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Geometric Singularities and Enhanced Gauge Symmetries

M. Bershadsky, K. Intriligator, S. Kachru, D. R. Morrison, V. Sadov, C. Vafa

hep-tharXiv:hep-th/9605200

Abstract

Using ``Tate's algorithm,'' we identify loci in the moduli of F-theory compactifications corresponding to enhanced gauge symmetry. We apply this to test the proposed F-theory/heterotic dualities in six dimensions. We recover the perturbative gauge symmetry enhancements of the heterotic side and the physics of small SO(32) instantons, and discover new mixed perturbative/non-perturbative gauge symmetry enhancements. Upon further toroidal compactification to 4 dimensions, we derive the chain of Calabi-Yau threefolds dual to various Coulomb branches of heterotic strings.

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