English

M-theory on $S^1\vee S^1$ as Type 0A

High Energy Physics - Theory 2026-03-30 v2

Abstract

We propose an exotic geometric M-theory dual for the weak coupling Type 0A string: compactification on a sub-Planckian S1S1S^1\vee S^1 (two circles connected at a point), where strong quantum effects lead to fields living on distinct resolutions of that space. Moreover we argue that tachyon condensation of the 0A theory corresponds to shrinking of one of the two circles leading to the IIA supersymmetric string. We use this and other dualities to provide an F-theoretic description of the axio-dilaton and the tachyonic field of Type 0B and argue for the existence of a strong coupling critical point of the potential using the resulting duality symmetry Γ0(2)SL(2,Z)\Gamma_0(2)\subset SL(2,\mathbb{Z}) when tachyon field vanishes. The existence of this critical point can also be argued using conventional M-theory dualities. If this critical point is unique it is an unstable dS vacuum. Using this we propose a strong coupling conformal fixed point for a non-supersymmetric gauge theory in four dimensions living on coincident D3+D3D3^+-D3^-branes of 0B. More generally we conjecture that the tachyon field can be identified with a pair of points on the torus parameterized by zz leading to the full duality group SL(2,Z)SL(2,\mathbb{Z}) acting on (z,τ)(z,\tau). We find tantalizing hints that for both 0A and 0B the tachyon fields can be identified with the holonomy of a flat SU(2)SU(2) gauge field suggesting that we have two copies of the universe interacting with one another as if they are D-branes!

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2603.13468,
  title  = {M-theory on $S^1\vee S^1$ as Type 0A},
  author = {Zihni Kaan Baykara and Emilian Dudas and Cumrun Vafa},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2603.13468},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

36 pages. v2: added discussion on the full duality group of 0B and identification of the tachyon as SU(2) holonomy. Corrected the graph in figure 6

R2 v1 2026-07-01T11:19:15.692Z