English

From M-theory to F-theory, with Branes

High Energy Physics - Theory 2009-10-30 v2

Abstract

A duality relationship between certain brane configurations in type IIA and type IIB string theory is explored by exploiting the geometrical origins of each theory in M-theory. The configurations are dual ways of realising the non-perturbative dynamics of a four dimensional N=2 supersymmetric SU(2) gauge theory with four or fewer favours of fermions in the fundamental, and the spectral curve which organizes these dynamics plays a prominent role in each case. This is an illustration of how non-trivial F-theory backgrounds follow from M-theory ones, hopefully demystifying somewhat the origins of the former.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.hep-th/9706155,
  title  = {From M-theory to F-theory, with Branes},
  author = {Clifford V. Johnson},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/9706155},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

20 pages, harvmac.tex (b), epsf.tex for decoration (Two references added. Fixed a few comments.)