Tachyons in Compact Spaces

TL;DR

This paper explores how localized closed string tachyons in compact spaces evolve over time, relating their decay processes to worldsheet RG flows, and demonstrates certain compactifications decay into supersymmetric little string theories.

Contribution

It provides explicit examples of tachyonic compactifications in Type II string theory and links their decay to RG flow, advancing understanding of string instability and decay pathways.

Findings

Tachyon condensations relate to worldsheet RG flows.

Certain compactifications decay into little string theories.

Explicit examples of tachyon decay processes are provided.

Abstract

We discuss condensations of closed string tachyons localized in compact spaces. Time evolution of an on-shell condensation is naturally related to the worldsheet RG flow. Some explicit tachyonic compactifications of Type II string theory is considered, and some of them are shown to decay into supersymmetric theories known as the little string theories.