arXiv subjects

Johan Blåbäck

Publications and source records attributed to Johan Blåbäck.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2021

Algorithmically solving the Tadpole Problem

The extensive computer-aided search applied in [arXiv:2010.10519] to find the minimal charge sourced by the fluxes that stabilize all the (flux-stabilizable) moduli of a smooth K3xK3 compactification uses differential evolutionary algorithms supplemented by local searches. We present these algorithms in detail and show that they can also solve our minimization problem for other lattices. Our results support the Tadpole Conjecture: The minimal charge grows linearly with the dimension of the lattice and, for K3xK3, this charge is larger than allowed by tadpole cancelation. Even if we are faced with an NP-hard lattice-reduction problem at every step in the minimization process, we find that differential evolution is a good technique for identifying the regions of the landscape where the fluxes with the lowest tadpole can be found. We then design a "Spider Algorithm," which is very efficient at exploring these regions and producing large numbers of minimal-tadpole configurations.

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arXiv2021

The Tadpole Problem

We examine the mechanism of moduli stabilization by fluxes in the limit of a large number of moduli. We conjecture that one cannot stabilize all complex-structure moduli in F-theory at a generic point in moduli space (away from singularities) by fluxes that satisfy the bound imposed by the tadpole cancelation condition. More precisely, while the tadpole bound in the limit of a large number of complex-structure moduli goes like 1/4 of the number of moduli, we conjecture that the amount of charge induced by fluxes stabilizing all moduli grows faster than this, and is therefore larger than the allowed amount. Our conjecture is supported by two examples: K3 x K3 compactifications, where by using evolutionary algorithms we find that moduli stabilization needs fluxes whose induced charge is 44% of the number of moduli, and Type IIB compactifications on CP^3, where the induced charge of the fluxes needed to stabilize the D7-brane moduli is also 44% of the number of these moduli. Proving our conjecture would rule out de Sitter vacua obtained via antibrane uplift in long warped throats with a hierarchically small supersymmetry breaking scale, which require a large tadpole.

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arXiv2019

The two faces of T-branes

We establish a brane-brane duality connecting T-branes to collections of ordinary D-branes. T-branes are intrinsically non-Abelian brane configurations with worldvolume flux, whereas their duals consist of Abelian brane systems that encode the T-brane data in their curvature. We argue that the new Abelian picture provides a reliable description of T-branes when their non-Abelian fields have large expectation values in string units. To confirm this duality, we match the energy density and all the electromagnetic couplings on both sides. A key step in this derivation is a non-trivial factorization of the symmetrized-trace non-Abelian Dirac-Born-Infeld action when evaluated on solutions of the $α'$-corrected Hitchin system.

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arXiv2019

Constructing stable de Sitter in M-theory from higher curvature corrections

We consider dimensional reductions of M-theory on $\mathbb{T}^{7}/\mathbb{Z}_{2}^{3}$ with the inclusion of arbitrary metric flux and spacetime filling KK monopoles. With these ingredients at hand, we are able to construct a novel family of non-supersymmetric yet tachyon free Minkowski extrema. These solutions are supported by pure geometry with no extra need for gauge fluxes and possess a fully stable perturbative mass spectrum, up to a single flat direction. Such a direction corresponds to the overall internal volume, with respect to which the scalar potential exhibits a no-scale behavior. We then provide a mechanism that lifts the flat direction to give it a positive squared mass while turning Mkw$_{4}$ into dS$_{4}$. The construction makes use of the combined effect of $G_{7}$ flux and higher curvature corrections. Our solution is scale separated and the quantum corrections are small. Finally we speculate on novel possibilities when it comes to scale hierarchies within a given construction of this type, and possible issues with the choice of quantum vacuum.

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arXiv2018

A new light on the darkest corner of the landscape

Motivated by the recently proposed bounds on the slow-roll parameters for scalar potentials arising from string/M-theory compactifications, a.k.a. the Refined de Sitter Swampland conjecture, we explore the sharpness of such constraints within 4D supergravities coming from compactifications of massive type IIA string theory on $\mathbb{T}^{6}/(\mathbb{Z}_{2}\,\times\,\mathbb{Z}_{2})$. With the aid of a numerical technique, known as differential evolution, we are able to find a de Sitter extremum which is fully metastable up to one single flat direction. This solution is supported by spacetime filling sources such as O6 planes and KK monopoles. Our example violates the bound imposed by this conjecture.

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arXiv2018

Minkowski flux vacua of type II supergravities

We study flux compactifications of 10d type II supergravities to 4d Minkowski space-time, supported by parallel orientifold Op-planes with 3 $\leq$ p $\leq$ 8. With some restrictions, the 4d Ricci scalar can be written as a negative sum of squares involving BPS-like conditions. Setting all squares to zero provides automatically a solution to 10d equations of motion. This way, we characterize a broad class, if not the complete set, of Minkowski flux vacua. We also conjecture an extension to include non-geometric fluxes. None of our results rely on supersymmetry.

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arXiv2018

Refining the boundaries of the classical de Sitter landscape

We derive highly constraining no-go theorems for classical de Sitter backgrounds of string theory, with parallel sources; this should impact the embedding of cosmological models. We study ten-dimensional vacua of type II supergravities with parallel and backreacted orientifold Op-planes and Dp-branes, on four-dimensional de Sitter space-time times a compact manifold. Vacua for p=3, 7 or 8 are completely excluded, and we obtain tight constraints for p=4, 5, 6. This is achieved through the derivation of an enlightening expression for the four-dimensional Ricci scalar. Further interesting expressions and no-go theorems are obtained. The paper is self-contained so technical aspects, including conventions, might be of more general interest.

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arXiv2017

T-branes and Matrix Models

We find that the equations describing T-branes with constant worldvolume fields are identical to the equations found by Banks, Seiberg and Shenker twenty years ago to describe longitudinal five-branes in the BFSS matrix model. Besides giving new ways to construct T-brane solutions, this connection also helps elucidate the physics of T-branes in the regime of parameters where their worldvolume fields are larger than the string scale. We construct explicit solutions to the Banks-Seiberg-Shenker equations and show that the corresponding T-branes admit an alternative description as Abelian branes at angles.

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arXiv2016

There and back again: A T-brane's tale

T-branes are supersymmetric configurations described by multiple Dp-branes with worldvolume flux and non-commuting vacuum expectation values for two of the worldvolume scalars. When these values are much larger than the string scale this description breaks down. We show that in this regime the correct description of T-branes is in terms of a single Dp-brane, whose worldvolume curvature encodes the T-brane data. We present the tale of the journey to reach this picture, which takes us through T-dualities and rugby-ball-shaped brane configurations that no eye has gazed upon before.

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arXiv2016

Loop corrections to the antibrane potential

Antibranes provide some of the most generic ways to uplift Anti-de Sitter flux compactifications to de Sitter, and there is a growing body of evidence that antibranes placed in long warped throats such as the Klebanov-Strassler warped deformed conifold solution have a brane-brane-repelling tachyon. This tachyon was first found in the regime of parameters in which the backreaction of the antibranes is large, and its existence was inferred from a highly nontrivial cancellation of certain terms in the inter-brane potential. We use a brane effective action approach, similar to that proposed by Michel, Mintun, Polchinski, Puhm and Saad in arXiv:1412.5702, to analyze antibranes in Klebanov-Strassler when their backreaction is small, and find a regime of parameters where all perturbative contributions to the action can be computed explicitly. We find that the cancellation found at strong coupling is also present in the weak-coupling regime, and we establish its existence to all loops. Our calculation indicates that the spectrum of the antibrane worldvolume theory is not gapped, and may generically have a tachyon. Hence uplifting mechanisms involving antibranes remain questionable even when backreaction is small.

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arXiv2014

De Sitter Vacua from Non-perturbative Flux Compactifications

We present stable de Sitter solutions of $\mathcal{N} = 1$ supergravity in a geometric type IIB duality frame with the addition of non-perturbative contributions. Contrary to the standard approach, we retain the moduli dependence of both the tree level superpotential and its non-perturbative contribution. This provides the possibility for a single-step stabilisation of all moduli simultaneously in a de Sitter vacuum. Using a genetic algorithm we find explicit solutions with different features.

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arXiv2013

BPS domain walls from backreacted orientifolds

Compactifications with D-brane and orientifold sources lead to standard gauged supergravity theories if the sources are smeared over the internal directions. It is therefore of interest to find how the solutions described by the gauged supergravity are altered by properly localising the sources. In this paper we analyse this for BPS domain wall solutions in the seven-dimensional gauged supergravity obtained from an O6 toroidal orientifold compactification in massive IIA supergravity. This is one of the simplest no-scale supergravities that can be constructed and analysed in full detail. We find and discuss the BPS domain walls both when the O6 planes are smeared and localised. When the O6 planes are localised the domain wall solutions live in a warped compactification. In order to get explicit expressions we also consider the non-compact versions of the solutions for which the O6 planes have been traded for D6 branes. Through T-duality we obtain partially localised solutions for compactifications to four dimensions using O3 planes with 3-form fluxes.

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arXiv2013

Accelerated Universes from type IIA Compactifications

We study slow-roll accelerating cosmologies arising from geometric compactifications of type IIA string theory on $T^{6}/(\mathbb{Z}_{2}\,\times\,\mathbb{Z}_{2})$. With the aid of a genetic algorithm, we are able to find quasi-de Sitter backgrounds with both slow-roll parameters of order $0.1$. Furthermore, we study their evolution by numerically solving the corresponding time-dependent equations of motion, and we show that they actually display a few e-folds of accelerated expansion. Finally, we comment on their perturbative reliability.

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arXiv2013

A note on M2-branes in opposite charge

The flux singularity that arise when branes are put in an oppositely charged background is a wildly discussed issue and in this paper the problem is investigated further. New AdS world volume (anti-)M2-brane solutions are constructed by placing the brane in a background where the charge dissolved in the flux is opposite that of the brane. A topological obstruction is derived to show how the singularity develops during localisation of this solution and any similarly constructed solution. Furthermore the singularity is shown not to be possible to hide behind a horizon, which would have given credence to a possible M-theory resolution.

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arXiv2013

Fully stable dS vacua from generalised fluxes

We investigate the possible existence of (meta-)stable de Sitter vacua within N=1 compactifications with generalised fluxes. With the aid of an algorithm inspired by the method of differential evolution, we were able to find three novel examples of completely tachyon-free de Sitter extrema in a non-isotropic type IIB model with non-geometric fluxes. We also analyse the surroundings of the aforementioned points in parameter space and chart the corresponding stability regions. These happen to occur at small values of the cosmological constant compared to the AdS scale.

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arXiv2012

Resolving anti-brane singularities through time-dependence

In this note we discuss a possible resolution of the flux singularities associated with the insertion of branes in backgrounds supported by fluxes that carry charges opposite to the branes. We present qualitative arguments that such a setup could be unstable both in the closed and open string sector. The singularities in the fluxes then get naturally resolved by taking the true solution to be a time-dependent process in which flux gets attracted towards the brane and subsequently annihilates.

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arXiv2012

(Anti-)Brane backreaction beyond perturbation theory

We improve on the understanding of the backreaction of anti-D6-branes in a flux background that is mutually BPS with D6-branes. This setup is analogous to the study of the backreaction of anti-D3-branes inserted in the KS throat, but does not require us to smear the anti-branes or do a perturbative analysis around the BPS background. We solve the full equations of motion near the anti-D6-branes and show that only two boundary conditions are consistent with the equations of motion. Upon invoking a topological argument we eliminate the boundary condition with regular H flux since it cannot lead to a solution that approaches the right kind of flux away from the anti-D6-brane. This leaves us with a boundary condition which has singular, but integrable, H flux energy density.

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arXiv2011

The problematic backreaction of SUSY-breaking branes

In this paper we investigate the localisation of SUSY-breaking branes which, in the smeared approximation, support specific non-BPS vacua. We show, for a wide class of boundary conditions, that there is no flux vacuum when the branes are described by a genuine delta-function. Even more, we find that the smeared solution is the unique solution with a regular brane profile. Our setup consists of a non-BPS AdS_7 solution in massive IIA supergravity with smeared anti-D6-branes and fluxes T-dual to ISD fluxes in IIB supergravity.

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