Modular Invariant Critical Superstrings on Four-dimensional Minkowski Space $\times$ Two-dimensional Black Hole

TL;DR

This paper constructs a modular invariant, tachyon-free superstring model on a four-dimensional Minkowski space times a two-dimensional black hole, revealing potential dualities and connections to supergravity.

Contribution

It introduces a novel critical superstring model on a black hole background with modular invariance and a massless spectrum matching tensionless strings, expanding the understanding of string dualities.

Findings

Constructed a tachyon-free, modular invariant partition function.

Identified the massless spectrum with tensionless strings.

Suggested a duality with type II strings on a conifold.

Abstract

Extending the seminal work of Bilal and Gervais, we construct a tachyon-free, modular invariant partition function for critical superstrings on four-dimensional Minkowski x two-dimensional black hole. This model may be thought of as an SL(2,R)/U(1) version of Gepner models and corresponds to a conifold point on the moduli space of Calabi-Yau compactifications. We directly deal with N=2, c=9 unitary superconformal characters. Modular invariance is achieved by requiring the string to have a momentum along an extra noncompact direction, in agreement with the picture of singular CFTs advocated by Witten. The four-dimensional massless spectrum coincides with that of the tensionless strings, suggesting a possible dual description of type II strings on a conifold in terms of two intersecting NS5-branes. An interesting relation to D=6, N=4 gauged supergravity is also discussed.