Gauge Fluxes in F-theory and Type IIB Orientifolds

TL;DR

This paper establishes a detailed correspondence between G_4 gauge fluxes in F-theory compactifications and their Type IIB orientifold counterparts, clarifying flux classifications and the role of singularities in the limit.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive classification of G_4-fluxes in F-theory and matches them with Type IIB fluxes, including the treatment of conifold singularities and brane recombination.

Findings

Classified factorisable G_4-fluxes and matched with Type IIB fluxes.

Identified the role of conifold singularities in flux correspondence.

Clarified the brane recombination process in Tate models.

Abstract

We provide a detailed correspondence between G_4 gauge fluxes in F-theory compactifications with SU(n) and SU(n)x(1) gauge symmetry and their Type IIB orientifold limit. Based on the resolution of the relevant F-theory Tate models we classify the factorisable G_4-fluxes and match them with the set of universal D5-tadpole free U(1)-fluxes in Type IIB. Where available, the global version of the universal spectral cover flux corresponds to Type IIB gauge flux associated with a massive diagonal U(1). In U(1)-restricted Tate models extra massless abelian fluxes exist which are associated with specific linear combinations of Type IIB fluxes. Key to a quantitative match between F-theory and Type IIB is a proper treatment of the conifold singularity encountered in the Sen limit of generic F-theory models. We also shed further light on the brane recombination process relating generic and U(1)-restricted Tate models.