Lie groups, Calabi-Yau threefolds, and F-theory (Q5929537)

A systematic approach to the problem of determining the gauge symmetry and hypermultiplet content of a given six-dimensional theory obtained from F-theory is presented. It is shown how many features of a Lie algebra structure arise naturally from an elliptically fibered Calabi--Yau\ threefold inside the bundle \(K_{M_{2}}^{k}\oplus K_{M_{2}}^{k}\oplus K_{M_{2}}\) which is the variety defined by the equation \(xy=z^{2k}\), where \(x,y\in K_{M_{2}}^{k}\) and \(z\in K_{M_{2}}\). Counting the parameters gives for the Higgs branch \[ k(2k+1)(g(M_{1})-1)+\left( k(2k-1)-1\right) (g(M_{2})-g(M_{1})), \] where \(M_{1},M_{2}\) are corresponding moduli spaces and \(M_{2}\rightarrow M_{1}\) is a two-fold cover branched in one point. This allows the authors to elucidate the general method for determining the gauge algebra. It is also described how to analyze the hypermultiplet content in the cases where the associated curves and surfaces within the Calabi--Yau\ threefold are smooth. The main assertion states that for an F-theory compactification on an elliptic threefold with a curve of \(I_{2k+1}\) fibers (which locally suggests a symmetry of \({\mathfrak su}(2k+1)\) with \({\mathbb Z}_{2}\) monodromy, the resulting gauge symmetry is \({\mathfrak sp}\left( k\right))\).The cases where these curves and surfaces are singular are discussed, including some unexpected rules for D\(2\)-brane wrapping. The peculiar numerical predictions following from the formula \[ \dim {G}-\sum_{i}\varepsilon _{i}\dim R_{i}=29\rho (\Sigma)-302 \] (\(G\) is the gauge group in six dimensions, \(\rho (\Sigma)\) is the Picard number of \(\Sigma \), \(R_{i}\) are representations of \(G\)), which arise from anomaly cancellation in the F-theory compactification on \(X\) are given.