The Mirror Transform of Type I Vacua in Six Dimensions

TL;DR

This paper explores the relationships between different six-dimensional string vacua, using mirror transformations to connect type I, type IIB, F theory, and heterotic models with various flux configurations.

Contribution

It introduces a mirror transformation framework that links type I vacua with different flux backgrounds to orientifolds with fixed planes and connects these to F theory and heterotic compactifications.

Findings

Mirror transformation relates type I vacua to orientifolds with fixed planes.

Different gauge bundle choices correspond to distinct flux backgrounds.

Connections established between type I, type IIB, F theory, and heterotic models.

Abstract

We study certain compactifications of the type I string on K3. The three topologically distinct choices of gauge bundle for the type I theory are shown to be equivalent to type IIB orientifolds with different choices of background anti-symmetric tensor field flux. Using a mirror transformation, we relate these models to orientifolds with fixed seven planes, and without any antisymmetric tensor field flux. This map allows us to relate these type I vacua to particular six-dimensional F theory and heterotic string compactifications.