SciPost Submission Page
Generalized Symmetries of Non-SUSY and Discrete Torsion String Backgrounds
by Noah Braeger, Vivek Chakrabhavi, Jonathan J. Heckman, Max Hübner
Submission summary
| Authors (as registered SciPost users): | Max Hübner |
| Submission information | |
|---|---|
| Preprint Link: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.10484v2 (pdf) |
| Date accepted: | Nov. 20, 2025 |
| Date submitted: | Aug. 1, 2025, 10:26 a.m. |
| Submitted by: | Max Hübner |
| Submitted to: | SciPost Physics |
| Ontological classification | |
|---|---|
| Academic field: | Physics |
| Specialties: |
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| Approach: | Theoretical |
Abstract
String / M-theory backgrounds with degrees of freedom at a localized singularity provide a general template for generating strongly correlated systems decoupled from lower-dimensional gravity. There are by now several complementary procedures for extracting the associated generalized symmetry data from orbifolds of the form $\mathbb{R}^6 / \Gamma$, including methods based on the boundary topology of the asymptotic geometry, as well as the adjacency matrix for fermionic degrees of freedom in the quiver gauge theory of probe branes. In this paper we show that this match between the two methods also works in non-supersymmetric and discrete torsion backgrounds. In particular, a refinement of geometric boundary data based on Chen-Ruan cohomology matches the expected answer based on quiver data. Additionally, we also show that free (i.e., non-torsion) factors count the number of higher-dimensional branes which couple to the localized singularity. We use this to also extract quadratic pairing terms in the associated symmetry theory (SymTh) for these systems, and explain how these considerations generalize to a broader class of backgrounds.
Author indications on fulfilling journal expectations
- Provide a novel and synergetic link between different research areas.
- Open a new pathway in an existing or a new research direction, with clear potential for multi-pronged follow-up work
- Detail a groundbreaking theoretical/experimental/computational discovery
- Present a breakthrough on a previously-identified and long-standing research stumbling block
Current status:
Editorial decision:
For Journal SciPost Physics: Publish
(status: Editorial decision fixed and (if required) accepted by authors)
Reports on this Submission
Report
Such backgrounds are subtle, and were not well understood in previous literature. This paper makes an important contribution to the field, by explaining how studying the topology of the background using Chen-Ruan cohomology leads to the expected answers from the quiver gauge describing probe branes. There is also a nice discussion of how to use these techniques to learn about the SymTFT associated to the QFT being engineered.
The paper is very clearly written, and the results are timely and interesting. I recommend publication in SciPost.
Requested changes
I noticed some typos that the authors might want to fix in the published version:
- "intertia" in pg. 14.
- "assocaited" in pg. 27.
- "bottowm" in pg. 53.
Recommendation
Publish (easily meets expectations and criteria for this Journal; among top 50%)
Strengths
2-Presented a very readable introduction to the technicalities of Chen-Ruan orbifold cohomology and its applications to the analysis of the generalized global symmetries via geometric engineering.
3-The calculation is very concrete and detailed, and is very amenable to the readers.
4-Provided a good algorithm on the computation of CR cohomology, which is very useful.
Report
The authors motivated the application of Chen-Ruan orbifold cohomology by pointing out an apparent mismatch between quiver-based and geometric approaches. A very readable introduction of CR cohomology is then provided, with concrete calculations to follow, thereby resolve the previously-mentioned mismatch. The 2-group symmetry calculation presented in Section 7 is also very useful, one can potentially follow the main methods presented in this work to tackle more general cases.
I recommend publication of this manuscript in SciPost Physics.
Requested changes
I do not request any significant changes scientifically.
Recommendation
Publish (easily meets expectations and criteria for this Journal; among top 50%)