String Dualities in the Presence of Anomalous U(1) Symmetries

TL;DR

This paper investigates the properties of anomalous U(1) gauge symmetries in type II orientifold theories, highlighting differences from heterotic models and examining the implications for string duality and phenomenology.

Contribution

It clarifies the behavior of anomalous U(1) symmetries in orientifold theories and assesses the validity of heterotic-type II duality in this context.

Findings

Gauge boson masses are typically at the string scale without large Fayet-Iliopoulos terms.

Heterotic-type II duality is not universally valid in the presence of anomalous U(1)s.

The study discusses phenomenological implications of anomalous gauge symmetries.

Abstract

Anomalous U(1) gauge symmetries in type II orientifold theories show some unexpected properties. In contrast to the heterotic case, the masses of the gauge bosons are in general of order of the string scale even in the absence of large Fayet-Iliopoulos terms. Despite this fact, the notion of heterotic-type II orientifold duality remains a useful concept, although this symmetry does not seem to hold in all cases considered. We analyse the status of this duality symmetry, clarify the properties of anomalous U(1) gauge symmetry in the orientifold picture and comment on the consequences for phenomenological applications of such anomalous gauge symmetries.