Topological defects in K3 sigma models

Abstract We consider the topological defect lines commuting with the spectral flow and the N $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = (4, 4) superconformal symmetry in two dimensional non-linear sigma models on K3. By studying their fusion with boundary states, we derive a number of general results for the category of s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Roberta Angius, Stefano Giaccari, Roberto Volpato
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2024-07-01
Series:Journal of High Energy Physics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP07(2024)111
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850204370412503040
author Roberta Angius
Stefano Giaccari
Roberto Volpato
author_facet Roberta Angius
Stefano Giaccari
Roberto Volpato
author_sort Roberta Angius
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We consider the topological defect lines commuting with the spectral flow and the N $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = (4, 4) superconformal symmetry in two dimensional non-linear sigma models on K3. By studying their fusion with boundary states, we derive a number of general results for the category of such defects. We argue that while for certain K3 models infinitely many simple defects, and even a continuum, can occur, at generic points in the moduli space the category is actually trivial, i.e. it is generated by the identity defect. Furthermore, we show that if a K3 model is at the attractor point for some BPS configuration of D-branes, then all topological defects have integral quantum dimension. We also conjecture that a continuum of topological defects arises if and only if the K3 model is a (possibly generalized) orbifold of a torus model. Finally, we test our general results in a couple of examples, where we provide a partial classification of the topological defects.
format Article
id doaj-art-805896bba2ba4447a1fd8d196ba2b8a2
institution OA Journals
issn 1029-8479
language English
publishDate 2024-07-01
publisher SpringerOpen
record_format Article
series Journal of High Energy Physics
spelling doaj-art-805896bba2ba4447a1fd8d196ba2b8a22025-08-20T02:11:18ZengSpringerOpenJournal of High Energy Physics1029-84792024-07-012024718210.1007/JHEP07(2024)111Topological defects in K3 sigma modelsRoberta Angius0Stefano Giaccari1Roberto Volpato2Instituto de Física Teórica IFT-UAM/CSICDipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia ‘Galileo Galilei’, Università di Padova & INFN, sez. di PadovaDipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia ‘Galileo Galilei’, Università di Padova & INFN, sez. di PadovaAbstract We consider the topological defect lines commuting with the spectral flow and the N $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = (4, 4) superconformal symmetry in two dimensional non-linear sigma models on K3. By studying their fusion with boundary states, we derive a number of general results for the category of such defects. We argue that while for certain K3 models infinitely many simple defects, and even a continuum, can occur, at generic points in the moduli space the category is actually trivial, i.e. it is generated by the identity defect. Furthermore, we show that if a K3 model is at the attractor point for some BPS configuration of D-branes, then all topological defects have integral quantum dimension. We also conjecture that a continuum of topological defects arises if and only if the K3 model is a (possibly generalized) orbifold of a torus model. Finally, we test our general results in a couple of examples, where we provide a partial classification of the topological defects.https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP07(2024)111Conformal Field Models in String TheoryD-BranesDiscrete SymmetriesGlobal Symmetries
spellingShingle Roberta Angius
Stefano Giaccari
Roberto Volpato
Topological defects in K3 sigma models
Journal of High Energy Physics
Conformal Field Models in String Theory
D-Branes
Discrete Symmetries
Global Symmetries
title Topological defects in K3 sigma models
title_full Topological defects in K3 sigma models
title_fullStr Topological defects in K3 sigma models
title_full_unstemmed Topological defects in K3 sigma models
title_short Topological defects in K3 sigma models
title_sort topological defects in k3 sigma models
topic Conformal Field Models in String Theory
D-Branes
Discrete Symmetries
Global Symmetries
url https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP07(2024)111
work_keys_str_mv AT robertaangius topologicaldefectsink3sigmamodels
AT stefanogiaccari topologicaldefectsink3sigmamodels
AT robertovolpato topologicaldefectsink3sigmamodels