seiberg, and Shih have shown that hidden sector effects are captured by two-point correlation functions of the gauge current superfields and that, generically, many of the characteristic features of gauge mediated SUSY breaking do not survive. We review the general story, particularly the way that the correlators enter the low-energy effective action and give rise to soft-breaking terms. We then specialize to the case where there is a small parameter, F/m^2, where m is the mass scale characterizing the hidden sector, and F is the strength of the SUSY breaking. To leading nontrivial order in this small parameter, we show that many of the classic predictions of gauge mediated SUSY breaking are recovered.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

M2-branes on M-folds

We argue that the moduli space for the Bagger-Lambert A_4 theory at level k is (R^8 \times R^8)/D_{2k}, where D_{2k} is the dihedral group of order 4k. We conjecture that the theory describes two M2-branes on a Z_{2k} ``M-fold'', in which a geometrical action of Z_{2k} is combined with an action on the branes. For k=1, this arises as the strong coupling limit of two D2-branes on an O2^- orientifold, whose worldvolume theory is the maximally supersymmetric SO(4) gauge theory. Finally, in an appropriate large-k limit we show that one recovers compactified M-theory and the M2-branes reduce to D2-branes.

hep-th↗

arXiv2007

Wormholes in Maximal Supergravity

In this brief note, we reconsider the problem of finding Euclidean wormhole solutions to maximal supergravity in d dimensions. We find that such solutions exists for all d less than or equal to 9. However, we argue that, in toroidally-compactified string theories, these saddle points never contribute to the path integral because of a tension with U-duality.

hep-th↗

arXiv2006

Falsifying Models of New Physics Via WW Scattering

We show that the coefficients of operators in the electroweak chiral Lagrangian can be bounded if the underlying theory obeys the usual assumptions of Lorentz invariance, analyticity, unitarity and crossing to arbitrarily short distances. Violations of these bounds can be explained by either the existence of new physics below the naive cut-off of the the effective theory, or by the breakdown of one of these assumptions in the short distance theory. As a corollary, if no light resonances are found, then a measured violation of the bound would falsify generic models of string theory.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2005

Random Polynomials and the Friendly Landscape

In hep-th/0501082, a field theoretic ``toy model'' for the Landscape was proposed. We show that the considerations of that paper carry through to realistic effective Lagrangians, such as those that emerge out of string theory. Extracting the physics of the large number of metastable vacua that ensue requires somewhat more sophisticated algebro-geometric techniques, which we review.

hep-th↗

arXiv2005

Topological Heterotic Rings

We prove the existence of topological rings in (0,2) theories containing non-anomalous left-moving U(1) currents by which they may be twisted. While the twisted models are not topological, their ground operators form a ring under non-singular OPE which reduces to the (a,c) or (c,c) ring at (2,2) points and to a classical sheaf cohomology ring at large radius, defining a quantum sheaf cohomology away from these special loci. In the special case of Calabi-Yau compactifications, these rings are shown to exist globally on the moduli space if the rank of the holomorphic bundle is less than eight.

hep-th↗

arXiv2003

1+1 Dimensional Critical String Theory and Holography

In hep-th/0310120, Goheer, Kleban and Susskind argued that the holographic principle is inconsistent with the existence of stable, Lorentz invariant, 1+1 dimensional compactifications. We note some difficulties with their analysis and present two novel backgrounds of string theory with 1+1 noncompact dimensions that satisfy their conditions yet possess 16 or 24 supersymmetries. It is difficult to believe that such backgrounds could be unstable.

hep-th↗

arXiv2002

D-Brane Monodromies, Derived Categories and Boundary Linear Sigma Models

An important subclass of D-branes on a Calabi-Yau manifold, X, are in 1-1 correspondence with objects in D(X), the derived category of coherent sheaves on X. We study the action of the monodromies in Kaehler moduli space on these D-branes. We refine and extend a conjecture of Kontsevich about the form of one of the generators of these monodromies (the monodromy about the "conifold" locus) and show that one can do quite explicit calculations of the monodromy action in many examples. As one application, we verify a prediction of Mayr about the action of the monodromy about the Landau-Ginsburg locus of the quintic. Prompted by the result of this calculation, we propose a modification of the derived category which implements the physical requirement that the shift-by-6 functor should be the identity. Boundary Linear sigma-Models prove to be a very nice physical model of many of these derived category ideas, and we explain the correspondence between these two approaches

hep-th↗

arXiv2001

Return of the Torsion D-Branes

We study D-branes on Calabi-Yau manifolds, carrying charges which are torsion elements of the K-theory. Interesting physics ensues when we follow these branes into nongeometrical phases of the compactification. On the level of K-theory, we determine the monodromies of the group of charges as we circle singular loci in the closed string moduli space. Going beyond K-theory, we discuss the stability of torsion D-branes as a function of the Kähler moduli. When the fundamental group of the Calabi-Yau is nonabelian, we find evidence for new threshold bound states of BPS branes. In a two-parameter example, we compare our results with computations in the Gepner model. Our study of the torsion D-branes in the compactification of [FHSV] sheds light on the physics of that model. In particular, we develop a proposal for the group of allowed D-brane charges in the presence of discrete RR fluxes.

hep-th↗

arXiv2001

Torsion D-Branes in Nongeometrical Phases

In a geometrical background, D-brane charge is classified by topological K-theory. The corresponding classification of D-brane charge in an arbitrary, nongeometrical, compactification is still a mystery. We study D-branes on non-simply-connected Calabi-Yau 3-folds, with particular interest in the D-branes whose charges are torsion elements of the K-theory. We argue that we can follow the D-brane charge through the nongeometrical regions of the Kahler moduli space and, as evidence, explicitly construct torsion D-branes at the Gepner point in some examples. In one of our examples, the Gepner theory is a nonabelian orbifold of a tensor product of minimal models, and this somewhat exotic situation seems to be essential to the physics.

hep-th↗

arXiv2000

Chiral Symmetry Breaking in the AdS/CFT Correspondence

We study the SU(3)-invariant relevant deformation of D=4 N=4 SU(N) gauge theory at large N using the AdS/CFT correspondence. At low energies, we obtain a nonsupersymmetric gauge theory with three left-handed quarks in the adjoint of SU(N). In terms of the five dimensional gauged supergravity, there is an unstable critical point in the scalar potential for fluctuations of some fields in a nontrivial representation of the symmetry group SU(3). On the field theory side, this corresponds to dynamical breaking of the SU(3) chiral symmetry down to SO(3). We compute the condensate of the quark bilinear and the two-point correlation function of the spontaneously broken currents from supergravity and find a nonzero `pion' decay constant, f_pi.

hep-th↗

arXiv1999

Non-Supersymmetric Conformal Field Theories from Stable Anti-de Sitter Spaces

We describe new non-supersymmetric conformal field theories in three and four dimensions, using the CFT/AdS correspondence. In order to believe in their existence at large N_c and strong 't Hooft coupling, we explicitly check the stability of the corresponding non-supersymmetric anti-de Sitter backgrounds. Cases of particular interest are the relevant deformations of the N=4 SCFT in SU(3) and SO(5) invariant directions. It turns out that the former is a stable, and the latter an unstable non-supersymmetric type IIB background.

hep-th↗