Theoretical Physics Seminar: Paul-Konstantin Oehlmann

Title: The geometry of twisted compactifications in M-theory

Abstract: Geometric Engineering is an important tool to engineer interesting and non-Lagrangian theories in various dimensions. If a theory admits a discrete 0-form symmetry, there is the possibility to twist by it when performing a circle reduction. Since F-theory is related to M-theory by circle reductions, this begs the question which geometries capture such twisted compactifications, what their algebraic description may be and how their moduli spaces look like. In this talk I will show that so called genus-one fibrations capture the respective twisted reductions in M-theory. I will explore the moduli space by relating twisted to untwisted compactifications via Higgs transitions of KK-charged multiplets in five dimensions. I close by outlining various applications. This talk is based on upcoming work with L. Anderson and J. Gray.