D-Terms from Generalized NS-NS Fluxes in Type II

TL;DR

This paper explores how generalized NS-NS fluxes in type II string theory orientifolds contribute to the four-dimensional supergravity effective theory, introducing D-terms that influence the scalar potential.

Contribution

It provides a general framework for understanding how various fluxes act as parameters and charges in the effective supergravity, with explicit examples in type IIB.

Findings

Generalized NS-NS fluxes can generate D-term contributions in supergravity.

Certain fluxes act as charges for R-R axions, affecting the scalar potential.

Explicit example in type IIB demonstrates these effects.

Abstract

Orientifolds of type II string theory admit a certain set of generalized NS-NS fluxes, including not only the three-form field strength H, but also metric and non-geometric fluxes, which are related to H by T-duality. We describe in general how these fluxes appear as parameters of an effective N=1 supergravity theory in four dimensions, and in particular how certain generalized NS-NS fluxes can act as charges for R-R axions, leading to D-term contributions to the effective scalar potential. We illustrate these phenomena in type IIB with the example of a certain orientifold of T^6/Z_4.