MS Seminar (Mathematics - String Theory)

Speaker: David Morrison (UCSB)
Title: Non-geometric heterotic compactifications
Date (JST): Tue, Aug 25, 2009, 13:30 - 15:00
Place: Seminar Room at IPMU Prefab. B
Abstract: F-theory is a construction in string theory which uses elliptic
fibrations from algebraic geometry to build compactifications of the
type IIB string which are not purely geometric. In this talk (based on
joint work with J. McOrist and S. Sethi), we will describe a way to use
F-theory to build compactifications of the heterotic string which are
not purely geometric. The construction is based on a refinement of the
traditional duality between F-theory and the heterotic string which
relates it to ``Shioda--Inose structures'' in algebraic geometry. These
non-geometric heterotic compactifications include ones previously
constructed by Hellerman, McGreevy, and Williams using other techniques.

The introductory 25 minutes will explain F-theory to algebraic
geometers, explain elliptic fibrations to string theorists, and explain
the duality between F-theory and the heterotic string to both groups.
Contact: Sugimoto