Geometric Singularities and Enhanced Gauge Symmetries

Abstract

Using ``Tate's algorithm,'' we identify loci in the moduli of F-theory compactifications corresponding to enhanced gauge symmetry. We apply this to test the proposed F-theory/heterotic dualities in six dimensions. We recover the perturbative gauge symmetry enhancements of the heterotic side and the physics of small $SO(32)$ instantons, and discover new mixed perturbative/non-perturbative gauge symmetry enhancements. Upon further toroidal compactification to 4 dimensions, we derive the chain of Calabi-Yau threefolds dual to various Coulomb branches of heterotic strings.

49 pages harvmac big (must print in big mode for tables to appear correctly); Typos and reference corrected