Finiteness of Flux Vacua from Geometric Transitions

Abstract

We argue for finiteness of flux vacua around type IIB CY singularities by computing their gauge theory duals. This leads us to propose a geometric transition where the compact 3-cycles support both RR and NS flux, while the open string side contains 5-brane bound states. By a suitable combination of S duality and symplectic transformations, both sides are shown to have the same IR physics. The finiteness then follows from a holomorphic change of couplings in the gauge side. As a nontrivial test, we compute the number of vacua on both sides for the conifold and the Argyres-Douglas point, and we find perfect agreement.