Discrete symmetries in the heterotic-string landscape

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel discrete symmetry based on spectral flow in heterotic-string models, linking N=(2,0) models and expanding understanding of the string landscape relevant to Standard Model unification.

Contribution

It generalizes the spinor-vector duality to arbitrary internal rational conformal field theories using spectral flow operators.

Findings

Defines a new discrete symmetry in heterotic-string models.

Establishes a map between N=(2,0) models using spectral flow.

Generalizes spinor-vector duality beyond specific models.

Abstract

We describe a new type of discrete symmetry that relates heterotic-string models. It is based on the spectral flow operator which normally acts within a general N=(2,2) model and we use this operator to construct a map between N=(2,0) models. The landscape of N=(2,0) models is of particular interest among all heterotic-string models for two important reasons: Firstly, N=1 spacetime SUSY requires (2,0) superconformal invariance and secondly, models with the well motivated by the Standard Model SO(10) unification structure are of this type. This idea was inspired by a new discrete symmetry in the space of fermionic $\mathbb{Z}_2\times \mathbb{Z}_2$ heterotic-string models that exchanges the spinors and vectors of the SO(10) GUT group, dubbed spinor-vector duality. We will describe how to generalize this to arbitrary internal rational Conformal Field Theories.