Thomas W. Grimm

The four-dimensional N=1 effective action of F-theory compactified on a Calabi-Yau fourfold is studied by lifting a three-dimensional M-theory compactification. The lift is performed by using T-duality realized via a Legendre transform on the level of the effective action, and the application of vector-scalar duality in three dimensions. The leading order Kahler potential and gauge-kinetic coupling functions are determined. In these compactifications two sources of gauge theories are present. Space-time filling non-Abelian seven-branes arise at the singularities of the elliptic fibration of the fourfold. Their couplings are included by resolving the singular fourfold. Generically a U(1)^r gauge theory arises from the R-R bulk sector if the base of the elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau fourfold supports 2r harmonic three-forms. The gauge coupling functions depend holomorphically on the complex structure moduli of the fourfold, comprising closed and open string degrees of freedom. The four-dimensional electro-magnetic duality is studied in the three-dimensional effective theory obtained after M-theory compactification. A discussion of matter couplings transforming in the adjoint of the seven-brane gauge group is included.

The existence of Abelian gauge symmetries in four-dimensional F-theory compactifications depends on the global geometry of the internal Calabi-Yau four-fold and has important phenomenological consequences. We study conceptual and phenomenological aspects of such U(1) symmetries along the Coulomb and the Higgs branch. As one application we examine Abelian gauge factors arising after a certain global restriction of the Tate model that goes beyond a local spectral cover analysis. In SU(5) grand unified theory (GUT) models this mechanism enforces a global U(1)X symmetry that prevents dimension-4 proton decay and allows for an identification of candidate right-handed neutrinos. We invoke a detailed account of the singularities of Calabi-Yau four-folds and their mirror duals starting from an underlying E8 and E7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1) enhanced Tate model. The global resolutions and deformations of these singularities can be used as the appropriate framework to analyze F-theory GUT models.

The existence of abelian gauge symmetries in four-dimensional F-theory compactifications depends on the global geometry of the internal Calabi-Yau fourfold and has important phenomenological consequences. We study conceptual and phenomenological aspects of such U(1) symmetries along the Coulomb and the Higgs branch. As one application we examine abelian gauge factors arising after a certain global restriction of the Tate model that goes beyond a local spectral cover analysis. In SU(5) GUT models this mechanism enforces a global U(1)_X symmetry that prevents dimension-4 proton decay and allows for an identification of candidate right-handed neutrinos. We invoke a detailed account of the singularities of Calabi-Yau fourfolds and their mirror duals starting from an underlying E_8 and E_7 x U(1) enhanced Tate model. The global resolutions and deformations of these singularities can be used as the appropriate framework to analyse F-theory GUT models.

We present compact three-generation F-theory GUT models meeting in particular the constraints of D3-tadpole cancellation and D-term supersymmetry. To this end we explicitly construct elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau fourfolds as complete intersections in a toric ambient space. Toric methods enable us to control the singular geometry of the SU(5) GUT model. The GUT brane wraps a non-generic del Pezzo surface admitting GUT symmetry breaking via hypercharge flux. It is contractible to a curve and we demonstrate the existence of a consistent decoupling limit. We compute the Euler characteristic of the singular Calabi-Yau fourfold to show that our three-generation flux solutions obtained via the spectral cover construction are consistent with D3-tadpole cancellation.

We systematically analyse globally consistent SU(5) GUT models on intersecting D7-branes in genuine Calabi-Yau orientifolds with O3- and O7-planes. Beyond the well-known tadpole and K-theory cancellation conditions there exist a number of additional subtle but quite restrictive constraints. For the realisation of SU(5) GUTs with gauge symmetry breaking via U(1)_Y flux we present two classes of suitable Calabi-Yau manifolds defined via del Pezzo transitions of the elliptically fibred hypersurface P_{1,1,1,6,9}[18] and of the Quintic P_{1,1,1,1,1}[5], respectively. To define an orientifold projection we classify all involutions on del Pezzo surfaces. We work out the model building prospects of these geometries and present five globally consistent string GUT models in detail, including a 3-generation SU(5) model with no exotics whatsoever. We also realise other phenomenological features such as the 10 10 5 Yukawa coupling and comment on the possibility of moduli stabilisation, where we find an entire new set of so-called swiss-cheese type Calabi-Yau manifolds. It is expected that both the general constrained structure and the concrete models lift to F-theory vacua on compact Calabi-Yau fourfolds.