Related papers: Higher-Derivative Gravity in String Theory

We present a systematic way for deriving a four-dimensional (4D) effective action of the five-dimensional (5D) orbifold supergravity respecting the N=1 {\it off-shell} structure. As an illustrating example, we derive a 4D effective theory…

We show how to systematically construct higher-derivative terms in effective actions in harmonic superspace despite the infinite redundancy in their description due to the infinite number of auxiliary fields. Making an assumption about the…

String theory one-loop threshold corrections are studied in a background field approach due to Kiritsis and Kounnas which uses space-time curvature as an infrared regulator. We review the conformal field theory aspects using the…

This Ph.D. thesis investigates effective field and string theories in which supersymmetry is realized and broken in various ways. Chapter 1 addresses effective theories with nonlinearly realized supersymmetry, constructed using the…

We evaluate in great detail one-loop four-graviton field theory amplitudes in pure N=4 D=4 supergravity. The expressions are obtained by taking the field theory limits of (4,0) and (2,2) space-time supersymmetric string theory models. For…

We derive exact relations to all orders in the $\alpha'$ expansion for the charges of a bound system of heterotic strings, solitonic 5-branes and, optionally, a Kaluza-Klein monopole. The expressions, which differ from those of the…

We consider the possibility that the unification of the electroweak interactions and the strong force arises from string theory, at energies significantly lower than the string scale. As a tool, an effective grand unified field theory in…

In this talk I summarize several recent results concerning the four-dimensional effective supergravity obtained using a Calabi-Yau compactification of the $E_8\times E_8$ heterotic string from M-theory. A simple macroscopic study is…

Using the ambitwistor string theory, we study graviton scattering amplitudes in a light-like linear dilaton background of ten-dimensional supergravity. At the tree level, we find that the three-graviton amplitude coincides with the type II…

We analyze the reduction to four dimensions of the R^4 terms which are part of the ten-dimensional string effective actions, both at tree level and one loop. We show that there are two independent combinations of R^4 present, at one loop,…

We investigate the connections between four-dimensional, N=2 M-theory vacua constructed as orbifolds of type II, heterotic, and type I strings. All these models have the same massless spectrum, which contains an equal number of vector…

We consider hidden symmetries arising from U-duality in the dimensional reduction of non-maximal higher-derivative supergravities to three dimensions. In particular, we consider the $G_{2(2)}$ symmetry of minimal five-dimensional…

The low-momentum expansion of the two-loop four-graviton scattering amplitude in eleven-dimensional supergravity compactified on a circle and a two-torus is considered up to terms of order S^6R^4 (where S is a Mandelstam invariant and R is…

In this paper we analyze discrete torsion in perturbative heterotic string theory. In previous work we have given a purely mathematical explanation of discrete torsion as the choice of orbifold group action on a B field, in the case that d…

We derive the universal threshold corrections in heterotic string theory including a continuous Wilson line. Unification of gauge and gravitational couplings is shown to be possible even within perturbative string theory. The relative…

We analyse the perturbative four-point amplitudes in the simplest string theory examples of T-fold backgrounds, which enjoy N=6 supersymmetries in four dimensions. There are two theories defined as asymmetric orbifolds of order 2 and 3,…

We obtain the spectrum of heterotic strings compactified on orbifolds, focusing on its algebraic structure. Affine Lie algebra provides its current algebra and representations. In particular the twisted spectrum and the Abelian charge are…

We study four-derivative corrections to 5d $\mathcal{N}=2$ minimal gauged supergravity using tools from conformal supergravity. There are two supersymmetric invariants at the four-derivative order and we show explicitly how to write down…

We use the S-matrix bootstrap to carve out the space of unitary, crossing symmetric and supersymmetric graviton scattering amplitudes in ten dimensions. We focus on the leading Wilson coefficient $\alpha$ controlling the leading correction…

We study different phenomenological aspects of compact, D=4, N=1 Type IIB orientifolds considered as models for unification of the standard model and gravity. We discuss the structure of the compactification, string and unification scales…