Gauge coupling unification in F-theory grand unified theories.

We investigate gauge coupling unification for F-theory type IIB orientifold constructions of SU(5) grand unified theories (GUT) with gauge symmetry breaking via nontrivial hypercharge flux. This flux has the nontrivial effect that it splits the values of the three minimal supersymmetric standard model gauge couplings at the string scale, thus potentially spoiling the celebrated one-loop gauge coupling unification. It is shown how F-theory can evade this problem in a natural way.