Double Field Theory as the Double Copy of Yang-Mills

Understand

We show that double field theory arises from the color-kinematic double copy of Yang-Mills theory.

• A precise double copy prescription for the Yang-Mills action at quadratic and cubic order is provided that yields the double field theory action in which the duality invariant dilaton has been integrated out.
• More precisely, at quadratic order this yields the gauge invariant double field theory, while at cubic order it yields the cubic double field theory action subject to a gauge condition that originates from Siegel gauge in string field theory.