Stable D8-branes and Tachyon Condensation in Type 0 Open String Theory

TL;DR

This paper investigates the stability and formation of non-BPS D8-branes in type 0 string theory through tachyon condensation, extending descent relations and analyzing various gauge configurations.

Contribution

It extends descent relations to type 0 theories and analyzes stability conditions of non-BPS D8-branes via tachyon condensation in different gauge backgrounds.

Findings

Stable non-BPS D7 and D8 branes identified in type 0

Tachyon condensation leads to D8-branes from D9 anti-D9 pairs

Results align with topological analysis of tachyon potential

Abstract

We consider non-BPS D8 (and D7) branes in type 0 open string theory and describe under which circumstances these branes are stable. We find stable non-BPS D7 and D8 in type 0 with and without D9-branes in the background. By extending the descent relations between D-branes to type 0 theories, the non-BPS D8-brane is considered as the result of a tachyon condensation of a D9 anti-D9 pair in type 0. We study the condensation of the open string tachyons in type 0 with generic gauge groups giving rise to different configurations involving non-BPS D8-branes and discuss the stability in each case. The results agree with the topological analysis of the vacuum manifold of the tachyon potential for each case.