Heterotic Supergravity Research Articles

Non-relativistic limits of bosonic and heterotic Double Field Theory

The known stringy non-relativistic (NR) limit of the universal NS-NS sector of supergravity has a finite Lagrangian due to non-trivial cancellations of divergent parts coming from the metric and the B-field. We demonstrate that in Double Field Theory (DFT) and generalised geometry these cancellations already happen at the level of the generalised metric, which is convergent in the limit c → ∞, implying that the NR limit can be imposed before solving the strong constraint. We present the c-expansion of the generalised metric, which reproduces the Non-Riemannian formulation of DFT at the (finite) leading order, and the c-expansion of the generalised frame, which contains divergences. We also extend this approach to the non-Abelian gauge field of Heterotic DFT assuming a convergent expansion for the O(D, D + n) generalised metric. From this proposal, we derive a novel c-expansion for the bosonic part of the heterotic supergravity which is, by construction, compatible with O(D, D)-symmetry.

Anomaly constraints for heterotic strings and supergravity in six dimensions

The landscape of six-dimensional supergravities is dramatically constrained by the cancellation of gauge and gravitational anomalies, but the full extent of its implications has not been uncovered. We explore the cancellation of global anomalies of the Dai-Freed type in this setting with abelian and simply laced gauge groups, finding novel constraints. In particular, we exclude arbitrarily large abelian charges in an infinite family of theories for certain types of quadratic refinements, including a specific one defined in the literature. We also show that the Gepner orientifold with no tensor multiplets is anomaly-free for a different choice, as well as a number of heterotic models with and without spacetime supersymmetry in six dimensions. The latter analysis extends previous results in ten dimensions to some lower-dimensional settings in the heterotic landscape.

The Heterotic-Ricci Flow and Its Three-Dimensional Solitons

We introduce a novel curvature flow, the Heterotic-Ricci flow, as the two-loop renormalization group flow of the Heterotic string common sector and study its three-dimensional compact solitons. The Heterotic-Ricci flow is a coupled curvature evolution flow, depending on a non-negative real parameter κ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\kappa $$\\end{document}, for a complete Riemannian metric and a three-form H on a manifold M. Its most salient feature is that it involves several terms quadratic in the curvature tensor of a metric connection with skew-symmetric torsion H. When κ=0\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\kappa = 0$$\\end{document} the Heterotic-Ricci flow reduces to the generalized Ricci flow and hence it can be understood as a modification of the latter via the second-order correction prescribed by Heterotic string theory, whereas when H=0\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$H=0$$\\end{document} and κ>0\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\kappa >0$$\\end{document} the Heterotic-Ricci flow reduces to a constrained version of the RG-2 flow and hence it can be understood as a generalization of the latter via the introduction of the three-form H. Solutions of Heterotic supergravity with trivial gauge bundle, which we call Heterotic solitons, define a particular class of three-dimensional solitons for the Heterotic-Ricci flow and constitute our main object of study. We prove a number of structural results for three-dimensional Heterotic solitons, obtaining, in particular, the complete classification of compact three-dimensional strong Heterotic solitons as hyperbolic three-manifolds or quotients of the Heisenberg group equipped with a left-invariant metric. Furthermore, we prove that all Einstein three-dimensional Heterotic solitons have constant dilaton and leave as open the construction of a Heterotic soliton with non-constant dilaton. In this direction, we prove that Einstein Heterotic solitons with constant dilaton are rigid and therefore cannot be deformed into a solution with non-constant dilaton. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first rigidity result for compact supergravity solutions in the literature.

Rounding out the story of higher derivative consistent truncations

At the two-derivative order, the group manifold reduction of heterotic supergravity on S3 results in a half-maximal 7D gauged supergravity coupled to three vector multiplets, and a further truncation can be taken to remove the vector multiplets. We demonstrate that this truncation remains consistent at the four-derivative level; we do so both by analysis of the equations of motion and the supersymmetry variations.

W-symmetries, anomalies and heterotic backgrounds with SU holonomy

We show that the sigma models with target spaces supersymmetric heterotic backgrounds with SU(2) and SU(3) holonomy are invariant under a W-symmetry algebra generated by the covariantly constant forms of these backgrounds. The closure of the W-algebra requires additional generators that we identify. We prove that the chiral anomalies of all these symmetries are consistent at one-loop in perturbation theory. We also demonstrate that these anomalies cancel at the same loop level either by adding suitable finite local counterterms in the sigma model effective action or by assuming a plausible quantum correction to the transformations. Such a correction is compatible with both the cancellation mechanism for spacetime frame rotation and gauge transformation anomalies, and the correction to the heterotic supergravity up to two loops in the sigma model perturbation theory.

α′ corrections to 4-dimensional non-extremal stringy black holes

We compute the first-order α′ corrections to a family of 4-dimensional, 4-charge, non-extremal black hole solutions of Heterotic Supergravity in the case with 3 independent charges. The solutions are fully analytic, reproduce the extremal limit previously found in the literature and, applying T-duality, they transform as expected. If we reduce to the case with a single independent charge we obtain the corrections to four embeddings of the Reissner-Nordström black hole in string theory. We completely characterize the black hole thermodynamics computing the Hawking temperature, Wald entropy, mass, gauge charges and their dual thermodynamic potentials. We verify that all these quantities are related by the first law of extended black hole mechanics and the Smarr formula once we include a potential associated to the dimensionful parameter α′ and the scalar charges. We found that the latter are not identified with the poles at infinity of the scalar fields because they receive α′ corrections.

Consistent truncations in higher derivative supergravity

We consider the torus reduction of heterotic supergravity in the presence of four-derivative corrections. In particular, the reduction on Tn generically leads to a half-maximal supergravity coupled to n vector multiplets, and we show that it is consistent to truncate out said vector multiplets. This is done by the analysis of both the bosonic equations of motion and the Killing spinor equations. As an application of the consistent truncation, we examine the four-derivative corrected BPS black string that reduces to a black hole in minimal nine-dimensional supergravity.

Higher derivative couplings of hypermultiplets

We construct the four-derivative supersymmetric extension of (1, 0), 6D supergravity coupled to Yang-Mills and hypermultiplets. The hypermultiplet scalars are taken to parametrize the quaternionic projective space Hp(n) = Sp(n, 1)/Sp(n) × Sp(1)R. The hyperscalar kinetic term is not deformed, and the quaternionic Kähler structure and symmetries of Hp(n) are preserved. The result is a three parameter Lagrangian supersymmetric up to first order in these parameters. Considering the case of Hp(1) we compare our result with that obtained from the compactification of 10D heterotic supergravity on four-torus, consistently truncated to N = (1, 0), in which the hyperscalars parametrize SO(1, 4)/SO(4). We find that depending on how the Sp(1) is embedded in the SO(4), the results agree for a specific value of the parameter that governs the higher derivative hypermultiplet couplings.

Three-generation solutions of equations of motion in heterotic supergravity

We study the generation number of massless fermions in compactifications recently found in heterotic supergravity. The internal spaces are products of two-dimensional spaces of constant curvature, and the standard embedding is not assumed. The generation number is constrained by the equations of motion and the Bianchi identity. In the case that the Euler characteristics of the three internal submanifolds are $(2,-2,-2)$, the generation number is three or less. We also show that three-generation solutions exist for arbitrary Euler characteristics of the negatively curved 2-manifolds, and we present some explicit solutions.

Classification of the Vacua of the Dimensionally Reduced Low‐Energy Limit of the Heterotic String Over Nearly‐Kähler Manifolds

AbstractWe examine the vacua of the scalar potential of the effective 4‐d action, obtained after the dimensional reduction of the 10‐d heterotic supergravity coupled to an Yang‐Mills sector. The (Coset Space) dimensional reduction takes place over the three 6‐d nearly‐Kähler manifolds, namely the homogeneous 6‐d non‐symmetric coset spaces, , and . The current work consists a complete catalogue of the kinds of vacua of theories obtained after the reduction of the heterotic string over the 6‐d non‐symmetric coset spaces and, moreover, a contribution to the dialogue of the possibility to result with non‐AdS vacua in the framework of string theories.

Heterotic strings on mathbbm{T} 3/ℤ2, Nikulin involutions and M-theory

We first describe the low energy dynamics of ten dimensional heterotic supergravity compactified on the smooth, flat 3-manifold mathbbm{T} 3/ℤ2, without supersymmetry, and explain how it arises from flat heterotic gauge fields. The semi-classical theory has both Coulomb and Higgs branches of non-supersymmetric vacua. We then give an exact worldsheet description as asymmetric orbifolds of mathbbm{T} 3, where the orbifold generator involves a Nikulin non-symplectic involution θ of the even self-dual lattice Γ(19,3). Along the way we briefly compare our findings with M-theory on K3/θ. Our construction gives a novel CFT description of the semi-classical field theory moduli space. In particular, the Wilson line parameters in the lattice I ⊂ Γ(19,3) of signature (19 − s, 1) which is invariant under θ, and in its orthogonal complement N , correspond respectively to Coulomb and Higgs branch moduli. There is a rich pattern of transitions amongst Higgs and Coulomb branches which we describe using the worldsheet theory.

Dimensional reduction of higher derivative heterotic supergravity

Higher derivative couplings of hypermultiplets to 6D, N = (1, 0) supergravity are obtained from dimensional reduction of 10D heterotic supergravity that includes order α′ higher derivative corrections. Reduction on T4 is followed by a consistent truncation. In the resulting action the hyperscalar fields parametrize the coset SO(4, 4)/(SO(4) × SO(4)). While the SO(4, 4) symmetry is ensured by Sen’s construction based on string field theory, its emergence at the field theory level is a nontrivial phenomenon. A number of field redefinitions in the hypermultiplet sector are required to remove several terms that break the SO(4) × SO(4) down to its SO(4) diagonal subgroup in the action and the supersymmetry transformation rules. Working with the Lorentz Chern-Simons term modified 3-form field strength, where the spin connection has the 3-form field strength as torsion, is shown to simplify considerably the dimensional reduction.

Supersymmetry enhancement of heterotic horizons

The supersymmetry of near-horizon geometries in heterotic supergravity is considered. A necessary and sufficient condition for a solution to preserve more than the minimal N = 2 supersymmetry is obtained. A supersymmetric near-horizon solution is constructed which is a U(1) fibration of AdS 3 over a particular Aloff–Wallach space. It is proven that this solution preserves the conditions required for N = 2 supersymmetry, but does not satisfy the necessary condition required for further supersymmetry enhancement. Hence, there exist supersymmetric near-horizon heterotic solutions preserving exactly N = 2 supersymmetry.

Non-relativistic ten-dimensional minimal supergravity

We construct a non-relativistic limit of ten-dimensional mathcal{N} = 1 supergravity from the point of view of the symmetries, the action, and the equations of motion. This limit can only be realized in a supersymmetric way provided we impose by hand a set of geometric constraints, invariant under all the symmetries of the non-relativistic theory, that define a so-called ‘self-dual’ Dilatation-invariant String Newton-Cartan geometry. The non-relativistic action exhibits three emerging symmetries: one local scale symmetry and two local conformal supersymmetries. Due to these emerging symmetries the Poisson equation for the Newton potential and two partner fermionic equations do not follow from a variation of the non-relativistic action but, instead, are obtained by a supersymmetry variation of the other equations of motion that do follow from a variation of the non-relativistic action. We shortly discuss the inclusion of the Yang-Mills sector that would lead to a non-relativistic heterotic supergravity action.

Minkowski spacetime and non-Ricci-flat compactification in heterotic supergravity

We compactify the ten-dimensional spacetime in heterotic supergravity leaving four-dimensional Minkowski spacetime. We search for nonsupersymmetric, non-Ricci-flat solutions of the equations of motion with the quadratic curvature term. By assuming that the extradimensional spaces are products of 2-manifolds, three types of solutions are found. They are $S^2\times T^2 \times H^2/\Gamma$, $S^2\times H^2/\Gamma \times H^2/\Gamma$, and $S^2\times S^2 \times H^2/\Gamma$, where $H^2/\Gamma$ denotes a compact hyperbolic manifold. The metrics can be written explicitly, and they can be applied to phenomenology.

Higher-derivative heterotic Double Field Theory and classical double copy

The generalized Kerr-Schild ansatz (GKSA) is a powerful tool for constructing exact solutions in Double Field Theory (DFT). In this paper we focus in the heterotic formulation of DFT, considering up to four-derivative terms in the action principle, while the field content is perturbed by the GKSA. We study the inclusion of the generalized version of the Green-Schwarz mechanism to this setup, in order to reproduce the low energy effective heterotic supergravity upon parametrization. This formalism reproduces higher-derivative heterotic background solutions where the metric tensor and Kalb-Ramond field are perturbed by a pair of null vectors. Next we study higher-derivative contributions to the classical double copy structure. After a suitable identification of the null vectors with a pair of U(1) gauge fields, the dynamics is given by a pair of Maxwell equations plus higher derivative corrections in agreement with the KLT relation.

Spinors of real type as polyforms and the generalized Killing equation

We develop a new framework for the study of generalized Killing spinors, where every generalized Killing spinor equation, possibly with constraints, can be formulated equivalently as a system of partial differential equations for a polyform satisfying algebraic relations in the Kähler–Atiyah bundle constructed by quantizing the exterior algebra bundle of the underlying manifold. At the core of this framework lies the characterization, which we develop in detail, of the image of the spinor squaring map of an irreducible Clifford module Sigma of real type as a real algebraic variety in the Kähler–Atiyah algebra, which gives necessary and sufficient conditions for a polyform to be the square of a real spinor. We apply these results to Lorentzian four-manifolds, obtaining a new description of a real spinor on such a manifold through a certain distribution of parabolic 2-planes in its cotangent bundle. We use this result to give global characterizations of real Killing spinors on Lorentzian four-manifolds and of four-dimensional supersymmetric configurations of heterotic supergravity. In particular, we find new families of Einstein and non-Einstein four-dimensional Lorentzian metrics admitting real Killing spinors, some of which are deformations of the metric of text {AdS}_4 space-time.

Small Gauge Transformations and Universal Geometry in Heterotic Theories

The first part of this paper describes in detail the action of small gauge transformations in heterotic supergravity. We show a convenient gauge fixing is 'holomorphic gauge' together with a condition on the holomorphic top form. This gauge fixing, combined with supersymmetry and the Bianchi identity, allows us to determine a set of non-linear PDEs for the terms in the Hodge decomposition. Although solving these in general is highly non-trivial, we give a prescription for their solution perturbatively in α and apply this to the moduli space metric. The second part of this paper relates small gauge transformations to a choice of connection on the moduli space. We show holomorphic gauge is related to a choice of holomorphic structure and Lee form on a 'universal bundle'. Connections on the moduli space have field strengths that appear in the second order deformation theory and we point out it is generically the case that higher order deformations do not commute.

Mathcal{N} = 1 supersymmetric Double Field Theory and the generalized Kerr-Schild ansatz

We construct the mathcal{N} = 1 supersymmetric extension of the generalized Kerr-Schild ansatz in the flux formulation of Double Field Theory. We show that this ansatz is compatible with mathcal{N} = 1 supersymmetry as long as it is not written in terms of generalized null vectors. Supersymmetric consistency is obtained through a set of conditions that imply linearity of the generalized gravitino perturbation and unrestricted perturbations of the generalized background dilaton and dilatino. As a final step we parametrize the previous theory in terms of the field content of the low energy effective 10-dimensional heterotic supergravity and we find that the perturbation of the 10-dimensional vielbein, Kalb-Ramond field, gauge field, gravitino and gaugino can be written in terms of vectors, as expected.

Superpotential of three dimensional mathcal{N} = 1 heterotic supergravity

We dimensionally reduce the ten dimensional heterotic supergravity action on spacetimes of the form mathcal{M} (1, 2) x Y, where mathcal{M} (1, 2) is three dimensional maximally symmetric Anti de Sitter or Minkowski space, and Y is a compact seven dimensional manifold with G2 structure. In doing so, we derive the real superpotential functional of the corresponding three dimensional mathcal{N} = 1 theory. We confirm that extrema of this functional correspond to supersymmetric heterotic compacti:fications on manifolds of G2 structure in the large volume, weak coupling limit to first order in a'. We make some comments on the role of the superpotential functional with respect to the coupled moduli problem of instanton bundles over G2 manifolds.