Classifying 5d SCFTs via 6d SCFTs: Arbitrary rank

Understand

According to a conjecture, all 5d SCFTs should be obtainable by rank-preserving RG flows of 6d SCFTs compactified on a circle possibly twisted by a background for the discrete global symmetries around the circle.

• For a 6d SCFT admitting an F-theory construction, its untwisted compactification admits a dual M-theory description in terms of a "parent" Calabi-Yau threefold which captures the Coulomb branch of the compactified 6d SCFT.
• The RG flows to 5d SCFTs can then be identified with a sequence of flop transitions and blowdowns of the parent Calabi-Yau leading to "descendant" Calabi-Yau threefolds which describe the Coulomb branches of the resulting 5d SCFTs.
• An explicit description of parent Calabi-Yaus is known for untwisted compactifications of rank one 6d SCFTs.