Eur. Phys. J. C (2019) 79:703
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-019-7222-5
Regular Article - Theoretical Physics
String phenomenology from a worldsheet perspective
Alon E. Faraggi
a
Dept. of Mathematical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZL, UK
Received: 19 July 2019 / Accepted: 8 August 2019 / Published online: 21 August 2019
© The Author(s) 2019
Abstract I argue that the ten dimensional non-supersym-
metric tachyonic superstrings may serve as good start-
ing points for the construction of viable phenomenological
vacua. Thus, enlarging the space of possible solutions that
may address some of the outstanding problems in string phe-
nomenology. A tachyon free six generation Standard–like
Model is presented, which can be regarded as an orbifold of
the SO(16) × E
8
heterotic–string in ten dimensions. I pro-
pose that any (2, 0) heterotic–string in four dimensions can
be connected to a (2, 2) one via an orbifold or by interpola-
tions and provide some evidence for this conjecture. It sug-
gests that any Effective Field Theory (EFT) model that cannot
be connected to a (2, 2) theory is necessarily in the swamp-
land, and will simplify the analysis of the moduli spaces of
(2, 0) string compactifications.
1 Introduction
String theory provides a viable framework to explore the
unification of all the fundamental matter and interactions.
While string theory produces a consistent theory of perturba-
tive quantum gravity, it accommodates consistently the gauge
and matter structures of the subatomic regime, including the
chirality property of the electroweak interactions. No other
contemporary theory achieves this feat. Yet it is expected that
the string character of this basic theory is only exhibited at
energy scales that are far removed from those accessible to
present day experiments. In that respect one would have to
rely on the effective, point-like, field theory limit of the string
construction in order to confront the theory with experiment.
For that purpose it is vital to be able to identify the smooth
effective field theory (EFT) limit corresponding to partic-
ular string theory vacua. To date this identification is only
possible in limited cases [1], and entail mostly the analysis
of various supergravity theories that are EFT limits of the
a
e-mail: alon.faraggi@liv.ac.uk
corresponding string theories. The picture is murky in both
directions, as for the most part one does not know whether
an actual supergravity theory has an origin in a string con-
struction. Furthermore, while supersymmetry is a beautiful
theoretical construction, it is not clear whether nature makes
use of it. It is therefore important to explore alternatives from
the point of view of the worldsheet string theory.
To date investigation of non-supersymmetric string mod-
els were primarily conducted in the context of the tachyon
free SO(16) × SO(16) ten dimensional heterotic string the-
ory [2–21]. This construction can be obtained as an orbifold
of the ten dimensional supersymmetric E
8
× E
8
heterotic–
string, and can be connected to it by interpolations in a com-
pactified dimension [4,5]. It is well known that string theory
gives rise to additional vacua in ten dimensions that are tachy-
onic [2–4,6]. However, the tachyonic modes may be pro-
jected out by Generalised GSO projections. Therefore, from
the point of view of the worldsheet string theory, these string
vacua may serve as viable starting points for the construction
of phenomenological string models and offer novel perspec-
tives on some outstanding issues in string phenomenology.
Furthermore, they may reveal alternative symmetries to those
provided by spacetime supersymmetry. An example is the
Massive Boson–Fermion Degeneracy of [22–24].
In this paper I explore this possibility. For general refer-
ence I first examine the constructions of such models in ten
dimensions. The discussion then reverts to the construction
of phenomenological models in four dimensions that can be
regarded as compactifications of the ten dimensional vacua.
I present a six generation tachyon free model with standard–
like gauge group, as well as a three generation model that
does, however, contain two tachyonic states. I discuss the
reduction of the number of generations to three generations
and the prospect of generating such tachyon free models.
Additionally, the moduli spaces of (2, 0) heterotic–string
vacua is discussed. This class of compactifications is vast
with little understanding of the relation between the world-
sheet constructions and their smooth effective field theory
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