Discrete symmetries from hidden sectors

Abstract: We study the presence of abelian discrete symmetries in globally consistent orientifold compactifications based on rational conformal field theory. We extend previous work [1] by allowing the discrete symmetries to be a linear combination of U(1) gauge factors of the visible as well as the hidden sector. This more general ansatz significantly increases the probability of finding a discrete symmetry in the low energy effective action. Applied to globally consistent MSSM-like Gepner constructions we find multiple models that allow for matter parity or Baryon triality.