M-Theory Origin of Mirror Symmetry in Three Dimensional Gauge Theories

TL;DR

This paper explores M-theory compactifications on K3 surfaces with singularities, revealing dualities in three-dimensional gauge theories and establishing a geometric origin for mirror symmetry.

Contribution

It demonstrates how M-theory on K3×K3 explains known and new dualities in 3D gauge theories through type I' model realizations.

Findings

Established a geometric origin for mirror symmetry in 3D gauge theories.

Revealed dual pairs of gauge theories via M-theory compactifications.

Connected M-theory singularities with gauge theory dualities.

Abstract

We present M-theory compactifications on $K_3 \times K_3$ with membranes near the $A_n$ or $D_n$ singularities of the $K_3$ spaces. By realizing each of these compactifications in two different ways as type I' models with 2- and 6-branes, we explain the three-dimensional duality between gauge theories recently found by Intriligator and Seiberg. We also find new pairs of dual gauge theories, which we briefly describe.