# References

String theories (at weak coupling) generically exhibit high-temperature instabilities due to a density of states growing exponentially with the energy. At the Hagedorn temperature , a winding state becomes tachyonic and the string theory enters a new phase with a non-zero value of this state. The existence of the Hagedorn temperature can be established by studying the mass formula, derived from the modular invariant partition function at finite temperature . Finite temperature is formally equivalent to a compactification of (euclidean) time on a circle with radius $`(2\pi T)^1`$. Boundary conditions depending on statistics break supersymmetry and, because of modular invariance, modify GSO projections.

To obtain information on the phases in the vicinity of a Hagedorn transition, one approach is to construct an effective field theory for the light and tachyonic states. In Ref. , this problem has been solved for $`N_4=4`$ strings<sup>1</sup><sup>1</sup>1$`N_D`$ is the number of $`D`$-dimensional supersymmetries.. A $`N_4=4`$ supergravity is defined by a parametrization of its scalar manifold and a choice of the gauging applied to the vector fields present in the Yang-Mills and supergravity multiplets. The gaugings related to, for instance, torus-compactified heterotic strings  or Scherk-Schwarz supersymmetry breaking  are known. The knowledge of the specific gauging corresponding to finite temperature allowed the construction of effective supergravity Lagrangians for the temperature instabilities of perturbative heterotic and type II strings and the study of the high-temperature phases .

In five dimensions, heterotic strings on $`T^4\times S^1`$, IIA and IIB strings on $`K_3\times S^1`$ are related by $`S`$\- and $`T`$-dualities. A non-perturbative extension of the perturbative description of strings at finite temperature with a universal (duality-invariant) temperature modulus should then display an interesting structure of thermal phases. These theories are effectively four-dimensional at finite temperature and an effective Lagrangian description of the thermal phases would be a four-dimensional supergravity. This construction has been performed in Ref. <sup>2</sup><sup>2</sup>2See also ., and the present contribution is a summary of this work.

Our procedure is firstly to write the finite-temperature generalization of the $`N_4=4`$ non-perturbative BPS mass formula, taking into account the expected dualities and the various perturbative heterotic, IIA and IIB limits. Secondly, an effective supergravity is constructed by identifying the appropriate field content (potentially tachyonic states and the minimal set of necessary moduli), the parametrization of the scalar manifold and, most importantly, the gauging for $`N_4=4`$ BPS states at finite temperature. Notice that our analysis will be restricted to BPS states breaking half of the supersymmetries.

In terms of the (heterotic) string coupling $`g_H`$ and the $`T^2`$ torus radii $`R`$ and $`R_6`$, the supersymmetric BPS mass formula is :

$$\begin{array}{ccc}\hfill ^2& =& \left[\frac{m}{R}+\frac{nR}{\alpha _H^{}}+g_H^2\left(\frac{\stackrel{~}{m}^{}}{R_6}+\frac{\stackrel{~}{n}^{}R_6}{\alpha _H^{}}\right)\right]^2+\left[\frac{m^{}}{R_6}+\frac{n^{}R_6}{\alpha _H^{}}+g_H^2\left(\frac{\stackrel{~}{m}}{R}+\frac{\stackrel{~}{n}R}{\alpha _H^{}}\right)\right]^2\hfill \\ \multicolumn{3}{c}{}\\ & =& \frac{\left|m+ntu+i(m^{}u+n^{}t)+is\left[\stackrel{~}{m}+\stackrel{~}{n}tui(\stackrel{~}{m}^{}u+\stackrel{~}{n}^{}t)\right]\right|^2}{\alpha _H^{}tu}.\hfill \end{array}$$
(1)   
The integers $`m,n,m^{},n^{}`$ are the four electric momentum and winding numbers for the four $`U(1)`$ charges from $`T^2`$ compactification. The numbers $`\stackrel{~}{m},\stackrel{~}{n},\stackrel{~}{m}^{},\stackrel{~}{n}^{}`$ are their magnetic non-perturbative partners, from the heterotic point of view. In the finite temperature case, the radius $`R`$ becomes the inverse temperature, $`R=(2\pi T)^1`$ and the above mass formula is then modified to:

$$_T^2=\left(\frac{m+Q^{}+\frac{kp}{2}}{R}+kT_{p,q,r}R\right)^22T_{p,q,r}\delta _{|k|,1}\delta _{Q^{},0},$$
(2)   
where we have set $`m^{}=n^{}=\stackrel{~}{m}=\stackrel{~}{n}=0`$ to retain only the lightest states and $`Q^{}`$ is the (space-time) helicity charge. The integer $`k`$ is the common divisor of $`(n,\stackrel{~}{m}^{},\stackrel{~}{n}^{})k(p,q,r)`$ and $`T_{p,q,r}`$ is an effective string tension

$$T_{p,q,r}=\frac{p}{\alpha _H^{}}+\frac{q}{\lambda _H^2\alpha _H^{}}+\frac{rR_6^2}{\lambda _H^2(\alpha _H^{})^2},$$

with $`\lambda _H^2=g_H^2RR_6/\alpha _H^{}`$ (six-dimensional heterotic string coupling). The integer $`\stackrel{~}{m}^{}=kq`$ is the wrapping number of the heterotic five-brane around $`T^4\times S_R^1`$, while $`\stackrel{~}{n}^{}=kr`$ corresponds to the same wrapping number after performing a T-duality along the $`S_{R_6}^1`$ direction, which is orthogonal to the five-brane. All winding numbers $`n,\stackrel{~}{m}^{},\stackrel{~}{n}^{}`$ are magnetic charges from the field theory point of view. Their masses are proportional to the temperature radius $`R`$ and are not thermally shifted. A nicer writing of the effective string tension $`T_{p,q,r}`$ is

$$T_{p,q,r}=\frac{p}{\alpha _H^{}}+\frac{q}{\alpha _{IIA}^{}}+\frac{r}{\alpha _{IIB}^{}},$$
(3)   
where $`\alpha _H^{}=2\kappa ^2s`$, $`\alpha _{IIA}^{}=2\kappa ^2t`$ and $`\alpha _{IIB}^{}=2\kappa ^2u`$ when expressed in Planck units.

The mass formula (2) possesses the same duality properties as the zero-temperature expression (1) and $`R`$, the inverse temperature, is a duality-invariant quantity. Eq. (2) gives the states and critical values of the temperature radius at which a tachyon appears. Each corresponds to the Hagedorn transition of a perturbative string, either heterotic, or IIA or IIB. It also contains new information (on critical values of $`\lambda _H`$ and/or $`R_6`$) since it also decides which tachyon arises first when $`T1/R`$ increases.

We now want to construct an effective (four-dimensional) supergravity for the five-dimensional strings at finite temperature. To describe instabilities, we may truncate the $`N_4=4`$ spectrum and retain only the necessary moduli and potentially tachyonic states, as indicated by mass formula (2). The resulting truncated theory will have $`N_4=1`$ supersymmetry<sup>3</sup><sup>3</sup>3 The four gravitinos are treated identically by finite temperature effects. and include chiral multiplets only.

The scalar manifold of a generic, unbroken, $`N_4=4`$ theory is 

$$\left(\frac{Sl(2,R)}{U(1)}\right)_S\times G/H,G/H=\left(\frac{SO(6,r+n)}{SO(6)\times SO(r+n)}\right)_{T_I,\varphi _A}.$$
(4)   
The manifold $`G/H`$ of the vector multiplets splits into a part that includes the $`6r`$ moduli $`T_I`$, and a second part with the infinite number $`n\mathrm{}`$ of BPS states. We need to keep three moduli $`S`$, $`T`$ and $`U`$ (for the temperature radius $`R`$, the torus radius $`R_6`$ and the string coupling) and three pairs of winding states $`Z_A^\pm `$, $`A=1,2,3`$, to generate the instabilities, as indicated by mass formula (2). Thus, $`r=2`$ and $`n=6`$ in Eq. (4). The truncation from $`N_4=4`$ to $`N_4=1`$ proceeds then as for the untwisted sector of a $`Z_2\times Z_2`$ orbifold. The first $`Z_2`$ leaves $`N_4=2`$ unbroken and the manifold is

$$\begin{array}{c}\left(\frac{Sl(2,R)}{U(1)}\right)_S\times \left(\frac{Sl(2,R)}{U(1)}\right)_T\times \left(\frac{Sl(2,R)}{U(1)}\right)_U\times \left(\frac{SO(4,6)}{SO(4)\times SO(6)}\right)_{\varphi _A}.\hfill \end{array}$$

The first three factors are vector multiplets ($`S`$, $`T`$, $`U`$), the last one a hypermultiplet component ($`Z_A^\pm `$). The second $`Z_2`$ truncation cuts the hypermultiplet component in two Kähler manifolds:

$$\left(\frac{SO(2,3)}{SO(2)\times SO(3)}\right)_{Z_A^+}\times \left(\frac{SO(2,3)}{SO(2)\times SO(3)}\right)_{Z_A^{}}.$$

The structure of the truncated scalar manifold and the Poincaré $`N_4=4`$ constraints on the scalar fields  indicate that the Kähler potential can be written as 

$$K=\mathrm{log}(S+S^{})\mathrm{log}(T+T^{})\mathrm{log}(U+U^{})\mathrm{log}Y(Z_A^+,Z_A^+)\mathrm{log}Y(Z_A^{},Z_A^{}),$$
(5)   
with $`Y(Z_A^\pm ,Z_A^\pm )=12Z_A^\pm Z_A^\pm +(Z_A^\pm Z_A^\pm )(Z_B^\pm Z_B^\pm )`$. This Kähler function can be determined for instance by comparing the gravitino mass terms in the $`N_4=1`$ Lagrangian and in the $`Z_2\times Z_2`$ truncation of $`N_4=4`$ supergravity.

The last piece to define the effective supergravity is the superpotential. Finding the correct gauging of $`N_4=4`$ supergravity for mass formula (2) requires some guesswork. We find:

$$W=2\sqrt{2}\left[\frac{1}{2}(1Z_A^+Z_A^+)(1Z_B^{}Z_B^{})+(TU1)Z_1^+Z_1^{}+SUZ_2^+Z_2^{}+STZ_3^+Z_3^{}\right].$$
(6)   
Eqs. (5) and (6) define an effective supergravity which includes in its solutions the thermal phases of five-dimensional $`N_4=4`$ heterotic, type IIA and type IIB strings, and respects all expected duality symmetries.

The scalar potential is complicated but a closed expression can be worked out<sup>4</sup><sup>4</sup>4The Kähler metric can be explicitly inverted.. It is stationary at $`Z_A^\pm =0`$ (zero winding background value). At this point, masses follow the formula (2), as they should. This solution corresponds to the low-temperature phase. Tachyons only arise in directions $`Re(Z_A^++Z_A^{})z_A`$, and truncating further to these directions leads to a very simple potential:

$$\begin{array}{ccc}\hfill V& =& V_1+V_2+V_3,\hfill \\ \multicolumn{3}{c}{}\\ \hfill \kappa ^4V_1& =& \frac{4}{s}\left[(tu+\frac{1}{tu})H_1^4+\frac{1}{4}(tu6+\frac{1}{tu})H_1^2\right],\hfill \\ \multicolumn{3}{c}{}\\ \hfill \kappa ^4V_2& =& \frac{4}{t}\left[suH_2^4+\frac{1}{4}(su4)H_2^2\right],\hfill \\ \multicolumn{3}{c}{}\\ \hfill \kappa ^4V_3& =& \frac{4}{u}\left[stH_3^4+\frac{1}{4}(st4)H_3^2\right].\hfill \end{array}$$
(7)   
In these expressions, $`H_A=z_A/(1z_Bz_B)`$, $`s=ReS`$, $`t=ReT`$, $`u=ReU`$, heterotic temperature duality is $`tu(tu)^1`$ and IIA–IIB duality is $`t,H_2u,H_3`$.

Limited space permits us to only briefly review the analysis of the effective theory.

1) In four-dimensional Planck units, the temperature is duality-invariant:

$$T=(2\pi R)^1,R^2=\kappa ^2stu.$$
(8)   
2) The low-temperature phase, with zero background values of the winding states $`Z_A^\pm `$, is universal to the three strings. It is in some sense a self-dual phase, as can be seen for instance in the pattern of supersymmetry breaking. Since

$$(𝒢_S^S)^{1/2}𝒢_S=(𝒢_T^T)^{1/2}𝒢_T=(𝒢_U^U)^{1/2}𝒢_U=1$$
(9)   
(other derivatives of $`𝒢=K+\mathrm{log}|W|^2`$ vanish), the canonically normalized Goldstino is the sum of the fermionic partners of $`S`$, $`T`$ and $`U`$. And the gravitino mass is

$$m_{3/2}^2=\kappa ^2e^𝒢=\frac{1}{4\kappa ^2stu}=\frac{1}{4R^2}=(\pi T)^2=\frac{1}{2\alpha _H^{}tu}=\frac{1}{2\alpha _{IIA}^{}su}=\frac{1}{2\alpha _{IIB}^{}st}.$$
(10)   
This phase certainly exists in the perturbative regime of each string.

3) The boundaries of the low-temperature phase are the values of $`s`$, $`t`$, and $`u`$ at which a winding state becomes tachyonic:

$$\begin{array}{cccc}\hfill \mathrm{heterotic}\mathrm{tachyon}& \hfill Re(Z_1^++Z_1^{})& \mathrm{if}& (\sqrt{2}+1)^2>tu>(\sqrt{2}1)^2,\hfill \\ \multicolumn{4}{c}{}\\ \hfill \mathrm{type}\mathrm{IIA}\mathrm{tachyon}& \hfill Re(Z_2^++Z_2^{})& \mathrm{if}& su<4,\hfill \\ \multicolumn{4}{c}{}\\ \hfill \mathrm{type}\mathrm{IIB}\mathrm{tachyon}& \hfill Re(Z_3^++Z_3^{})& \mathrm{if}& st<4.\hfill \end{array}$$
(11)   
The boundaries are then $`tu=(\sqrt{2}+1)^2`$, $`su=4`$ and $`st=4`$, or, in heterotic variables,

$$R=\sqrt{\alpha _H^{}}\frac{\sqrt{2}+1}{\sqrt{2}},R=2g_H^2R_6,R=2g_H^2\frac{\alpha _H^{}}{R_6}=\frac{4\sqrt{2}\kappa ^2}{R_6},$$
(12)   
with $`\alpha _H^{}=2\kappa ^2s`$. At these values, $`T`$ is a Hagedorn temperature.

4) Type II instabilities arise when $`su<4`$ (IIA) or $`st<4`$ (IIB). From the heterotic point of view, they are avoided as long as

$$2\pi T<\frac{1}{4\sqrt{2}\kappa ^2}\mathrm{min}(R_6;\alpha _H^{}/R_6).$$
(13)   
And type II instabilities are unavoidable if

$$2\pi T>\frac{2^{1/4}}{4\kappa g_H}.$$
(14)   
5) In the high-temperature heterotic phase, $`(\sqrt{2}+1)^2>tu>(\sqrt{2}1)^2`$ and $`su>4<st`$. It cannot be reached<sup>5</sup><sup>5</sup>5From low temperature. for any value of the radius $`R_6`$ if the (lowest) heterotic Hagedorn temperature verifies inequality (14), which translates into

$$g_H^2>g_{\mathrm{crit}.}^2=\frac{\sqrt{2}+1}{2\sqrt{2}}\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}0.8536}.$$
(15)   
Only type II thermal instabilities exist in this heterotic strong-coupling regime and the value of $`R_6/\sqrt{\alpha _H^{}}`$ decides whether the type IIA or IIB instability will have the lowest critical temperature. If on the contrary the heterotic string is weakly coupled, $`g_H<g_{\mathrm{crit}.}`$, the high-temperature heterotic phase is reached for values of the radius $`R_6`$ verifying

$$2\sqrt{2}g_H^2(\sqrt{2}1)<\frac{R_6}{\sqrt{\alpha _H^{}}}<\frac{1}{2\sqrt{2}g_H^2(\sqrt{2}1)}.$$
(16)   
The large and small $`R_6`$ limits, with fixed $`g_H`$, again lead to type IIA or IIB instabilities.

6) In the high-temperature heterotic phase, after solving for $`Z_A^\pm `$, the potential becomes

$$\kappa ^4V=\frac{1}{s}\frac{(tu+\frac{1}{tu}6)^2}{16(tu+\frac{1}{tu})}.$$

It has a stable minimum for fixed $`s`$ (for fixed $`\alpha _H^{}`$). In units of $`\alpha _H^{}`$, the temperature is fixed, $`tu=1=2R^2/\alpha _H^{}=R^2/(\kappa ^2s)`$. The transition from the low-temperature vacuum is due to a condensation of the heterotic winding mode $`Re(Z_1^++Z_1^{})`$, or equivalently by a condensation of NS five-brane in the type IIA picture.

At $`tu=1`$, $`\kappa ^4V=1/(2s)`$ and the heterotic dilaton $`s`$ runs away. The effective supergravity is solved by a background with a dilaton linear in a space-like direction. The fate of supersymmetry is interesting. Inequality (15) indicates that the high-T heterotic phase only exists for weakly-coupled heterotic strings, and by duality in non-perturbative type II regimes. Accordingly, supersymmetry breaking arises from $`s`$: only $`𝒢_S`$ is non-zero. It turns out, as observed in Ref. , that the spectrum of moduli and heterotic perturbative winding modes $`Z_1^\pm `$ is supersymmetric<sup>6</sup><sup>6</sup>6Boson-fermion mass degeneracy.. But this degeneracy does not exist for heterotic dyonic modes $`Z_2^\pm `$ and $`Z_3^\pm `$:

$$\begin{array}{cccc}\hfill Z_2^\pm :& \hfill m_{bosons}^2& =& m_{fermions}^2\pm 2sum_{3/2}^2,\hfill \\ \multicolumn{4}{c}{}\\ \hfill Z_3^\pm :& \hfill m_{bosons}^2& =& m_{fermions}^2\pm 2stm_{3/2}^2.\hfill \end{array}$$

The significance of this mass pattern is somewhat ambiguous. The residual space-time symmetry with a linear dilaton is three-dimensional and local supersymmetry does not imply mass degeneracy in this dimension . This mass pattern however survives in five-dimensional type IIA and IIB limits, indicating then broken supersymmetry.

7) The linear dilaton background leads to a central charge deficit<sup>7</sup><sup>7</sup>7Superstring counting: $`\delta \widehat{c}=\frac{3}{2}\delta c`$. $`\delta \widehat{c}=4`$. It can be described by a non-critical string with the corresponding central charge. The appropriate string background is a non-compact parafermionic space, in which degeneracy of perturbative bosonic and fermionic fluctuations is ensured by $`N_4=2`$ (or $`N_3=4`$) supersymmetry. This agrees with the space-time solution with linear dilaton: the background is left invariant by the half of the supercharges in the $`N_4=4`$ algebra.

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank the organizers of the 32nd International Symposium Ahrenshoop on the Theory of Elementary Particles. This work is supported by the European Union (contracts TMR-ERBFMRX-CT96-0045 and -0090), the Swiss Office for Education and Science and the Swiss National Science Foundation.