Sign choices for orientifolds

DOI10.1007/S00220-020-03831-ZzbMATH Open1450.83005arXiv1905.06041OpenAlexW2944968360MaRDI QIDQ2200487FDOQ2200487

Authors: Pedram Hekmati, Michael K. Murray, Richard J. Szabo, Raymond F. Vozzo 

Publication date: 22 September 2020

Published in: Communications in Mathematical Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: We analyse the problem of assigning sign choices to O-planes in orientifolds of type II string theory. We show that there exists a sequence of invariant $p$-gerbes with $pgeq-1$, which give rise to sign choices and are related by coboundary maps. We prove that the sign choice homomorphisms stabilise with the dimension of the orientifold and we derive topological constraints on the possible sign configurations. Concrete calculations for spherical and toroidal orientifolds are carried out, and in particular we exhibit a four-dimensional orientifold where not every sign choice is geometrically attainable. We elucidate how the $K$-theory groups associated with invariant $p$-gerbes for $p=-1,0,1$ interact with the coboundary maps. This allows us to interpret a notion of $K$-theory due to Gao and Hori as a special case of twisted $KR$-theory, which consequently implies the homotopy invariance and Fredholm module description of their construction.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1905.06041

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zbMATH Keywords

stringtwistorfour-dimensional orientifold

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Applications of differential geometry to physics (53Z05) String and superstring theories in gravitational theory (83E30) Spinor and twistor methods in general relativity and gravitational theory; Newman-Penrose formalism (83C60)

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Cited In (3)

• A note on real line bundles with connection and real smooth Deligne cohomology
• Sign choices for M. Kontsevich's formality
• `Real' Gerbes and Dirac cones of topological insulators

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