paper

Closed String Tachyons and Semi-Classical Instabilities

arXiv:hep-th/0201185 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.66.026005

Abstract

We conjecture that the end point of bulk closed string tachyon decay at any non-zero coupling, is the annihilation of space time by Witten's bubble of nothing, resulting in a topological phase of the theory. In support of this we present a variety of situations in which there is a correspondence between the existence of perturbative tachyons in one regime and the semi-classical annihilation of space-time. Our discussion will include many recently investigated scenarios in string theory including Scherk-Schwarz compactifications, Melvin magnetic backgrounds, and noncompact orbifolds. We use this conjecture to investigate a possible web of dualities relating the eleven-dimensional Fabinger-Horava background with nonsupersymmetric string theories. Along the way we point out where our conjecture resolves some of the puzzles associated with bulk closed string tachyon condensation.

31 pages, 5 figures 3 figures added, typos corrected and references added. Discussion of Type 0/Heterotic s-duality extended and some other points clarified Revision of discussion on Fabinger-Horava string descendents, section on Scherk-Schwarz compactification of Horava-Witten removed, some references added

References in corpus (8)

Cited by in corpus (22)