High Energy Theory Seminar

This talk will describe recent work on the classification of elliptic Calabi-Yau threefolds and fourfolds, and consequences for the physics of supersymmetric F-theory vacua.  The mathematical theory of minimal surfaces and the physically-motivated notion of "non-Higgsable clusters" provide tools that enable the systematic classification and enumeration of Weierstrass models for elliptic Calabi-Yau threefolds, corresponding to 6D F-theory vacua.  Analogues of these tools are surprisingly effective in studying the set of elliptic Calabi-Yau fourfolds, which is less well controlled mathematically.  Combining Monte Carlo studies, toric methods, and Mori theory gives a coarse picture of the 4D F-theory landscape at the level of F-theory geometry.  Several possible approaches to realizing the standard model within F-theory are described, and compared to the expected structure of "typical" 4D F-theory vacua.