Unfolding Geometric Unification in M-Theory

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how G2-manifolds in M-theory can be smoothly unfolded from grand unified models to Standard Model gauge theories, potentially reducing arbitrariness in string phenomenology.

Contribution

It introduces a geometric unfolding framework that connects G2-manifolds for GUTs to those for Standard Model gauge groups, offering a new approach in M-theory model building.

Findings

G2-manifolds for SU(5) GUTs can be smoothly unfolded into those for SU(3)xSU(2) gauge theories.

Unfolding provides a geometric pathway from grand unified models to Standard Model models.

This approach could simplify and constrain M-theory phenomenological constructions.

Abstract

By reinterpreting the familiar tools and ideas of M-theory model building, we show how a G2-manifold locally engineered to give rise to massless matter representations of an SU(5) grand unified model can be smoothly unfolded into a G2-manifold giving rise to SU(3)xSU(2) gauge theory with the corresponding matter representations. These ideas could lead to new insights in string phenomenology because much of the arbitrariness of M-theory model building can be removed by supposing, for example, that the singularities giving rise to Standard Model particles could arise from unfolding a more singular, grand unified geometry.