arXiv subjects

Peter R. Merkx

Publications and source records attributed to Peter R. Merkx.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

Pairing 6D SCFTs

In this note, we discuss families of orbifolds underlying 6D SCFT F-theory models and find a novel pairing structure in the SCFT landscape. Inspection of the rational functions defining models with a common F-theory endpoint leads us to naturally to pair them and find compatible extended groupings matching endpoint collections recently characterized in correspondence with homomorphisms of the ADE subgroups of $SU(2)$ into $E_8.$ We confirm this proposed pairing closely links the proposed SCFT family pairs via explicit computation of gauge algebras. We find these typically pair precisely by a fixed additional gauge summand. The underlying $\mathbb{C}^2$ orbifold pairing is distinct from the lattice/overlattice orbifold duality which lacks closure on the set of SCFT endpoints. The previously established partial order on endpoints is respected by this pairing as is the distinguished role of certain theories allowing M5-brane fraction reassembly which appear here as self-dual endpoints. This duality manifests in the known tower structure of endpoints to a mirror in a tower below which we show exists naturally as an infinite chain of endpoints extrapolated to negative valuations of the rational functions defining endpoints. We also detail a related simple combinatorial prescription for all rational functions defining endpoint families.

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

Classifying Global Symmetries of 6D SCFTs

We characterize the global symmetries for the conjecturally complete collection of six dimensional superconformal field theories (6D SCFTs) which are realizable in F-theory and have no frozen singularities. We provide comprehensive checks of earlier 6D SCFT classification results via an alternative geometric approach yielding new restrictions which eliminate certain theories. We achieve this by directly constraining elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau (CY) threefold Weierstrass models. This allows bypassing all anomaly cancellation machinery and reduces the problem of classifying the 6D SCFT gauge and global symmetries realizable in F-theory models before RG-flow to characterizing features of associated elliptic fibrations involving analysis of polynomials determining their local models. We supply an algorithm with implementation producing from a given SCFT base an explicit listing of all compatible gauge enhancements and their associated global symmetry maxima consistent with these geometric constraints making explicit the possible Kodaira type realizations of each algebra summand. In mathematical terms, this amounts to determining all potentially viable non-compact CY threefold elliptic fibrations at finite distance in the moduli space with Weil-Petersson metric meeting certain requirements including transverse pairwise intersection of singular locus components. We provide local analysis exhausting nearly all CY consistent transverse singular fiber collisions, global analysis treating all viable gluings of these local models into larger configurations, and many novel constraints on singular locus component pair intersections and global fiber arrangements. We also investigate which transitions between 6D SCFTs can result from gauging of global symmetries and find that continuous degrees of freedom can be lost during such transitions.

hep-th↗

arXiv2016

On the global symmetries of 6D superconformal field theories

We study global symmetry groups of six-dimensional superconformal field theories (SCFTs). In the Coulomb branch we use field theoretical arguments to predict an upper bound for the global symmetry of the SCFT. We then analyze global symmetry groups of F-theory constructions of SCFTs with a one-dimensional Coulomb branch. While in the vast majority of cases, all of the global symmetries allowed by our Coulomb branch analysis can be realized in F-theory, in a handful of cases we find that F-theory models fail to realize the full symmetry of the theory on the Coulomb branch. In one particularly mysterious case, F-theory models realize several distinct maximal subgroups of the predicted group, but not the predicted group itself.

hep-th↗