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We propose a new cosmological scenario which resolves the conventional initial singularity problem. The space-time geometry has an unconventional time-like singularity on a lower dimensional hypersurface, with localized energy density. The…
We show that for a large class of d=4 N=2 conformal field theories the 1/N correction to the chiral anomaly of the U(1) R-current can be shown to arise from the D7-branes present in the dual orientifolded orbifold string theories,…
A previous supersymmetric preon scenario for visible matter particles is extended to the dark sector. In addition, the scenario is reformulated as a Double Field Theory (DFT) with four extra dimensions, to avoid a singular Big Bang in…
We consider C/Z_N and C^2/Z_N orbifolds of heterotic string theories and Z_N orbifolds of AdS_3. We study theories with N=2 worldsheet superconformal invariance and construct RG flows. Following Harvey, Kutasov, Martinec and Moore, we…
An analysis of a special class of type II string theory compactifications is presented. We focus on recent work in one particular orientifold background of intersecting brane models and the resulting four dimensional gauge group and matter…
We propose a conformal field theory description of a solitonic heterotic string in type $IIA$ superstring theory compactified on $K3$, generalizing previous work by J. Harvey, A. Strominger and A. Sen. In ten dimensions the construction…
The recent discovery of non-perturbatively stable two-dimensional string backgrounds and their dual matrix models allows the study of complete scattering matrices in string theory. In this note we adapt work of Moore, Plesser, and Ramgoolam…
Lorentz-invariant expectation values for antisymmetric tensor field strengths in Calabi-Yau compactification of IIA string theory are considered. These are found to impart magnetic and/or electric charges to the dilaton hypermultiplet. This…
We consider M-theory in the presence of M parallel M5-branes probing a transverse A_{N-1} singularity. This leads to a superconformal theory with (1,0) supersymmetry in six dimensions. We compute the supersymmetric partition function of…
We study Z2-orbifolds of 11-dimensional M-theory on tori of various dimensions. The most interesting model (besides the known S1/Z2 case) corresponds to T5/Z2, for which we argue that the resulting six-dimensional theory is equivalent to…
The two-loop chiral measure for superstring theories compactified on $\bZ_2$ reflection orbifolds is constructed from first principles for even spin structures. This is achieved by a careful implementation of the chiral splitting procedure…
The nonperturbative $1\to N$ tachyon scattering amplitude in 2D type 0A string theory is computed. The probability that $N$ particles are produced is a monotonically decreasing function of $N$ whenever $N$ is large enough that statistical…
I review recent results on conformal field theories in four dimensions and quantum field theories interpolating between conformal fixed points, supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric. The talk is structured in three parts: i) central…
The symmetric orbifold of K3 is believed to be the CFT dual of string theory on AdS3 x S3 x K3 at the tensionless point. For the case when the K3 is described by the orbifold T4/Z2, we identify a subsector of the symmetric orbifold theory…
The known Lorentz invariant string field theory for open N=2 strings is combined with a generalization of the twistor description of anti-self-dual (super) Yang-Mills theories. We introduce a Chern-Simons-type Lagrangian containing twistor…
We report on progress in formulating a field theory of tensionless strings in $AdS_3$, starting from the dual large-$N$ symmetric orbifold CFT. We propose a set of field equations which are gauge invariant under the higher spin algebra of…
We study the strong coupling dynamics of the heterotic E_8 x E_8 string theory on the orbifolds T^6/Z_3 and C^3/Z_3 using the duality with the Horava-Witten M-theory picture. This leads us to a conjecture about the low energy description of…
One cannot yet point to any firm string prediction. While many approximate string ground states are known with interesting properties, we do not have any argument that one or another describes what we observe around us, and for reasons…
In the fruitful interplay between gauge fields and strings and in many conjectured M-theory dualities, open strings play a prominent role. We review the construction of open-string descendants (un-orientifolds) of closed-string theories…
Using the superconformal (SC) indices techniques, we construct Seiberg type dualities for $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric field theories outside the conformal windows. These theories are physically distinguished by the presence of chiral…