Tensors from K3 Orientifolds

TL;DR

This paper investigates Type I string theories on K3 orbifolds, revealing persistent singularities, the role of D-branes in understanding geometry, and introducing new consistency conditions for orientifold models.

Contribution

It demonstrates that orbifold theories cannot be smoothed into smooth K3 surfaces and identifies new types of $Z_2$ singularities with unique orientifold projections.

Findings

Orbifold theories retain $Z_2$ singularities that cannot be resolved.

D-branes serve as effective probes of the orbifold geometry.

A new world-sheet consistency condition for orientifold models is established.

Abstract

Recently Gimon and Johnson (hep-th/9604129) and Dabholkar and Park (hep-th/9604178) have constructed Type I theories on K3 orbifolds. The spectra differ from that of Type I on a smooth K3, having extra tensors. We show that the orbifold theories cannot be blown up to smooth K3's, but rather $Z_2$ orbifold singularities always remain. Douglas's recent proposal to use D-branes as probes is useful in understanding the geometry. The $Z_2$ singularities are of a new type, with a different orientifold projection from those previously considered. We also find a new world-sheet consistency condition that must be satisfied by orientifold models.