IIB or not IIB

Abstract

We consider Type IIB superstring theory with the addition of n 9-branes and n anti-9-branes (and no orientifolds). The result is a ten-dimensional chiral theory of open and closed oriented strings with gauge group U(n) \times U(n). There is, however, a tachyonic instability which can be understood as the consequence of brane-antibrane annihilation. We therefore expect to recover the usual IIB theory as the tachyon rolls to infinity.