Double field theory with matter and the generalized Bergshoeff–de Roo identification

Abstract

The scalar field-perfect fluid (sf-pf) correspondence shows that the energy-momentum tensor of a scalar field is in correspondence with the dynamics of a perfect fluid. In this work we generalize this concept to study the higher-derivative structure of double field theory with statistical matter. Using the generalized Bergshoeff--de Roo identification we find nontrivial higher-derivative corrections for the generalized scalar field Lagrangian. However, these contributions are removed to any desired order using field redefinitions at the supergravity level. By virtue of the generalized sf-pf correspondence we obtain the higher-derivative dynamics for the perfect fluid in the double geometry, which is also trivialized at the supergravity level. These results imply that the well-known ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$-corrections obtained by this procedure only correct the effective vacuum Lagrangian, while the sf-pf Lagrangian coupled to the supergravity background remains uncorrected to all orders. Our findings apply for a general (bosonic-heterotic-type II-HSZ) supergravity background.