English

K3 String Theory, Lattices and Moonshine

High Energy Physics - Theory 2017-07-19 v2 Algebraic Geometry Representation Theory

Abstract

In this paper we address the following two closely related questions. First, we complete the classification of finite symmetry groups of type IIA string theory on K3×R6K3\times \mathbb R^6, where Niemeier lattices play an important role. This extends earlier results by including points in the moduli space with enhanced gauge symmetries in spacetime, or, equivalently, where the world-sheet CFT becomes singular. After classifying the symmetries as abstract groups, we study how they act on the BPS states of the theory. In particular, we classify the conjugacy classes in the T-duality group O+(Γ4,20)O^+(\Gamma^{4,20}) which represent physically distinct symmetries. Subsequently, we make two conjectures regarding the connection between the corresponding twining genera of K3K3 CFTs and Conway and umbral moonshine, building upon earlier work on the relation between moonshine and the K3K3 elliptic genus.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1612.04404,
  title  = {K3 String Theory, Lattices and Moonshine},
  author = {Miranda C. N. Cheng and Sarah M. Harrison and Roberto Volpato and Max Zimet},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1612.04404},
  year   = {2017}
}

Comments

46 pages, Magma code included as ancillary file. V2: references adjusted

R2 v1 2026-06-22T17:22:54.669Z