De Sitter vacua -- when are `subleading corrections' really subleading?

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the significance of subleading corrections in type IIB string theory de Sitter vacua, showing that in weakly-warped LVS solutions some corrections are manageable, while others require precise numerical evaluation to ensure stability.

Contribution

It investigates the impact of various string-loop, warping, and curvature corrections on weakly-warped LVS de Sitter vacua, highlighting conditions under which these corrections are subleading or problematic.

Findings

Warping corrections are less problematic in weakly-warped LVS vacua.

Some corrections can aid in achieving the weakly-warped regime.

Certain corrections require small numerical coefficients to maintain stability.

Abstract

We consider various string-loop, warping and curvature corrections that are expected to appear in type IIB moduli stabilisation scenarios. It has recently been argued, in the context of strongly-warped LVS de Sitter vacua, that it is impossible to achieve parametric suppression in all of these corrections simultaneously \cite{Junghans:2022exo}. We investigate corrections in the context of the recently discovered weakly-warped LVS de Sitter vacua, which represent a distinct branch of solutions in type IIB flux compactifications, supported by small conifold flux numbers $MK \lesssim 32$. Warping corrections become less problematic in this regime, and some corrections even help to reach the weakly-warped regime of parameter space. Other corrections continue to be dangerous and would require numerical coefficients to be computed -- and found to be small -- in order not to destroy the consistency of the weakly-warped LVS de Sitter solution.