Worldsheet CFTs for Flat Monodrofolds

Abstract

We resolve a puzzle in the theory of strings propagating on locally flat spacetimes with nontrivial Wilson lines for stringy Z_N gauge symmetries. We find that strings probing such backgrounds are described by consistent worldsheet CFTs. The level mismatch in the twisted sectors is compensated by adjusting the quantization of momentum of strings winding around the Wilson line direction in units of 1/(N^2 R) rather than 1/(N R), as might have been classically expected. We demonstrate in various examples how this improvement of the naive orbifold prescription leads to satisfaction of general physical principles such as level matching and closure of the OPE. Applying our techniques to construct a Wilson line for T-duality of a torus in the type II string (``T-fold''), we find a new 7D solution with N=1 SUSY where the moduli of the fiber torus are fixed. When the size of the base becomes small this simple monodrofold exhibits enhanced gauge symmetry and a self-T-duality on the S^1 base.

64 pages

References in corpus (3)

• Global Aspects of T-Duality, Gauged Sigma Models and T-Folds
• Flux Compactifications of M-Theory on Twisted Tori
• D-branes in Nongeometric Backgrounds

Cited by in corpus (9)

• Double Field Theory
• Generalised Geometry for M-Theory
• Doubled Geometry and T-Folds
• Moduli Stabilization in Non-Geometric Backgrounds
• T-duality with H-flux: non-commutativity, T-folds and G x G structure
• Charting the landscape of supercritical string theory
• Quantum Mechanics of the Doubled Torus
• New Dimensions for Wound Strings: The Modular Transformation of Geometry to Topology
• Mirrorfolds with K3 Fibrations