Worldsheet string theory on AdS3 × S3 × K3
Abstract
The RNS formalism describing string theory on AdS3 × S3 × K3 supported by pure NS-NS flux is in principle straightforward to write down. One can directly check that the worldsheet theory reproduces the correct chiral spectrum expected from supergravity by analyzing the BRST cohomology. However, when one attempts to construct the worldsheet partition function using the standard rules of the RNS formalism by appropriately summing over spin structures to ensure worldsheet modular invariance, one finds a result in tension with spacetime supersymmetry. We explain why this is the case and, more importantly, propose a resolution. Specifically, we fix the physical state projection for the partition function uniquely by requiring spacetime supersymmetry. Perhaps surprisingly, the projected worldsheet partition function does not factorize into a bosonic and a fermionic part and involves functions that are not modular covariant. As a consistency check, we show that our prescription for the worldsheet partition function reproduces the supergravity spectrum for both Type IIB and IIA theories. Furthermore, we compute the elliptic genus of the dual CFT from the worldsheet, which has both a holomorphic short string and a non-holomorphic long string contribution. The latter displays characteristics of a mock modular function, albeit with some key differences, while the former has the tantalizing structure of a symmetric orbifold. We also point out the worldsheet construction of a non-supersymmetric theory, whose spectrum is free of tachyons.
Related
BibTeX
@misc{eberhardt2026worldsheet,
title = {{Worldsheet string theory on $\mathrmAdS_3 \times \mathbfS^3 \times \mathrmK3$}},
author = {Lorenz Eberhardt and Matthias R. Gaberdiel and Sameer Murthy and Mukund Rangamani},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.20696},
eprint = {2610.20696},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.20696},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Worldsheet string theory on AdS_3 × S^3 × K3
AU - Lorenz Eberhardt
AU - Matthias R. Gaberdiel
AU - Sameer Murthy
AU - Mukund Rangamani
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.20696
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.20696
AB - The RNS formalism describing string theory on AdS_3 × S^3 × K3 supported by pure NS-NS flux is in principle straightforward to write down. One can directly check that the worldsheet theory reproduces the correct chiral spectrum expected from supergravity by analyzing the BRST cohomology. However, when one attempts to construct the worldsheet partition function using the standard rules of the RNS formalism by appropriately summing over spin structures to ensure worldsheet modular invariance, one finds a result in tension with spacetime supersymmetry. We explain why this is the case and, more importantly, propose a resolution. Specifically, we fix the physical state projection for the partition function uniquely by requiring spacetime supersymmetry. Perhaps surprisingly, the projected worldsheet partition function does not factorize into a bosonic and a fermionic part and involves functions that are not modular covariant. As a consistency check, we show that our prescription for the worldsheet partition function reproduces the supergravity spectrum for both Type IIB and IIA theories. Furthermore, we compute the elliptic genus of the dual CFT from the worldsheet, which has both a holomorphic short string and a non-holomorphic long string contribution. The latter displays characteristics of a mock modular function, albeit with some key differences, while the former has the tantalizing structure of a symmetric orbifold. We also point out the worldsheet construction of a non-supersymmetric theory, whose spectrum is free of tachyons.
ER -