Non-perturbative Enhanced Gauge Symmetries in the Gimon-Polchinski Orientifold

TL;DR

This paper investigates how certain singularities in the moduli space of the Gimon-Polchinski orientifold lead to enhanced gauge symmetries, revealing a connection between singularity types and gauge group enhancements.

Contribution

It demonstrates the specific gauge symmetry enhancements associated with E_6, E_7, and E_8 singularities in this orientifold model, highlighting the role of twisting in these phenomena.

Findings

E_6 singularity leads to U(5) gauge symmetry

E_7 singularity leads to U(6) gauge symmetry

E_8 singularity leads to U(8) gauge symmetry

Abstract

We study the enhanced gauge symmetries at constant couplings in the moduli space of the Gimon-Polchinski Orientifold. We show that whenever there is a singularity of E_6, E_7 and E_8 type we get enhanced gauge symmetry U(5), U(6) and U(8) respectively. This is due to the additional twisting involved in the definition of the Gimon-Polchiniski orientifold.