The ten-dimensional supergravity theory is a geometric low-energy effective theory and the equations of motion for its fields can be obtained from string theory by computing $β$ functions. With $d$ compact dimensions, we can add to it an $O(d, d;\mathbb{Z})$ geometric structure and construct the supergravity theory inspired by double field theory through the use of a suitable commutative star product. The latter implements the weak constraint of the double field theory on its fields and gauge parameters in order to have a closed gauge symmetry algebra. The consistency of the action here proposed is based on the orthogonality of the momenta associated with fields in their triple star products in the cubic terms defined for $d\ge1$. This orthogonality holds also for an arbitrary number of star products of fields for $d=1$. Finally, we extend our analysis to the double sigma model, non-commutative geometry and open string theory.
We construct a world-sheet action for Green-Schwarz superstring in terms of doubled-yet-gauged spacetime coordinates. For an arbitrarily curved NS-NS background, the action possesses $\mathbf{O}(10,10)$ T-duality, $\mathbf{Spin}(1,9)\times\mathbf{Spin}(9,1)$ Lorentz symmetry, coordinate gauge symmetry, spacetime doubled-yet-gauged diffeomorphisms, world-sheet diffeomorphisms and Weyl symmetry. Further, restricted to flat backgrounds, it enjoys maximal spacetime supersymmetry and kappa-symmetry. After the auxiliary coordinate gauge symmetry potential being integrated out, our action can consist…
The section condition in double field theory has been shown to imply that a physical point should be one-to-one identified with a gauge orbit in the doubled coordinate space. Here we show the converse is also true, and continue to explore the idea of `spacetime being doubled yet gauged'. Introducing an appropriate gauge connection, we construct a string action, with an arbitrary generalized metric, which is completely covariant with respect to the coordinate gauge symmetry, generalized diffeomorphisms, world-sheet diffeomorphisms, world-sheet Weyl symmetry and O(D,D) T-duality. A topological t…
Double Field Theory (DFT) is a low-energy effective theory of a manifestly $O(D,D)$ invariant formulation of the closed string theory when toroidally compactified dimensions are present. The theory is based on a doubled spacetime structure and, in order to preserve the gauge symmetry provided by the invariance under generalized diffeomorphisms, a constraint has to be imposed on fields and gauge parameters. In this paper, we propose a DFT-inspired Supergravity by using a suitable {\em star product} that implements such constraint and the corresponding algebraic structure is explored. We get a c…
We use Weyl transformations between the Minkowski spacetime and dS/AdS spacetime to show that one cannot well define the electrodynamics globally on the ordinary conformal compactification of the Minkowski spacetime (or dS/AdS spacetime), where the electromagnetic field has a sign factor (and thus is discountinuous) at the light cone. This problem is intuitively and clearly shown by the Penrose diagrams, from which one may find the remedy without too much difficulty. We use the Minkowski and dS spacetimes together to cover the compactified space, which in fact leads to the doubled conformal co…
Assuming $\mathbf{O}(D,D)$ covariant fields as the `fundamental' variables, Double Field Theory can accommodate novel geometries where a Riemannian metric cannot be defined, even locally. Here we present a complete classification of such non-Riemannian spacetimes in terms of two non-negative integers, $(n,\bar{n})$, $0\leq n+\bar{n}\leq D$. Upon these backgrounds, strings become chiral and anti-chiral over $n$ and $\bar{n}$ directions respectively, while particles and strings are frozen over the $n+\bar{n}$ directions. In particular, we identify $(0,0)$ as Riemannian manifolds, $(1,0)$ as non-…
We present affine Lie algebras generated by the supercovariant derivatives and the supersymmetry generators for the left and right moving modes in the doubled space. Chirality is manifest in our doubled space as well as the T-duality symmetry. We present gauge invariant bosonic and superstring actions preserving the two-dimensional diffeomorphism invariance and the kappa-symmetry where doubled spacetime coordinates are chiral fields. The doubled space becomes the usual space by dimensional reduction constraints.
We revisit the fundamental string (F1) solution in the doubled formalism. We show that the wave-like solution of double field theory (DFT) corresponding to the F1/pp-wave duality pair is more properly a solution of the DFT action coupled to a doubled sigma model action. The doubled string configuration which sources the pp-wave can be thought of as static gauge with the string oriented in a dual direction. We also discuss the DFT solution corresponding to a vibrating string, carrying both winding and momentum. We further show that the solution dual to the F1 in both time and space can be viewe…
We derive and analyze the conditions for quantum conformal and Lorentz invariance of the duality symmetric interacting chiral boson sigma-models, which are conjectured to describe non-geometric string theory backgrounds. The one-loop Weyl and Lorentz anomalies are computed for the general case using the background field method. Subsequently, our results are applied to a class of (on-shell) Lorentz invariant chiral boson models which are based on twisted doubled tori. Our findings are in agreement with those expected from the effective supergravity approach, thereby firmly establishing that the…
We use a T-duality invariant action to investigate the behaviour of a string in non-geometric backgrounds, where there is a non-trivial global $O(D,D)$ patching or monodromy. This action leads to a set of Dirac brackets describing the dynamics of the doubled string, with these brackets determined only by the monodromy. This allows for a simple derivation of non-commutativity and non-associativity in backgrounds which are (even locally) non-geometric. We focus here on the example of the three-torus with H-flux, finding non-commutativity but not non-associativity, and also comment on the relatio…
We propose a Lorentz invariant version of Tseytlin's doubled worldsheet theory that makes T-duality covariance of the string manifest. This theory can be derived as a gauge fixed version of Buscher's gauging procedure, in which the left-over gauge field component acts as a Lagrange multiplier. This description can naturally account for fractional linear O(D,D) transformations of the metric and b-field. It is capable of describing non-geometric backgrounds; geometric and non-geometric fluxes are encoded in the doubled anti-symmetric tensor field strength.
The Kaluza-Klein monopole has been recognized as a string background with significant non-geometric features: it must appear "localized" to winding strings to match the NS5-brane's localization on the T-dual circle. In this work, we explicitly construct this T-dual system in the doubled geometry formalism, which proves to successfully describe the duality despite a broken isometry on one side of the duality pair. We further suggest an extension of the doubled formalism to the gauged linear sigma models describing this system (both bosonic and supersymmetric) and show that previous calculations…
We review double field theory (DFT) with emphasis on the doubled spacetime and its generalized coordinate transformations, which unify diffeomorphisms and b-field gauge transformations. We illustrate how the composition of generalized coordinate transformations fails to associate. Moreover, in dimensional reduction, the O(d,d) T-duality transformations of fields can be obtained as generalized diffeomorphisms. Restricted to a half-dimensional subspace, DFT includes `generalized geometry', but is more general in that local patches of the doubled space may be glued together with generalized coord…
We examine various properties of double field theory and the doubled string sigma model in the context of geometric quantisation. In particular we look at T-duality as the symplectic transformation related to an alternative choice of polarisation in the construction of the quantum bundle for the string. Following this perspective we adopt a variety of techniques from geometric quantisation to study the doubled space. One application is the construction of the double coherent state that provides the shortest distance in any duality frame and a stringy deformed Fourier transform.
The worldsheet theories that describe Poisson-Lie T-dualisable $σ$-models on group manifolds as well as integrable $η$, $λ$ and $β$-deformations provide examples of ${\cal E}$-models. Here we show how such ${\cal E}$-models can be given an elegant target space description within Double Field Theory by specifying explicitly generalised frame fields forming an algebra under the generalised Lie derivative. With this framework we can extract simple criteria for the R/R fields and the dilaton that extend the ${\cal E}$-model conditions to type II backgrounds. In particular this gives conditions for…
The SU(2) WZW model at large level N can be interpreted semiclassically as string theory on S^3 with N units of Neveu-Schwarz H-flux. While globally geometric, the model nevertheless exhibits an interesting doubled geometry possessing features in common with nongeometric string theory compactifications, for example, nonzero Q-flux. Therefore, it can serve as a fertile testing ground through which to improve our understanding of more exotic compactifications, in a context in which we have a firm understanding of the background from standard techniques. Three frameworks have been used to systema…
We construct a (locally) supersymmetric worldsheet action for a string in a non-relativistic Newton-Cartan background. We do this using a doubled string action, which describes the target space geometry in an $O(D,D)$ covariant manner using a doubled metric and doubled vielbeins. By adopting different parametrisations of these doubled background fields, we can describe both relativistic and non-relativistic geometries. We focus on the torsional Newton-Cartan geometry which can be obtained by null duality/reduction (such null duality is particularly simple for us to implement). The doubled acti…
The section condition of Double Field Theory has been argued to mean that doubled coordinates are gauged: a gauge orbit represents a single physical point. In this note, we consider a doubled and at the same time gauged particle action, and show that its BRST formulation including Faddeev--Popov ghosts matches with the graded Poisson geometry that has been recently used to describe the symmetries of Double Field Theory. Besides, by requiring target spacetime diffeomorphisms at the quantum level, we derive quantum corrections to the classical action involving dilaton, which might be comparable …
Double Field Theory describes the NS-NS sector of string theory and lives on a doubled spacetime. The theory has a local gauge symmetry generated by a generalization of the Lie derivative for doubled coordinates. For the action to be invariant under this symmetry, a differential constraint is imposed on the fields and gauge parameters, reducing their possible dependence in the doubled coordinates. We perform a Scherk-Schwarz reduction of Double Field Theory, yielding electric gaugings of half-maximal supergravity in four dimensions when integrability conditions are assumed. The residual symmet…
Courant sigma-models encode the geometric and non-geometric fluxes of compactified closed string theory as generalized Wess-Zumino terms and exhibit their relation to Courant algebroids. In recent work, we proposed a doubled membrane sigma-model that establishes the corresponding connection to double field theory and its algebroid structure. The strategy is to consider a "large" Courant sigma-model over a doubled target spacetime and identify a suitable projection that leads to a sigma-model for doubled fields. In this note, we provide further details for this construction. Starting from the B…
In the double field theory, gauge symmetries are realized as generalized diffeomorphisms in the doubled spacetime. By consistency of the theory, dependence of tensor fields on the doubled coordinates is strongly constrained. This causes finite transformation law highly complicated, both technically and conceptually. In this paper, we propose a new, physically intuitive approach to finite gauge transformations by utilizing untwisted form of vector fields. In our approach, finite gauge transformation law is expressed in terms of diffeomorphisms on a maximal null subspace on which dynamical degre…
We continue to study doubled aspects of algebroid structures equipped with the C-bracket in double field theory (DFT). We find that a family of algebroids, the Vaisman (metric or pre-DFT), the pre- and the ante-Courant algebroids are constructed by the analogue of the Drinfel'd double of Lie algebroid pairs. We examine geometric implementations of these algebroids in the para-Hermitian manifold, which is a realization of the doubled space-time in DFT. We show that the strong constraint in DFT is necessary to realize the doubled and non-trivial Poisson structures but can be relaxed for some alg…
In this paper, we first construct a globally well-defined non-geometric background which contains several branes in type II string theory compactified on a 7-torus. One of these branes is called 5^2_2, which is a codimension-2 object and has a non-trivial monodromy given by a T-duality transformation. The geometry near the 5^2_2-brane is shown to approach the non-geometric background constructed in arXiv:1004.2521. We then construct the solution of a fundamental string rotating along a non-trivial cycle in the 5^2_2 background. Although the background is not axisymmetric in the usual sense, we…
This review provides an introduction to non-geometric backgrounds in string theory. Starting from a discussion of T-duality, geometric and non-geometric torus-fibrations are reviewed, generalised geometry and its relation to non-geometric backgrounds are explained and compactifications of string theory with geometric and non-geometric fluxes are discussed. Furthermore covered are doubled geometry as well as non-commutative and non-associative structures in the context of non-geometric backgrounds.
The metric algebroid proposed by Vaisman (the Vaisman algebroid) governs the gauge symmetry algebra generated by the C-bracket in double field theory (DFT). We show that the Vaisman algebroid is obtained by an analogue of the Drinfel'd double of Lie algebroids. Based on a geometric realization of doubled space-time as a para-Hermitian manifold, we examine exterior algebras and a para-Dolbeault cohomology on DFT and discuss the structure of the Drinfel'd double behind the DFT gauge symmetry. Similar to the Courant algebroid in the generalized geometry, Lagrangian subbundles $(L,\tilde{L})$ in a…
We give a covariant realization of the doubled sigma-model formulation of duality-symmetric string theory within the general framework of para-Hermitian geometry. We define a notion of generalized metric on a para-Hermitian manifold and discuss its relation to Born geometry. We show that a Born geometry uniquely defines a worldsheet sigma-model with a para-Hermitian target space, and we describe its Lie algebroid gauging as a means of recovering the conventional sigma-model description of a physical string background as the leaf space of a foliated para-Hermitian manifold. Applying the Kotov-S…
We show that a class of matrix theories can be understood as an extension of quantum field theory which has non-local interactions. This reformulation is based on the Wigner-Weyl transformation, and the interactions take the form of Moyal product on a doubled geometry. We recover local dynamics on the spacetime as a low-energy limit. This framework opens up the possibility for studying novel high-energy phenomena, including the unification of gauge and geometric symmetries in a gauge theory.
We clarify the role of the dual coordinates as described from the perspectives of the Buscher T-duality rules and Double Field Theory. We show that the T-duality angular dual coordinates cannot be identified with Double Field Theory dual coordinates in any of the proposals that have been made in the literature for patching the doubled spaces. In particular, we show with explicit examples that the T-duality angular dual coordinates can have non-trivial transition functions over a spacetime and that their identification with the Double Field Theory dual coordinates is in conflict with proposals …
We examine the Hessian potential that derives the flat Minkowski spacetime in $(1+1)$-dimension. The entanglement thermodynamics by the Hessian geometry enables us to obtain the entanglement entropy of a corresponding quantum state by means of holography. We find that the positivity of the entropy leads to the presence of past and future causal cones in the Minkowski spacetime. We also find that the quantum state is equivalent to the thermofield-double state, and then the entropy is proportional to the temperature. The proportionality is consistent with previous holographic works. The present …
The generalized metric is a T-duality covariant symmetric matrix constructed from the metric and two-form gauge field and arises in generalized geometry. We view it here as a metric on the doubled spacetime and use it to give a simple formulation with manifest T-duality of the double field theory that describes the massless sector of closed strings. The gauge transformations are written in terms of a generalized Lie derivative whose commutator algebra is defined by a double field theory extension of the Courant bracket.
We give a concise summary of the para-Hermitian geometry that describes a doubled target space fit for a covariant description of T-duality in string theory. This provides a generalized differentiable structure on the doubled space and leads to a kinematical setup which allows for the recovery of the physical spacetime. The picture can be enhanced to a Born geometry by including dynamical structures such as a generalized metric and fluxes which are related to the physical background fields in string theory. We then discuss a generalization of the Levi-Civita connection in this setting - the Bo…
The existence of genuinely non-geometric backgrounds, i.e. ones without geometric dual, is an important question in string theory. In this paper we examine this question from a sigma model perspective. First we construct a particular class of Courant algebroids as protobialgebroids with all types of geometric and non-geometric fluxes. For such structures we apply the mathematical result that any Courant algebroid gives rise to a 3D topological sigma model of the AKSZ type and we discuss the corresponding 2D field theories. It is found that these models are always geometric, even when both 2-fo…
In this paper we discuss non-commutative and non-associative geometries that emerge in the context of non-geometric closed string backgrounds. T-duality and doubled field theory plays an important role in formulating the corresponding effective action for these kind of non-geometric string backgrounds. As we will argue, the emerging non-commutative and non-associative algebras for the closed string (dual) coordinates and (dual) momenta can be mathematically described by a twisted Poisson structure, in closed analogy to the phase space of a point particle moving in the field of a magnetic monop…
We construct an action for NSNS 5-branes which is manifestly covariant under O(d,d). This is done by doubling $d$ of the spacetime coordinates which appear in the worldvolume action. By formulating the DBI part of the action in a manner similar to a "gauged sigma model", only half the doubled coordinates genuinely appear. Our approach allows one to describe the full T-duality orbit of the IIB NS5 brane, the IIA KKM and their exotic relations in one formalism. Furthermore, by using ideas from double field theory, our action can be said to describe various aspects of non-geometric five-branes.
Double field theory is an approach for massless modes of string theory, unifying and geometrizing all gauge invariance in manifest $\mathbf{O}(D,D)$ covariant manner. In this approach, we derive off-shell conserved Noether current and corresponding Noether potential associated with unified gauge invariance. We add Wald-type counter two-form to the Noether potential and define conserved global charges as surface integral. We check our $\mathbf{O}(D,D)$ covariant formula against various string backgrounds, both geometric and non-geometric. In all cases we examined, we find perfect agreements wit…
We study the consistency of a model which includes torsion as well as the metric as dynamical fields and has massive spin-2 particle in its spectrum. The massive spin-2 mode resides in the torsion, rather than in the metric. It is known that this model is tachyon- and ghost-free in Minkowski background. We show that this property remains valid and no other pathologies emerge in de Sitter and anti-de Sitter backgrounds, with some of our results extending to arbirary Einstein space backgrounds. This suggests that the model is consistent, at least at the classical level, unlike, e.g., the Fierz--…
In this paper we study a unified formalism for Thermal Quantum Field Theories, i.e., for the Matsubara approach, Thermo Field Dynamics and the Path Ordered Method. To do so, we employ a mechanism akin to the Hawking effect which explores a relationship between the concept of temperature and spacetimes endowed with event-horizons. In particular, we consider an eight dimensional static spacetime, the so-called eta-xi spacetime, which we show to form an appropriate geometric background for generic Thermal Quantum Field Theories. Within this framework, the different formalisms of Thermal Field The…
Born Geometry, Metaparticles, and an Effective Geometric Realization of the Modular Black-Hole Remnant: A Phase-Space Resolution of the Schwarzschild Singularity
McGill University（麦吉尔大学）；McGill University School of Continuing Studies（麦吉尔大学继续教育学院）
In this short paper, we will review the proposal of a correspondence between the doubled geometry of Double Field Theory and the higher geometry of bundle gerbes. Double Field Theory is T-duality covariant formulation of the supergravity limit of String Theory, which generalises Kaluza-Klein theory by unifying metric and Kalb-Ramond field on a doubled-dimensional space. In light of the proposed correspondence, this doubled geometry is interpreted as an atlas description of the higher geometry of bundle gerbes. In this sense, Double Field Theory can be interpreted as a field theory living on th…
We make use of the conformal compactification of Minkowski spacetime $M^{\#}$ to explore a way of describing general, nonlinear Maxwell fields with conformal symmetry. We distinguish the inverse Minkowski spacetime $[M^{\#}]^{-1}$ obtained via conformal inversion, so as to discuss a doubled compactified spacetime on which Maxwell fields may be defined. Identifying $M^{\#}$ with the projective light cone in $(4+2)$-dimensional spacetime, we write two independent conformal-invariant functionals of the $6$-dimensional Maxwellian field strength tensors -- one bilinear, the other trilinear in the f…
Realizing dark energy and the observed de Sitter spacetime in quantum gravity has proven to be obstructed in most every usual approach. We argue that additional degrees of freedom of the left- and right-movers in string theory and a resulting doubled, non-commutatively generalized geometric formulation thereof can lead to an effective model of dark energy consistent with de Sitter spacetime. In this approach, the curvature of the canonically conjugate dual space provides for the dark energy inducing a positive cosmological constant in the observed spacetime, whereas the size of the above dual …
We construct O(D,D) invariant actions for the bosonic string and RNS superstring, using Hamiltonian methods and ideas from double field theory. In this framework the doubled coordinates of double field theory appear as coordinates on phase space and T-duality becomes a canonical transformation. Requiring the algebra of constraints to close leads to the section condition, which splits the phase space coordinates into spacetime coordinates and momenta.
By starting from the modified Maxwell theory coupled to gravity, the arising of geometric quantum phases in the relativistic and nonrelativistic quantum dynamics of a Dirac neutral particle from the effects of the violation of the Lorentz symmetry in the cosmic string spacetime is investigated. It is shown that the Dirac equation can be written in terms of an effective metric and a relativistic geometric phase stems from the topology of the cosmic string spacetime and the Lorentz symmetry breaking effects. Further, the nonrelativistic limit of the Dirac equation is discussed and it is shown th…
We investigate geometric aspects of double field theory (DFT) and its formulation as a doubled membrane sigma-model. Starting from the standard Courant algebroid over the phase space of an open membrane, we determine a splitting and a projection to a subbundle that sends the Courant algebroid operations to the corresponding operations in DFT. This describes precisely how the geometric structure of DFT lies in between two Courant algebroids and is reconciled with generalized geometry. We construct the membrane sigma-model that corresponds to DFT, and demonstrate how the standard T-duality orbit…
Deformed relativistic kinematics have been considered as a way to capture residual effects of quantum gravity. It has been shown that they can be understood geometrically in terms of a curved momentum space on a flat spacetime. In this article we present a systematic analysis under which conditions and how deformed relativistic kinematics, encoded in a momentum space metric on flat spacetime, can be lifted to curved spacetimes in terms of a self-consistent cotangent bundle geometry, which leads to purely geometric, geodesic motion of freely falling point particles. We comment how this construc…
Kaluza-Klein Theory states that a metric on the total space of a principal bundle $P\rightarrow M$, if it is invariant under the principal action of $P$, naturally reduces to a metric together with a gauge field on the base manifold $M$. We propose a generalization of this Kaluza-Klein principle to higher principal bundles and higher gauge fields. For the particular case of the abelian gerbe of Kalb-Ramond field, this Higher Kaluza-Klein geometry provides a natural global formulation for Double Field Theory (DFT). In this framework the doubled space is the total space of a higher principal bun…
An information-geometrical interpretation of AdS3/CFT2 correspondence is given. In particular, we consider an inverse problem in which the classical spacetime metric is given in advance and then we find what is the proper quantum information that is well stored into the spacetime. We see that the Fisher metric plays a central role on this problem. Actually, if we start with the two-dimensional hyperbolic space, a constant-time surface in AdS3, the resulting singular value spectrum of the quantum state shows power law for the correlation length with conformal dimension proportional to the curva…
