English

Brane Tensions and Coupling Constants from within M-Theory

High Energy Physics - Theory 2009-10-30 v2

Abstract

Reviewing the cancellation of local anomalies of M-theory on R^10 x S^1/Z_2 the Yang-Mills coupling constant on the boundaries is rederived. The result is lambda^2 = 2^(1/3) (2 pi) (4 pi kappa^2)^(2/3) corresponding to eta = lambda^6/kappa^4 = 256 pi^5 in the `upstairs' units used by Horava and Witten and differs from their calculation. It is shown that these values are compatible with the standard membrane and fivebrane tensions derived from the M-theory bulk action. In view of these results it is argued that the natural units for M-theory on R^10 x S^1/Z_2 are the `downstairs' units where the brane tensions take their standard form and the Yang-Mills coupling constant is lambda^2 = 4 pi (4 pi kappa^2)^(2/3).

Cite

@article{arxiv.hep-th/9708031,
  title  = {Brane Tensions and Coupling Constants from within M-Theory},
  author = {Jan O. Conrad},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/9708031},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

11 pages, no figures, Latex2e, amsmath, amsfonts, typo in abstract corrected

R2 v1 2026-07-22T16:06:26.553Z