Comments on Brane Recombination, Finite Flux Vacua, and the Swampland

TL;DR

This paper examines the implications of the finite flux vacua conjecture within the Swampland program, predicting the non-existence of certain non-perturbative objects and discussing how future analyses could test these predictions and the broader Swampland hypotheses.

Contribution

It connects the FFV conjecture to non-perturbative brane phenomena and explores how these ideas can be tested through future non-perturbative studies.

Findings

FFV conjecture predicts non-existence of certain brane recombination objects.

Weaker FFV conjecture implies positivity of brane central charge.

Future non-perturbative analysis can test Swampland predictions.

Abstract

The Swampland program relies heavily on the conjecture that there can only be a finite number of flux vacua (FFV conjecture). Stipulating this FFV conjecture and applying it to some older work in flux vacua construction we show that within a patch of the landscape the FFV conjecture makes predictions on the non-existence of otherwise viable non-perturbative objects arising from brane recombination. Future gains in direct non-perturbative analysis could therefore not only test this prediction but also test portions of the Swampland program itself. We also discuss implications of a weaker FFV conjecture on the counting of flux vacua which predicts positivity of the brane central charge if the EFT analysis is to be qualitatively trusted.