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arxiv: hep-th/9707148 · v1 · submitted 1997-07-16 · ✦ hep-th · hep-ph

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Duality without Supersymmetry: The Case of the SO(16)xSO(16) String

Julie D. Blum , Keith R. Dienes (Institute for Advanced Study , Princeton)
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classification ✦ hep-th hep-ph
keywords stringdualitytheoriesdualheterotictachyon-freecaseconstruct
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We extend strong/weak coupling duality to string theories without spacetime supersymmetry, and focus on the case of the unique ten-dimensional, nonsupersymmetric, tachyon-free $SO(16)\times SO(16)$ heterotic string. We construct a tachyon-free heterotic string model that interpolates smoothly between this string and the ten-dimensional supersymmetric $SO(32)$ heterotic string, and we construct a dual for this interpolating model. We find that the perturbative massless states of our dual theories precisely match within a certain range of the interpolation. Further evidence for this proposed duality comes from a calculation of the one-loop cosmological constant in both theories, as well as the presence of a soliton in the dual theory. This is therefore the first known duality relation between nonsupersymmetric tachyon-free string theories. Using this duality, we then investigate the perturbative and nonperturbative stability of the $SO(16)\times SO(16)$ string, and present a conjecture concerning its ultimate fate.

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