We analyze finite size solutions for a generalized $D$-dimensional Dudas-Mourad (DM) model featuring dynamical cobordism with neutral and charged end-of-the-world (ETW) defect branes. Confirming a dynamical version of the Cobordism Conjecture, we explicitly construct non-isotropic solutions for the latter codimension one branes and show the appearance of a lower bound $δ\ge 2\sqrt{(D-1)/(D-2)}$ for the critical exponent in the scaling behavior of the distance and the curvature close to the wall. This allows us to make a connection to the (sharpened) Swampland Distance Conjecture and the (Anti-) de Sitter Distance Conjecture. Moreover, BPS orientifold planes appear as special cases in our analysis and the whole picture is consistent with dimensional reduction from ten to $D$ dimensions. An analogous analysis is performed for a generalized Blumenhagen-Font (BF) model featuring neutral codimension two ETW-branes where the same lower bound for the scaling parameter $δ$ arises.
Starting from an already known solution in the literature, we study the dynamical cobordism induced by the backreaction of a non-supersymmetric, positive tension domain wall in string theory. This could e.g. be a non-BPS D8-brane of type I or a $\overline{D8}/O8$ stack of a non-supersymmetric type IIA orientifold. The singularities which typically appear indicate either an inherent inconsistency of this background or the required presence of a suitable defect, as predicted by the cobordism conjecture. We provide evidence that this end-of-the-world $7$-brane is explicitly described by a new kin…
The Cobordism Conjecture states that any Quantum Gravity configuration admits, at topological level, a boundary ending spacetime. We study the dynamical realization of cobordism, as spacetime dependent solutions of Einstein gravity coupled to scalars containing such end-of-the-world "branes". The latter appear in effective theory as a singularity at finite spacetime distance at which scalars go off to infinite field space distance. We provide a local description near the end-of-the-world branes, in which the solutions simplify dramatically and are characterized in terms of a critical exponent,…
We study the cobordism conjecture of McNamara and Vafa which asserts that the bordism group of quantum gravity is trivial. In the context of type IIB string theory compactified on a circle, this predicts the presence of D7-branes. On the other hand, the non-Abelian structure of the IIB duality group $SL(2,\mathbb{Z})$ implies the existence of additional $[p,q]$ 7-branes. We find that this additional information is instead captured by the space of closed paths on the moduli space of elliptic curves parameterizing distinct values of the type IIB axio-dilaton. This description allows to recover t…
In the following work, an attempt to conciliate the Ricci flow conjecture and the Cobordism conjecture, stated as refinements of the Swampland distance conjecture and of the No global symmetries conjecture respectively, is presented. This is done by starting from a suitable manifold with trivial cobordism class, applying surgery techniques to Ricci flow singularities and trivialising the cobordism class of one of the resulting connected components via the introduction of appropriate defects. The specific example of $Ω^{SO}_4$ is studied in detail. A connection between the process of blowing up…
The cobordism conjecture of the swampland program states that the bordism group of quantum gravity must be trivial. We investigate this statement in several directions, on both the mathematical and physical side. We consider the Whitehead tower construction as a possible organising principle for the topological structures entering the formulation of the conjecture. We discuss why and how to include geometric structures in bordism groups, such as higher U(1)-bundles with connection. The inclusion of magnetic defects is also addressed in some detail. We further elaborate on how the conjecture co…
We consider string theory vacua with tadpoles for dynamical fields and uncover universal features of the resulting spacetime-dependent solutions. We argue that the solutions can extend only a finite distance $Δ$ away in the spacetime dimensions over which the fields vary, scaling as $Δ^n\sim {\cal T}$ with the strength of the tadpole ${\cal T}$. We show that naive singularities arising at this distance scale are physically replaced by ends of spacetime, related to the cobordism defects of the swampland cobordism conjecture and involving stringy ingredients like orientifold planes and branes, o…
We consider spacetime-dependent solutions to string theory models with tadpoles for dynamical fields, arising from non-trivial scalar potentials. The solutions have necessarily finite extent in spacetime, and are capped off by boundaries at a finite distance, in a dynamical realization of the Cobordism Conjecture. We show that as the configuration approaches these cobordism walls of nothing, the scalar fields run off to infinite distance in moduli space, allowing to explore the implications of the Swampland Distance Conjecture. We uncover new interesting scaling relations linking the moduli sp…
We consider consequences of triviality of cobordism classes and anomaly cancellation in supergravity theories in $d>6$. We argue that this leads to the existence of certain defects which we call "I-folds" (a generalization of orientifolds). The requirement that compactifications to lower dimensions involving these defects be anomaly free leads to conditions on the higher dimensional theory. We show that in theories with 16 supercharges in $d>6$ this leads to restrictions on the rank of the allowed gauge groups and thus provides an explanation for the observed restrictions in known string theor…
In [L-Y5] (D(6): arXiv:1003.1178 [math.SG]) we introduced the notion of Azumaya $C^{\infty}$-manifolds with a fundamental module and morphisms therefrom to a complex manifold. In the current sequel, we use this notion to give a prototypical definition of supersymmetric D-branes of A-type (i.e. A-branes) -- in an appropriate region of the Wilson's theory-space of string theory -- as special Lagrangian morphisms from such objects with a unitary, minimally flat connection-with-singularities. This merges Donaldson's picture of special Lagrangian submanifolds and the Polchinski-Grothendieck Ansatz …
McNamara and Vafa conjectured that any pair of consistent quantum gravity theories can be connected by a domain wall. We test the conjecture in the context of the AdS/CFT correspondence. There are topological constraints on existence of an interface between the corresponding conformal field theories. We discuss how to construct domain walls in AdS predicted by the conjecture when the corresponding conformal interfaces are prohibited by topological obstructions.
Instituto de Física Teórica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid & CSIC（马德里自治大学理论物理研究所与西班牙国家科学研究委员会）；Departamento de Física Teórica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid（马德里自治大学理论物理系）
We consider the classical and local thermodynamic stability of non- and near-extremal Dp-branes smeared on a transverse direction. These two types of stability are connected through the correlated stability conjecture for which we give a proof in this specific class of branes. The proof is analogous to that of Reall for unsmeared branes, and includes the construction of an appropriate two-parameter off-shell family of smeared Dp-brane backgrounds. We use the boost/U-duality map from neutral black strings to smeared black branes to explicitly demonstrate that non-and near-extremal smeared brane…
We point out that the de Sitter swampland conjecture would be falsified if classical fluxed Type IIA orientifold vacua with a single non-BPS D7-brane were indeed part of the string theory landscape. In other words, the dS swampland conjecture implies the cancellation of K-theory charges on a compact space.
We show that smeared brane solutions, where a charged black p-brane is smeared uniformly over one of the transverse directions, can have a Gregory-Laflamme type dynamical instability in the smeared direction even when the solution is locally thermodynamically stable. These thus provide counterexamples to the Gubser-Mitra conjecture, which links local dynamical and thermodynamic stability. The existence of a dynamical instability is demonstrated by exploiting an ansatz due to Harmark and Obers, which relates charged solutions to neutral ones.
Recently, it was suggested that the system of smeared black branes might provide a counter example to the Gubser-Mitra conjecture. Concerning to this issue, we have investigated the s-wave perturbation analysis to see how the stability of such system behaves. Some partial results are reported in this meeting.
We study the weak gravity conjecture in non-supersymmetric string theory setups. Precisely, those are type I string theory with supersymmetry broken à la Scherk-Schwarz and open strings on D branes wrapped around magnetized tori in type II string theory. We compute long-range interactions between identical branes at one-loop and compare them to the weak gravity conjecture for higher-degree forms. In our examples, SUSY breaking generates interactions between branes, which are not anymore BPS, in such a way that the weak gravity conjecture is verified. In type I with the Scherk-Schwarz mechanism…
According to the gauge/gravity duality conjecture, the thermodynamics of gauge theory describing D-branes corresponds to that of black branes in superstring theory. We test this conjecture directly in the case of D0-branes by applying Monte Carlo methods to the corresponding gauge theory, which takes the form of the BFSS matrix quantum mechanics. In particular, we take the continuum limit by extrapolating the UV cutoff to infinity. First we perform simulations at large N so that string loop corrections can be neglected on the gravity side. Our results for the internal energy exhibit the temper…
The Swampland program relies heavily on the conjecture that there can only be a finite number of flux vacua (FFV conjecture). Stipulating this FFV conjecture and applying it to some older work in flux vacua construction we show that within a patch of the landscape the FFV conjecture makes predictions on the non-existence of otherwise viable non-perturbative objects arising from brane recombination. Future gains in direct non-perturbative analysis could therefore not only test this prediction but also test portions of the Swampland program itself. We also discuss implications of a weaker FFV co…
In this work we investigate the Swampland Cobordism Conjecture in the context of type IIB string theory geometries with non-trivial duality bundle. Quite remarkably, we find that many non-trivial bordism classes with duality bundles in Mp$(2,\mathbb{Z})$, a double cover of SL$(2,\mathbb{Z})$ related to fermions, correspond to asymptotic boundaries of well-known supersymmetric F-theory backgrounds. These include $[p,q]$-7-branes, non-Higgsable clusters, S-folds, as well as various lower-dimensional generalizations. These string theoretic objects break the global symmetries associated to the non…
We relate a Dp or NS-brane with D0-brane charge smeared over its worldvolume to the system with no D0-charge. This allows us to generalise Reall's partial proof of the Gubser-Mitra conjecture. We show explicitly for specific examples that the dynamical instability coincides with thermodynamic instability in the ensemble where the D0-brane charge can vary. We also comment on consistency checks of the conjecture for more complicated systems, using the example of the D4 with F1 and D0 charges smeared on its worldvolume.
A generalization of Nahm's equation has been recently conjectured by Basu and Harvey to be the BPS condition describing the bound state of a stack of M2-branes ending on an M5-brane. In this note exact solutions are presented for the proposed BPS equation - which is from the point of view of the M2-brane world-volume dynamics - with boundary conditions appropriate for M2-branes stretching between two M5-branes. Unfortunately, since the action for multiple M5-branes or for multiple coincident M2-branes is not known, one can only resort to consistency checks of the proposal instead of a direct c…
We study a special sort of 2-dimensional extended Topological Quantum Field Theories (TQFTs) which we call open-closed TQFTs. These are defined on open-closed cobordisms by which we mean smooth compact oriented 2-manifolds with corners that have a particular global structure in order to model the smooth topology of open and closed string worldsheets. We show that the category of open-closed TQFTs is equivalent to the category of knowledgeable Frobenius algebras. A knowledgeable Frobenius algebra (A,C,i,i^*) consists of a symmetric Frobenius algebra A, a commutative Frobenius algebra C, and an …
The constraint of trans-Planckian censorship conjecture on brane inflation model is considered. The conjectures put an upper bound on the main parameter including temperature, inflation time, potential, and the tensor-to-scalar ratio parameter $r$. It is determined that the resulting constraint could be more stronger than what we have for the standard inflationary models. The constraint in general depends on the brane tension and it is concluded that the conjecture also confined the value of brane tension in order to have consistency for the model. Confining the brane tension turns into a dete…
A conjecture for computing all genus topological closed string amplitudes on toric local Calabi-Yau threefolds, by interpreting the associated 5-brane web as a Feynman diagram, is given. A propagator and a three point vertex is defined which allows us to write down the amplitude associated with 5-brane web. We verify the conjecture that this amplitude is equal to the closed string partition function by computing integer invariants for resolved conifold and certain curves of low degree in local del Pezzo surfaces, local Hirzebruch surfaces and their various blowups.
There is a conjecture in the literature that indicates the tree-level S-matrix elements of graviton become symmetric under the $SL(2,Z)$ transformation after including the loops and the nonperturbative effects. Using the Ward identity corresponding to the global S-duality transformations, this conjecture can be extended to other S-matrix elements as well. While the $SL(2,Z)$ transformation on the background dilaton is nonlinear, the Ward identity dictates the S-duality transformations on external states should be the linearized $SL(2,R)$ transformations. We examine in details various S-matrix …
We discuss implications of Weak gravity conjecture (WGC) for exotic D-brane instantons. In particular, WGC leads to indirect stringent bounds on non-perturbative superpotentials generated by exotic instantons, with many implications for phenomenology: R-parity violating processes, neutrino mass, $μ$-problem, Neutron-Antineutron transitions and collider physics.
Kovtun, Son and Starinets have conjectured that the viscosity to entropy density ratio $η/s$ is always bounded from below by a universal multiple of $\hbar$ i.e., $\hbar/(4πk_{B})$ for all forms of matter. Mysteriously, the proposed viscosity bound appears to be saturated in all computations done whenever a supergravity dual is available. We consider the near horizon limit of a stack of M2-branes in the grand canonical ensemble at finite R-charge densities, corresponding to non-zero angular momentum in the bulk. The corresponding four-dimensional R-charged black hole in Anti-de Sitter space pr…
These lectures provide an introduction to the subject of tachyon condensation in the open bosonic string. The problem of tachyon condensation is first described in the context of the low-energy Yang-Mills description of a system of multiple D-branes, and then using the language of string field theory. An introduction is given to Witten's cubic open bosonic string field theory. The Sen conjectures on tachyon condensation in open bosonic string field theory are introduced, and evidence confirming these conjectures is reviewed.
We use type I string models with supersymmetry broken by compactification (à la Scherk-Schwarz) in order to test the weak gravity conjecture in the presence of runaway potentials in a perturbative string theory setting. For a finite value of the supersymmetry breaking radius there is a runaway potential, which is the only possibility if one accepts the non-existence of de Sitter vacua. Although the weak gravity conjecture is valid in the decompactification limit, for fixed values of the radius we show that there are short-ranged attractive D1 brane-brane interactions. We argue however that at …
In this article we conjecture a relationship between 5d SCFT's, that can be engineered by 5-brane webs in the presence of an $O5^-$-plane, and 4d class S theories of type D. The specific relation is that compactification on a circle of the former leads to the latter. We present evidence for this conjecture. One piece of evidence, which is also an interesting application of this, is that it suggests identifications between different class S theories. This can in turn be tested by comparing their central charges.
We generalize the swampland criterion forbidding stable non-supersymmetric AdS vacua and propose a new swampland conjecture forbidding stable non-supersymmetric "locally AdS" warped throats. The conjecture is motivated by the properties of systems of fractional D3-branes at singularities, and can be used to rule out large classes of warped throats with supersymmetry breaking ingredients, and their possible application to de Sitter uplift. In particular, this allows to reinterpret the runaway instabilities of the gravity dual of fractional branes in the dP$_1$ theory, and to rule out warped thr…
We present a state sum construction of two-dimensional extended Topological Quantum Field Theories (TQFTs), so-called open-closed TQFTs, which generalizes the state sum of Fukuma--Hosono--Kawai from triangulations of conventional two-dimensional cobordisms to those of open-closed cobordisms, i.e. smooth compact oriented 2-manifolds with corners that have a particular global structure. This construction reveals the topological interpretation of the associative algebra on which the state sum is based, as the vector space that the TQFT assigns to the unit interval. Extending the notion of a two-d…
Correlated stability conjecture (CSC) proposed by Gubser and Mitra [1,2] linked the thermodynamic and classical (in)stabilities of black branes. The classical instabilities, whenever occurring, were conjectured to arise as Gregory-Laflamme (GL) instabilities of translationally invariant horizons. In [3] it was shown that the thermodynamic instabilities, specifically the negative specific heat, indeed result in the instabilities in the hydrodynamic spectrum of holographically dual plasma excitations. A counter-example of CSC was presented in the context of black branes with scalar hair undergoi…
In this paper the problem of constructing spacetime from string theory is addressed in the context of D-brane physics. It is suggested that the knowledge of discrete configurations of D-branes is sufficient to reconstruct the motivic building blocks of certain Calabi-Yau varieties. The collections of D-branes involved have algebraic base points, leading to the notion of K-arithmetic D-crystals for algebraic number fields K. This idea can be tested for D0-branes in the framework of toroidal compactifications via the conjectures of Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer. For the special class of D0-crystals …
The universal thermodynamic relations between corrections to entropy and extremality for various black holes solutions have been studied. In this regard, we hereby consider a number of different black brane solutions in different structures for perturbative corrections to general relativity. These are, namely, black brane solution in Rastall AdS massive gravity, Einstein-Yang-Mills AdS black brane solution in massive gravity and general anisotropic black brane in Horava-Lifshitz gravity. We calculate both the entropy and extremality bound by introducing a small constant correction to the actio…
We study type IIA orientifold compactifications with fluxes that give rise to perturbatively stable, non-supersymmetric AdS$_4$ vacua with D6-brane gauge sectors. Non-perturbative instabilities can be mediated by D8-branes wrapped on the six internal dimensions $X_6$, if they reduce to 4d membranes with a charge $Q$ larger than its tension $T$. The mismatch $Q \neq T$ arises due to i) curvature corrections and ii) the BIon backreaction of D6-branes wrapping 3-cycles of $X_6$. We give a simple expression for the second effect in toroidal orientifolds, and find that only pairs of 3-cycles at SU(…
The quantum consistency of sigma-models describing the dynamics of extended objects in a curved background requires the cancellation of their world-volume anomalies, which are conformal anomalies for the heterotic string and $SO(1,5)$ Lorentz-anomalies for the heterotic five-brane, and of their ten dimensional target space anomalies. In determining these anomalies in a $D=10$ Lorentz-covariant back-ground gauge we find that for the heterotic string the worldvolume anomalies cancel for 32 heterotic fermions while for the conjectured heterotic five-brane they cancel for only 16 heterotic fermion…
In the context of the braneworld, a method to find consistent solutions to Einstein's field equations in the interior of a spherically symmetric, static and non uniform stellar distribution with Weyl stresses is developed. This method, based in the fact that any braneworld stellar solution must have the general relativity solution as a limit, produces a constraint which reduces the degrees of freedom on the brane. Hence the non locality and non closure of the braneworld equations can be overcome. The constraint found is physically interpreted as a necessary condition to regain general relativi…
We investigate interactions between branes of various dimensions, both charged and uncharged, in three non-supersymmetric string models. These include the $USp(32)$ and $U(32)$ orientifold projections of the type IIB and type $0$B strings, as well as the $SO(16) \times SO(16)$ projection of the exceptional heterotic string. The resulting ten-dimensional spectra are free of tachyons, and the combinations of branes that they contain give rise to rich and varied dynamics. We compute static potentials for parallel stacks of branes in three complementary regimes: the probe regime, in which one of t…
The initial data of gravity for a cylindrical matter distribution confined on the brane is studied in the framework of the single brane Randall-Sundrum scenario. In this scenario, 5-dimensional aspect of gravity appears in the short range gravitational interaction. We found that the sufficiently thin configuration of matter leads to the formation of the marginal surface even if the configuration is infinitely long. This means that the hoop conjecture proposed by Thorne does not hold in the Randall-Sundrum scenario; Even if a mass $M$ does not get compacted into a region whose circumference in …
We study higher derivative corrections to black brane thermodynamics and their implications for the weak gravity conjecture for $p$-form gauge fields. In particular we show that higher derivative corrections decrease tension-to-charge ratios of extremal black branes as implied by the weak gravity conjecture, if four-derivative couplings follow scattering positivity bounds. We also demonstrate that entropy corrections in the micro canonical ensemble are positive under the same assumptions. This extends earlier works in the Einstein-Maxwell theory to $p$-form gauge fields in general spacetime di…
