Charting the landscape of N=4 flux compactifications

TL;DR

This paper classifies all vacua in N=4 flux compactifications of type IIA and IIB string theories, revealing unique and stable solutions, including a novel de Sitter vacuum, through algebraic and supergravity methods.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive classification of vacua in N=4 flux compactifications, including new stable non-supersymmetric and de Sitter solutions, using algebraic geometry and supergravity techniques.

Findings

Unique theory with four vacua in geometric IIA compactifications

Existence of stable non-supersymmetric AdS_4 vacua

Discovery of a novel dS_4 solution with non-semisimple gauging

Abstract

We analyse the vacuum structure of isotropic Z_2 x Z_2 flux compactifications, allowing for a single set of sources. Combining algebraic geometry with supergravity techniques, we are able to classify all vacua for both type IIA and IIB backgrounds with arbitrary gauge and geometric fluxes. Surprisingly, geometric IIA compactifications lead to a unique theory with four different vacua. In this case we also perform the general analysis allowing for sources compatible with minimal supersymmetry. Moreover, some relevant examples of type IIB non-geometric compactifications are studied. The computation of the full N=4 mass spectrum reveals the presence of a number of non-supersymmetric and nevertheless stable AdS_4 vacua. In addition we find a novel dS_4 solution based on a non-semisimple gauging.