One-loop matrix elements of effective superstring interactions: α′-expanding loop integrands

In the low-energy effective action of string theories, non-abelian gauge interactions and supergravity are augmented by infinite towers of higher-mass-dimension operators. We propose a new method to construct one-loop matrix elements with insertions of operators D2kFn and D2kRn in the tree-level effective action of type-I and type-II superstrings. Inspired by ambitwistor string theories, our method is based on forward limits of moduli-space integrals using string tree-level amplitudes with two extra points, expanded in powers of the inverse string tension α′. Similar to one-loop ambitwistor computations, intermediate steps feature non-standard linearized Feynman propagators which eventually recombine to conventional quadratic propagators. With linearized propagators the loop integrand of the matrix elements obey one-loop versions of the monodromy and KLT relations. We express a variety of four- and five-point examples in terms of quadratic propagators and formulate a criterion on the underlying genus-one correlation functions that should make this recombination possible at all orders in α′. The ultraviolet divergences of the one-loop matrix elements are crosschecked against the non-separating degeneration of genus-one integrals in string amplitudes. Conversely, our results can be used as a constructive method to determine degenerations of elliptic multiple zeta values and modular graph forms at arbitrary weight.

Non-flat elliptic four-folds, three-form cohomology and strongly coupled theories in four dimensions

In this note we consider smooth elliptic Calabi-Yau four-folds whose fiber ceases to be flat over compact Riemann surfaces of genus g in the base. These non-flat fibers contribute Kähler moduli to the four-fold but also add to the three-form cohomology for g > 0. In F-/M-theory these sectors are to be interpreted as compactifications of six/five dimensional $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = (1, 0) superconformal matter theories. The three-form cohomology leads to additional chiral singlets proportional to the dimension of five dimensional Coulomb branch of those sectors. We construct explicit examples for E-string theories as well as higher rank cases. For the E-string theories we further investigate conifold transitions that remove those non-flat fibers. First we show how non-flat fibers can be deformed from curves down to isolated points in the base. This removes the chiral singlet of the three-forms and leads to non-perturbative four-point couplings among matter fields which can be understood as remnants of the former E-string. Alternatively the non-flat fibers can be avoided by performing birational base changes analogous to 6D tensor branches. For compact bases these transitions alternate all Hodge numbers but leave the Euler number invariant.

ABCD of ’t Hooft operators

We compute by supersymmetric localization the expectation values of half-BPS ’t Hooft line operators in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 U(N ), SO(N ) and USp(N ) gauge theories on S1 × ℝ3 with an Ω-deformation. We evaluate the non-perturbative contributions due to monopole screening by calculating the supersymmetric indices of the corresponding supersymmetric quantum mechanics, which we obtain by realizing the gauge theories and the ’t Hooft operators using branes and orientifolds in type II string theories.

2-Group global symmetries and anomalies in six-dimensional quantum field theories

We examine six-dimensional quantum field theories through the lens of higher-form global symmetries. Every Yang-Mills gauge theory in six dimensions, with field strength f(2), naturally gives rise to a continuous 1-form global symmetry associated with the 2-form instanton current J(2)∼ ∗Tr (f(2) ∧ f(2)). We show that suitable mixed anomalies involving the gauge field f(2) and ordinary 0-form global symmetries, such as flavor or Poincaré symmetries, lead to continuous 2-group global symmetries, which allow two flavor currents or two stress tensors to fuse into the 2-form current J(2). We discuss several features of 2-group symmetry in six dimensions, many of which parallel the four-dimensional case. The majority of six-dimensional supersymmetric conformal field theories (SCFTs) and little string theories have infrared phases with non-abelian gauge fields. We show that the mixed anomalies leading to 2-group symmetries can be present in little string theories, but that they are necessarily absent in SCFTs. This allows us to establish a previously conjectured algorithm for computing the ’t Hooft anomalies of most SCFTs from the spectrum of weakly-coupled massless particles on the tensor branch of these theories. We then apply this understanding to prove that the a-type Weyl anomaly of all SCFTs with a tensor branch must be positive, a > 0.

Misaligned supersymmetry and open strings

The study of non-supersymmetric string theories is shedding light on an important corner of the string landscape and might ultimately explain why, so far, we did not observe supersymmetry in our universe. We review how misaligned supersymmetry in closed-string theories leads to a cancellation between bosons and fermions even in non-supersymmetric string theories. We then show that the same cancellation takes place for open strings by studying an anti-Dp-brane placed on top of an Op-plane in type II string theory. Misaligned supersymmetry consists in cancellations between bosons and fermions at different energy levels, in such a way that the averaged number of states grows at a rate dominated by a factor $$ {\mathrm{e}}^{C_{\mathrm{e}\mathrm{ff}}\sqrt{n}} $$ e C eff n , with Ceff< Ctot, where Ctot is the inverse Hagedorn temperature. We prove the previously conjectured complete cancellation, i.e. we prove that Ceff = 0, for a vast class of models.

O(D, D) and the string α′ expansion: an obstruction

Double Field Theory (DFT) is an attempt to make the O(d, d) T-duality symmetry of string theory manifest, already before reducing on a d-torus. It is known that supergravity can be formulated in an O(D, D) covariant way, and remarkably this remains true to the first order in α′. We set up a systematic way to analyze O(D, D) invariants, working order by order in fields, which we carry out up to order α′3. At order α′ we recover the known Riemann squared invariant, while at order α′2 we find no independent invariant. This is compatible with the α′ expansion in string theory. However, at order α′3 we show that there is again no O(D, D) invariant, in contradiction to the fact that all string theories have quartic Riemann terms with coefficient proportional to ζ (3). We conclude that DFT and similar frameworks cannot capture the full α′ expansion in string theory.

2-Group Symmetries of 6D Little String Theories and T-Duality

We determine the 2-group structure constants for all the six-dimensional little string theories (LSTs) geometrically engineered in F-theory without frozen singularities. We use this result as a consistency check for T-duality: the 2-groups of a pair of T-dual LSTs have to match. When the T-duality involves a discrete symmetry twist, the 2-group used in the matching is modified. We demonstrate the matching of the 2-groups in several examples.

String Theories: Chemical Secrets of Italian Violins and Chinese Guqins

The most valuable musical instruments in the world are 17-18th century violins from Cremona, Italy (made by Stradivari and Guarneri), and Chinese guqins (7-string zithers) from the 8-13th century. Today, musicians still prefer these antique instruments for their superior acoustic qualities that cannot be reproduced by later makers. Over the centuries, many theories have been proposed to explain the unique playing properties of famous violins and guqins, but most are based on conjectures rather than factual evidence.