On the Equivalence of String Vacua

TL;DR

This paper investigates a duality in heterotic-string models, showing that different vacua related by spinor-vector exchange are likely equivalent in string theory, despite their differences in low-energy descriptions.

Contribution

It demonstrates the existence of a spinor-vector duality in heterotic-string vacua and explores its realization in orbifold models, suggesting these vacua are connected in the string landscape.

Findings

Dual vacua have identical numbers of massless twisted states.

The duality is realized as exchange of discrete torsions in orbifold models.

Dual vacua may be connected by continuous and discrete transformations.

Abstract

The heterotic-string models in the free fermionic formulation are among the most realistic string vacua constructed to date, which motivates their detailed exploration. Classification of free fermionic heterotic-string vacua revealed a duality under exchange of spinor and vector representations of the SO(10) GUT symmetry. The spinor-vector duality was subsequently demonstrated in a Z2 X Z2 X Z2 orbifold, in which the map is realised as exchange of discrete torsions. Analysis of the orbifold partition function shows that the duality map preserves the number of massless twisted states. While the dual vacua are distinct from the point of view of the low energy field theory it is suggested that they are equivalent from the string point of view and may be connected by continuous and discrete transformations.