String theory and duality (Q1126722)

This paper discusses duality in string theory. Five of string theories (Type I open superstring, Type II A superstring, Type II B superstring, \(E_8\times E_8\) heterotic string, \(\text{Spin}(32)/Z_2\) heterotic string) describe a string propagating flat ten-dimensional Minkowski space \(R^{9,1}\) and eleven-dimensional supergravity \((M\)-theory) describes a membrane propagating in eleven-dimensional Minkowski space \(R^{10,1}\). Instead of using a completely flat Minkowski space, one tries to ``compactify'' these string theories by replacing the Minkowski space by \(X\times M\), where \(X\) is some compact \((10-d)\)-dimensional manifold (or \((11-d)\)-dimensional in the case of \(M\)-theory) and \(M\cong R^{d-1,1}\). The principle of duality can be stated as follows: Given a specific string and its compactification on \(X\) can one find another string theory compactified on another space, \(Y\), such that the ``physics'' in the uncompactified space, \(M\), is isomorphic between the two compactifications? The most basic objects one may study to identify the physics of two dual theories are their moduli spaces. The first case discussed here is mirror duality given by a pair \((X,Y)\) of Calabi-Yau threefolds, where the type II A string compactified on \(X\) is physically equivalent to the type II B string compactified on \(Y\). Then, the author discusses the duality between the type II A string compactified on a Calabi-Yau threefold \(X\) and the \(E_8\times E_8\) heterotic string compactified on a factorized bundle over a product of a K3 surface, \(Z\), and an elliptic curve \(E_H\).