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Tristan Hübsch

Publications and source records attributed to Tristan Hübsch.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Balanced Metrics Know About SYZ

Numerical Ricci-flat metrics on Calabi-Yau manifolds are becoming increasingly accurate. However, they often lack the interpretability required to extract theoretical insights. In this paper, we introduce a novel variant of Donaldson's algorithm based on the Moore-Penrose pseudo-inverse that operates on the global sections of the ambient space rather than the manifold itself. This approach allows us to use the canonical monomial basis to compute interpretable balanced metrics even at large degrees $k$. Applying our ambient algorithm to multiple families, including the Dwork family and complete intersection Calabi-Yau manifolds, we discover that the metric parameters obey novel power laws near the Large Complex Structure Limit (LCSL). We connect these to the Gromov-Hausdorff metric collapse predicted by the SYZ conjecture.

hep-th

Beyond Algebraic Solutions to Stringy Spacetime

Active feedback between geometry and physics is woven throughout the study of Nature at its fundamental level, and is of key importance in string theory. Methods of complex algebraic geometry in particular have brought about an unrivaled abundance of solutions, counted well into hundreds of orders of magnitude, reciprocated by the discovery of the wholly unexpected mirror symmetry. However, recent developments demonstrate that there are rich additional possibilities, made possible by certain generalizations that, at first glance, appear to be non-algebraic. Nevertheless, they are remarkably well-aligned within an overall mirror-symmetric framework, are amenable to almost as comprehensive quantitative analysis, and hint at a deeper relationship with symplectic geometry.

hep-th

What to do with a Ricci-flat Calabi--Yau metric?

Numerical approximations to Ricci-flat Calabi--Yau metrics make it possible to move beyond the topological and holomorphic data that have traditionally dominated explicit string compactifications. This article explains what new physics and mathematics become accessible once the metric, and eventually the associated Hermitian Yang--Mills bundle data, can be computed. In heterotic compactifications, such data are needed to determine matter K\"ahler metrics, canonically normalized Yukawa couplings, Kaluza--Klein spectra, threshold effects, soft terms, and other non-holomorphic ingredients of the four-dimensional effective action. More broadly, numerical Calabi--Yau geometry provides quantitative input for moduli stabilization, $\alpha'$-corrected backgrounds, de~Sitter model building, axion physics, swampland distance tests, and compactifications in which the internal geometry varies over spacetime. Geometric data permit a computational approach to long-standing mathematical questions involving special Lagrangian submanifolds, SYZ fibrations, mirror symmetry, calibrated geometry, metric degeneration, restrictions of Ricci-flat metrics to fibers, and the search for analytic or semi-analytic structures. We present these directions as a roadmap for future work.

hep-th

Beyond Algebraic Superstring Compactification: Part II

The most impressively prolific exploration of superstring models (aiming for our physical reality) has been focused on worldsheet-supersymmetric gauged linear sigma models and the closely associated complex-algebraic toric geometry. Mirror duality relates this to the inherently real symplectic geometry of Calabi-Yau factors in spacetime, implying a need for a more general, heterotic framework of analysis. In turn, a closer look at possible deformations even amongst the complex-algebraic complete intersections and toric geometry models themselves indicates an a priori non-algebraic type of generalization that however perfectly aligns with requirements of mirror duality.

hep-th

Quantum Spacetime, Quantum Gravity and Gravitized Quantum Theory

General relativity is a background-independent theory of a dynamical classical spacetime geometry. Quantum theory is formulated in a classical spacetime, as an intrinsically probabilistic, contextual theory of non-classical, interfering probabilities, with a fixed Born rule for computing those probabilities. We argue that the quantum nature of spacetime, which includes a non-commutative dual companion to the (observed) classical spacetime, is the reason behind an intrinsically probabilistic and contextual nature of quantum theory, with the fixed Born rule. In quantum gravity, we claim, quantum theory is gravitized into a background-independent structure with dynamical and contextual quantum probabilities. This proposal implies intrinsic triple and higher-order interference in the context of massive quantum probes, which sheds light on string theory and the observed vacuum energy as well as the masses of elementary particles.

gr-qc

Beyond Algebraic Superstring Compactification

Superstring compactifications have been vigorously studied for over four decades, and have flourished involving an active iterative feedback between physics and (complex) algebraic geometry. This led to an unprecedented wealth of constructions, virtually all of which are "purely" algebraic. Recent developments however indicate many more possibilities to be afforded by including certain generalizations that, at first glance at least, are not algebraic -- yet fit remarkably well within an overall mirror-symmetric framework and are surprisingly amenable to standard computational analysis upon certain mild but systematic modifications.

hep-th

Ricci-Flat Mirror Hypersurfaces in Spaces of General Type

Complex Ricci-flat (i.e., Calabi-Yau) hypersurfaces in spaces admitting a maximal (toric) $U(1)^n$ gauge symmetry of general type (encoded by certain non-convex and multi-layered multitopes) may degenerate, but can be smoothed by rational (Laurent) anticanonical sections. Nevertheless, the phases of the Gauged Linear Sigma Model and an increasing number of their classical and quantum data are just as computable as for their siblings encoded by reflexive polytopes, and they all have transposition mirror models. Showcasing such hypersurfaces in so-called Hirzebruch scrolls shows this class of constructions to be infinitely vast, yet amenable to standard and well-founded algebro-geometric methods of analysis.

hep-th

cymyc -- Calabi-Yau Metrics, Yukawas, and Curvature

We introduce \texttt{cymyc}, a high-performance Python library for numerical investigation of the geometry of a large class of string compactification manifolds and their associated moduli spaces. We develop a well-defined geometric ansatz to numerically model tensor fields of arbitrary degree on a large class of Calabi-Yau manifolds. \texttt{cymyc} includes a machine learning component which incorporates this ansatz to model tensor fields of interest on these spaces by finding an approximate solution to the system of partial differential equations they should satisfy.

hep-th

A combinatorial introduction to Adinkras

We survey the combinatorics of the Adinkra, a graphical device for solving differential equations in supersymmetry. These graphs represent an exceptional class of 1-factorizations with further augmentations. As a new feature, we characterize Adinkras using Latin rectangles.

math.HO

Precision String Phenomenology

Calabi--Yau compactifications of the $E_8\times E_8$ heterotic string provide a promising route to recovering the four-dimensional particle physics described by the Standard Model. While the topology of the Calabi--Yau space determines the overall matter content in the low-energy effective field theory, further details of the compactification geometry are needed to calculate the normalized physical couplings and masses of elementary particles. In this work, we present numerical computations of physical Yukawa couplings in a number of heterotic models in the standard embedding and demonstrate the existence of natural hierarchies, a coveted feature in string model building.

hep-th

Quantum Gravity as Gravitized Quantum Theory

Starting from a new understanding of the vacuum energy problem based on the combination of the phase space regularization and the holographic bound, we argue that quantum gravity should be understood as gravitized quantum theory, that is, quantum theory wherein the geometry and topology of the state-space if fully dynamical, in analogy with the dynamical nature of spacetime in Einstein's general relativity. Apart from the vacuum energy problem viewed as a quantum gravity problem, we discuss the "smoking gun" experiments involving higher order quantum interference, as well as experimental probes of the statistics of spacetime quanta. Finally, we address the conundrum of the intricately patterned spectrum of masses of elementary particles as well as their mixing angles, as another telltale problem of quantum gravity viewed as gravitized quantum theory.

hep-th

Chern Characteristics and Todd-Hirzebruch Identities for Transpolar Pairs of Toric Spaces

Standard toric geometry methods used to construct Calabi-Yau varieties may be extended to complete intersections in non-Fano varieties encoded by star triangulating non-convex polytopes. Similarly, mirror symmetry is conjectured to hold in terms of a transpolar duality generalizing the original construction of Batyrev and Borisov. The associated mirror pairs naturally include certain flip-folded, multi-layered multihedral objects, inclusively named VEX multitopes, and a correspondingly generalized transpolar duality. These self-overlaying VEX multitopes, long since known in pre-symplectic geometry, are found to correspond to certain non-algebraic but smooth toric spaces with Chern classes that satisfy the standard Todd-Hirzebruch identities. The computation of diffeomorphism invariants, including characteristic submanifold intersection numbers, corroborates their recent inclusion in the connected web of Calabi-Yau spaces and associated string compactifications: They arise together with the standard (Fano/reflexive polytope) constructions, within deformation families of generalized complete intersections in products of projective spaces.

hep-th

Physical Yukawa Couplings in Heterotic String Compactifications

One of the challenges of heterotic compactification on a Calabi-Yau threefold is to determine the physical $(\mathbf{27})^3$ Yukawa couplings of the resulting four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ theory. In general, the calculation necessitates knowledge of the Ricci-flat metric. However, in the standard embedding, which references the tangent bundle, we can compute normalized Yukawa couplings from the Weil-Petersson metric on the moduli space of complex structure deformations of the Calabi-Yau manifold. In various examples (the Fermat quintic, the intersection of two cubics in $\mathbb{P}^5$, and the Tian-Yau manifold), we calculate the normalized Yukawa couplings for $(2,1)$-forms using the Weil-Petersson metric obtained from the Kodaira-Spencer map. In cases where $h^{1,1}=1$, this is compared to a complementary calculation based on performing period integrals. A third expression for the normalized Yukawa couplings is obtained from a machine learned approximate Ricci-flat metric making use of explicit harmonic representatives. The excellent agreement between the different approaches opens the door to precision string phenomenology.

hep-th

String Theory Bounds on the Cosmological Constant, the Higgs mass, and the Quark and Lepton Masses

We elaborate on the new understanding of the cosmological constant and the gauge hierarchy problems in the context of string theory in its metastring formulation, based on the concepts of modular spacetime and Born geometry. The interplay of phase space (and Born geometry), the Bekenstein bound, the mixing between ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) physics and modular invariance in string theory is emphasized. This new viewpoint is fundamentally rooted in quantum contextuality and not in statistical observer bias (anthropic principle). We also discuss the extension of this point of view to the problem of masses of quarks and leptons and their respective mixing matrices.

hep-th

Triple Interference, Non-linear Talbot Effect and Gravitization of the Quantum

Recently we have discussed a new approach to the problem of quantum gravity in which the quantum mechanical structures that are traditionally fixed, such as the Fubini-Study metric in the Hilbert space of states, become dynamical and so implement the idea of gravitizing the quantum. In this paper we elaborate on a specific test of this new approach to quantum gravity using triple interference in a varying gravitational field. Our discussion is driven by a profound analogy with recent triple-path interference experiments performed in the context of non-linear optics. We emphasize that the triple interference experiment in a varying gravitational field would deeply influence the present understanding of the kinematics of quantum gravity and quantum gravity phenomenology. We also discuss the non-linear Talbot effect as another striking phenomenological probe of gravitization of the geometry of quantum theory.

gr-qc

On de Sitter Spacetime and String Theory

We review various aspects of de Sitter spacetime in string theory: its status as an effective field theory spacetime solution, its relation to the vacuum energy problem in string theory, its (global) holographic definition in terms of two entangled and non-canonical conformal field theories, as well as a realization of a realistic de Sitter universe endowed with the observed visible matter and the necessary dark sector in order to reproduce the realistic cosmological structure. In particular, based on the new insight regarding the cosmological constant problem in string theory, we argue that in a doubled, T-duality-symmetric, phase-space-like and non-commutative generalized-geometric formulation, string theory can naturally lead to a small and positive cosmological constant that is radiatively stable and technically natural. Such a formulation is fundamentally based on a quantum spacetime, but in an effective spacetime description of this general formulation of string theory, the curvature of the dual spacetime is the cosmological constant of the observed spacetime, while the size of the dual spacetime is the gravitational constant of the same observed spacetime. Also, the three scales associated with intrinsic non-commutativity of string theory, the cosmological constant scale and the Planck scale, as well as the Higgs scale, can be arranged to satisfy various seesaw-like formulae. Along the way, we show that these new features of string theory can be implemented in a particular deformation of cosmic-string-like models.

hep-th

Machine Learned Calabi-Yau Metrics and Curvature

Finding Ricci-flat (Calabi-Yau) metrics is a long standing problem in geometry with deep implications for string theory and phenomenology. A new attack on this problem uses neural networks to engineer approximations to the Calabi-Yau metric within a given K\"ahler class. In this paper we investigate numerical Ricci-flat metrics over smooth and singular K3 surfaces and Calabi-Yau threefolds. Using these Ricci-flat metric approximations for the Cefal\'u family of quartic twofolds and the Dwork family of quintic threefolds, we study characteristic forms on these geometries. We observe that the numerical stability of the numerically computed topological characteristic is heavily influenced by the choice of the neural network model, in particular, we briefly discuss a different neural network model, namely Spectral networks, which correctly approximate the topological characteristic of a Calabi-Yau. Using persistent homology, we show that high curvature regions of the manifolds form clusters near the singular points. For our neural network approximations, we observe a Bogomolov--Yau type inequality $3c_2 \geq c_1^2$ and observe an identity when our geometries have isolated $A_1$ type singularities. We sketch a proof that $\chi(X~\smallsetminus~\mathrm{Sing}\,{X}) + 2~|\mathrm{Sing}\,{X}| = 24$ also holds for our numerical approximations.

hep-th

Hirzebruch Surfaces, Tyurin Degenerations and Toric Mirrors: Bridging Generalized Calabi-Yau Constructions

There is a large number of different ways of constructing Calabi-Yau manifolds, as well as related non-geometric formulations, relevant in string compactifications. Showcasing this diversity, we discuss explicit deformation families of discretely distinct Hirzebruch hypersurfaces in $\mathbb{P}^n \times \mathbb{P}^1$ and identify their toric counterparts in detail. This precise isomorphism is then used to investigate some of their special divisors of interest, and in particular the secondary deformation family of their Calabi-Yau subspaces. In particular, most of the above so called Hirzebruch scrolls are non-Fano, and their (regular) Calabi-Yau hypersurfaces are Tyurin-degenerate, but admit novel (Laurent) deformations by special rational sections as well as a sweeping generalization of the transposition construction of mirror models. This bi-projective embedding also reveals a novel deformation connection between distinct toric spaces, and so also the various divisors of interest including their Calabi-Yau subspaces.

hep-th