IAs is well known, when D6 branes wrap a special lagrangian cycle on a non compact CY 3-fold in such a way that the internal string frame metric is Kahler there exists a dual description, which is given in terms of a purely geometrical eleven dimensional background with an internal metric of $G_2$ holonomy. It is also known that when D6 branes wrap a coassociative cycle of a non compact $G_2$ manifold in presence of a self-dual two form strength the internal part of the string frame metric is conformal to the $G_2$ metric and there exists a dual description, which is expressed in terms of a purely geometrical eleven dimensional background with an internal non compact metric of Spin(7) holonomy. In the present work it is shown that any $G_2$ metric participating in the first of these dualities necessarily participates in one of the second type. Additionally, several explicit Spin(7) holonomy metrics admitting a $G_2$ holonomy reduction along one isometry are constructed. These metrics can be described as $R$-fibrations over a 6-dimensional Kahler metric, thus realizing the pattern Spin(7) $\to G_2\to$ (Kahler) mentioned above. Several of these examples are further described as fibrations over the Eguchi-Hanson gravitational instanton and, to the best of our knowledge, have not been previously considered in the literature.
We show that the M-theory/IIA and IIA/IIB superstring dualities together with the diffeomorphism invariance of the underlying theories require the presence of certain p-brane bound states in IIA and IIB superstring theories preserving 1/2 of the spacetime supersymmetry. We then confirm the existence of IIA and IIB supergravity solutions having the appropriate p-brane bound states interpretation.
We demonstrate that M-theory compactifications on 7-manifolds of G_2 holonomy, which yield 4d N=1 supersymmetric systems, often admit at special loci in their moduli space a description as type IIA orientifolds. In this way, we are able to find new dualities of special IIA orientifolds, including dualities which relate orientifolds of IIA strings on manifolds of different topology with different numbers of wrapped D-branes. We also discuss models which incorporate, in a natural way, compact embeddings of gauge theory/gravity dualities similar to those studied in the recent work of Atiyah, Mald…
We study N=1 four dimensional gauge theories as the world volume theory of D4-branes between NS 5-branes. We find constructions for a number of known field theory dualities involving $SU(N_c)\times SU(N_c')$ groups, coupled by matter fields F in the $(N_c, \bar N_c)$ representation, in terms of branes of type IIA string theory. The dual gauge group follows from simply reversing the ordering of the NS 5-branes and the D6-branes while conserving magnetic charge on the world volume of the branes. We interpret many field theory phenomena such as deformation of the superpotential $W = \Tr (F\tilde …
We attempt to find a rigorous formulation for the massive type IIA orientifold compactifications of string theory introduced in hep-th/0505160. An approximate double T-duality converts this background into IIA string theory on a twisted torus, but various arguments indicate that the back reaction of the orientifold on this geometry is large. In particular, an AdS calculation of the entropy suggests a scaling appropriate for N M2-branes, in a certain limit of the compactification, though not the one studied in hep-th/0505160. The M-theory lift of this specific regime is not 4 dimensional. We su…
We examine the flux structures defined by NS-NS superpotentials of Type IIA and Type IIB string theories compactified on a particular class of internal spaces which include non-geometric flux contributions due to T duality or mirror symmetry. This is then extended to the Type IIB R-R sector through the use of S duality and then finally to its mirror dual Type IIA R-R sector, with note of how this sector breaks S duality invariance in Type IIA. The nilpotency and tadpole constraints associated with the fluxes induced by both dualities are derived, explicitly demonstrated to be mirror invariant …
The first quantum correction to the IIA string effective action arises at the eight-derivative level and takes the schematic form (t_8 t_8 - 1/8 εε)R^4 + B_2 \wedge X_8. This correction, however, cannot be complete by itself, as it is neither supersymmetric nor T-duality covariant. We reexamine these eight-derivative couplings and conjecture that the simple replacement R -> R(Ω_+), where Ω_+ = Ω+ 1/2 H is the connection with torsion, nearly completely captures their dependence on the B-field. The exception is in the odd-odd spin structure sector, where additional terms are needed. We present h…
The SL(2,Z) anomaly recently derived for type IIB supergravity in 10 dimensions is shown to be a consequence of T-duality with the type IIA string, after compactification to 2 dimensions on an 8-fold. This explains the identity of the gravitational 8-forms appearing in different contexts in the effective actions of type IIA and IIB string theories. In this framework, constraints on the compactification manifold arise from modular invariance of the 2d theory. Related issues in 6 dimensions are examined, and it is argued that similar anomalies are present on the worldvolumes of M-theory 5-branes…
Starting from certain 3D non-abelian dual systems, we discuss a number of related dual systems in 2D, some of which are obtained by dimensional reduction. The dualities relate massive scalar and vector fields, and may be relevant for string theory in the context of massive type IIA supergravity. Supersymmetric extensions of the models are also presented.
We analyze brane dualities in the non-relativistic limit of the worldvolume actions. In particular we have analyzed how the non-relativistic M2-brane is related via these dualities to non-relativistic D2-brane, non-relativistic IIA fundamental string and also, by using T-duality, to non-relativistic D1-string. These actions coincide with ones obtained from relativistic actions by taking non-relativistic limit, showing that the non-relativistic limit and the dualities commute in these cases.
I study generalisations of U-duality transformations which do not rely on the existence of isometries. I start by providing more details of a recently proposed generalised U-duality map between solutions of type IIA supergravity of the form $\text{M}_7 \times \text{S}^3$, with NSNS flux, and solutions of 11-dimensional supergravity, in which the three-sphere is replaced by a four-dimensional geometry which encodes three-algebra structure constants. I then show that when $\text{M}_7$ admits two abelian isometries, TsT deformations on the IIA side become six-vector deformations in the 11-dimensi…
Chern-Simons quivers for M2-branes at Calabi-Yau singularities are best understood as the low energy theory of D2-branes on a dual type IIA background. We show how the D2-brane point of view naturally leads to three dimensional Seiberg dualities for Chern-Simons quivers with chiral matter content: They arise from a change of brane basis (or mutation), in complete analogy with the better known Seiberg dualities for D3-brane quivers. This perspective reproduces the known rules for Seiberg dualities in Chern-Simons-Yang-Mills theories with unitary gauge groups. We provide explicit examples of dua…
Dualities link M-theory, the 10+1 dimensional strong coupling limit of the IIA string, to other 11-dimensional theories in signatures 9+2 and 6+5, and to type II string theories in all 10-dimensional signatures. We study the Freund-Rubin-type compactifications and brane-type solutions of these theories, and find that branes with various world-volume signatures are possible. For example, the 9+2 dimensional M* theory has membrane-type solutions with world-volumes of signature (3,0) and (1,2), and a solitonic solution with world-volume signature (5,1).
We present a large class of new backgrounds that are solutions of type II supergravity with a warped AdS${}_4$ factor, non-trivial axion-dilaton, B-field, and three- and five-form Ramond-Ramond fluxes. We obtain these solutions by applying non-Abelian T-dualities with respect to SU(2) or SU(2)/U(1) isometries to reductions to 10d IIA of 11d sugra solutions of the form AdS${}_4 \times Y^7$, with $Y^7 = S^7/\mathbb{Z}_k, S^7, M^{1,1,1}, Q^{1,1,1}$ and $N(1,1)$. The main class of reductions to IIA is along the Hopf fiber and leads to solutions of the form $AdS_4 \times K_6$, where $K_6 $ is Kähle…
We compute the non-abelian couplings in the Chern-Simons action for a set of coinciding fundamental strings in both the type IIA and type IIB Matrix string theories. Starting from Matrix theory in a weakly curved background, we construct the linear couplings of closed string fields to type IIA Matrix strings. Further dualities give a type IIB Matrix string theory and a type IIA theory of Matrix strings with winding.
We study N=1 dualities in four dimensional supersymmetric gauge theories as the worldvolume theory of D4 branes with one compact direction in type IIA string theory. We generalize the previous work for SO(N_{c1}) x Sp(N_{c2}) with the superpotential W=Tr X^4 to the case of W= Tr X^4(k+1) in terms of brane configuration. We conjecture that the new dualities for the product gauge groups of SO(N_{c1}) x Sp(N_{c2}) x SO(N_{c3}), SO(N_{c1}) x Sp(N_{c2}) x SO(N_{c3}) x Sp(N_{c4}) and higher multiple product gauge groups can be obtained by reversing the ordering of NS5 branes and D6 branes while pres…
In this work we explore the physics associated to Calabi-Yau (CY) n-folds that can be described as a fibration in more than one way. Beginning with F-theory vacua in various dimensions, we consider limits/dualities with M-theory, type IIA, and heterotic string theories. Our results include many M-/F-theory correspondences in which distinct F-theory vacua - associated to different elliptic fibrations of the same CY n-fold - give rise to the same M-theory limit in one dimension lower. Examples include 5-dimensional correspondences between 6-dimensional theories with Abelian, non-Abelian and supe…
Using free world-sheet fermions, we construct and classify all the N=2, Z2 X Z2 four-dimensional orbifolds of the type IIA/B strings for which the orbifold projections act symmetrically on the left and right movers. We study the deformations of these models out of the fermionic point, deriving the partition functions at a generic point in the moduli of the internal torus T6=T2 X T2 X T2. We investigate some of their perturbative and non-perturbative dualities and construct new dual pairs of type IIA/type II asymmetric orbifolds, which are related non-perturbatively and allow us to gain insight…
One of the main topics in the modern String Theory are the AdS/CFT dualities. Proving such conjectures is extremely difficult since the gauge and string theory perturbative regimes do not overlap. In this perspective, the discovery of infinitely many conserved charges, i.e. the integrability, in the planar AdS/CFT has allowed us to reach immense progresses in understanding and confirming the duality. We review the fundamental concepts and properties of integrability in two-dimensional sigma-models and in the AdS/CFT context. The first part is focused on the AdS_5/CFT_4 duality, especially the …
We study large N dualities for a class of ${\cal N} = 1$ theories realized on type IIB D5 branes wrapping 2-cycles of local Calabi-Yau threefolds which is obtained from resolving orbifolded conifolds or as effective field theories on D4 branes in type IIA brane configurations. The field theory is $\mathcal{N} =1$ supersymmetric $\prod U(N_{ij})$ Yang-Mills gauge theory. Strong coupling effects are analyzed in the deformed geometry. We propose open-closed string duality via a geometric transition in toric geometry. The T-dual type IIA picture and M-theory lifting are also considered.
We consider an eleven dimensional supergravity compactified on $K3\times T^2$ and show that the resulting five dimensional theory has identical massless states as that of heterotic string compactified on a specific five torus $T^5$. The strong-weak coupling duality of the five dimensional theory is argued to represent a ten dimensional Type $IIA$ string compactified on $K3 \times S^1$, supporting the conjecture of string-string duality in six dimensions. In this perspective, we present magnetically charged solution of the low energy heterotic string effective action in five dimensions with a c…
This introductory part of the author's PhD compilation thesis discusses non-perturbative aspects of string theory, with focus on D-instantons which play key roles in the context of string phenomenology and dualities. By translating ideas from ordinary instanton calculus in field theory, D-instanton calculus is formulated and applied to supersymmetric gauge theories realized as world volume theories of spacefilling D-branes in non-trivial backgrounds. We show that, for configurations in which certain fermionic D-instanton zero modes are either lifted or projected out, new couplings, which may b…
This thesis deals with the two duality symmetries of N=2 D=10 supergravity theories that are descendant from the full superstring theory: fermionic T-duality and U-duality. The fermionic T-duality transformation is applied to the D-brane and pp-wave solutions of type IIB supergravity. New supersymmetric solutions of complexified supergravity are generated. We show that the pp-wave yields a purely imaginary background after two dualities, undergoes a geometric transformation after four dualities, and is self-dual after eight dualities. Next we apply six bosonic and six fermionic T-dualities to …
We use a series of reductions, T-dualities and liftings to construct connections between fractional brane solutions in IIA, IIB and M-theory. We find a number of phantom branes that are not supported by the geometry, however materialize upon untwisting and/or Hopf-reduction.
In this thesis we give a pedagogical introduction to the construction of NS5-D6(-O6)-D8(-O8) brane setups in massive type IIA string theory and the six-dimensional $(1,0)$ SCFT's they engineer. After describing how to introduce the various ingredients (and their interplay) in type IIA, we explain how to read off an effective linear quiver description of the SCFT's from the brane setups. We then explain in detail how to construct all AdS$_7$ solutions of massive IIA supergravity which are dual to the field theories. We do this by exploiting the power of generalized complex geometry. We then sho…
In the reduction of 4d dualities to 3d there are non-perturbative effects arising from monopoles acting as instantons. This mechanism has been reproduced in string theory by engineering the theories in a IIA brane setup. Nevertheless there are limiting cases of the 4d dualities where the dual theories are actually confined phases of the UV gauge theories. In these cases the monopoles are absent and the mechanism of reduction of the 4d duality has to be modified. In this paper we investigate such modification in the brane setup. The main observation behind our analysis is that in the 4d case th…
We study N=1 dualities in four dimensional supersymmetric gauge theories in terms of wrapping D 6-branes around 3-cycles of Calabi-Yau threefolds in type IIA string theory. We generalize the recent work of geometrical realization for the models which have the superpotential corresponding to an $A_k$ type singularity, to various models presented by Brodie and Strassler, consisting of $D_{k+2}$ superpotential of the form $W=Tr X^{k+1} + Tr XY^2$. We discuss a large number of representations for the field $Y$, but with $X$ always in the adjoint (symmetric) [antisymmetric] representation for $SU (…
We study large N dualities for a general class of N=1 theories realized on type IIB D5 branes wrapping 2-cycles of local Calabi-Yau threefolds or as effective field theories on D4 branes in type IIA brane configurations. We completely solve the issue of the classical moduli space for N=2, U(N_1)x ... x U(N_n) theories deformed by a general superpotential for the adjoint and bifundamental fields. The N=1 geometries in type IIB and its T-dual brane configurations are presented and they agree with the field theory analysis. We investigate the geometric transitions in the ten dimensional theories …
In the present work some examples of toric hyperkahler metrics in eight dimensions are constructed. First it is described how the Calderbank-Pedersen metrics arise as a consequence of the Joyce description of selfdual structures in four dimensions, the Jones-Tod correspondence and a result due to Tod and Przanowski. It is also shown that any quaternionic Kahler metric with $T^2$ isometry is locally isometric to a Calderbank-Pedersen one. The Swann construction of hyperkahler metrics in eight dimensions is applied to them to find hyperkahler examples with $U(1)\times U(1)$ isometry. The connect…
