T-Duality Can Fail
High Energy Physics - Theory
2010-02-03 v1
Abstract
We show that T-duality can be broken by nonperturbative effects in string coupling. The T-duality in question is that of the 2-torus when the heterotic string is compactified on K3 x T2. This case is compared carefully to a situation where T-duality appears to work. A holonomy argument is presented to show that T-dualities (and general U-dualities) should only be expected for large amounts of supersymmetry. This breaking of R <-> 1/R symmetry raises some interesting questions in string theory which we discuss. Finally we discuss how the classical modular group of a 2-torus appears to be broken too.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.hep-th/9905036,
title = {T-Duality Can Fail},
author = {Paul S. Aspinwall and M. Ronen Plesser},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/9905036},
year = {2010}
}
Comments
18 pages, 3 figures, LaTeX2e