On the Orbifold origin of Higher Form Symmetries in Geometric Engineering

TL;DR

This paper investigates how orbifold singularities relate to higher form symmetries in 5d SCFTs via geometric engineering, introducing a method to generate and analyze theories with specific symmetry properties using quiver algebra manipulations.

Contribution

It establishes a connection between orbifold singularities and higher form symmetries in 5d SCFTs, and introduces a novel algebraic technique to construct theories with desired symmetries from minimal models.

Findings

Orbifold singularities correspond to quantum symmetries in BPS quivers.

Un-orbifolding removes higher form symmetries, defining a minimal theory.

The method applies to complex non-toric Calabi-Yau threefolds.

Abstract

In this work we explore the relation between orbifold singularities and higher form symmetries. Using the geometric engineering dictionary, we argue that the discrete higher symmetries of 5d SCFTs constructed from M-theory on a non-compact Calabi-Yau threefold can be related to a quantum symmetry of the associated BPS quiver. Through un-orbifolding the quantum symmetry we obtain a new theory without higher form symmetry, providing a notion of ''minimality'' for a theory. This procedure is carried out via algebraic manipulations of the BPS/McKay quiver describing the crepant resolution of the singular geometry. This technique can also be reverted and thus, starting from any ''minimal'' theory, one can orbifold it and generate new theories with the desired higher form symmetries. We test our technology on classes of 5d SCFTs that arise from M-theory geometric engineering on Calabi-Yau threefolds that are non-toric non-complete intersections, which have historically been challenging to tackle.