Related papers: Geometric and topological structures related to M-…
We show that the $D=11$ Supermembrane theory (M2-brane) compactified on a $M_9 \times T^2$ target space, with constant fluxes $C_{\pm}$ naturally incorporates the geometrical structure of a twisted torus. We extend the M2-brane theory to a…
Brane actions with chiral bosons present special challenges. Recent progress in the description of the two main examples -- the M theory five-brane and the heterotic string -- is described. Also, double dimensional reduction of the M theory…
Bound states of 7-branes known as 'T-branes' have properties that defy usual geometric intuition. For instance, the gauge group of n coincident branes may not be U(n). More surprisingly, matter may show up at unexpected loci, such as…
We review some recent developments in the study of M-theory compactifications via Matrix theory. In particular we highlight the appearance of IIA strings and their interactions, and explain the unifying role of the M-theory five-brane for…
We derive the stability conditions for the M5-brane in topological M-theory using kappa-symmetry. The non-linearly self-dual 3-form on the world-volume is necessarily non-vanishing, as is the case also for the 2-form field strengths on…
Assuming Fiorenza-Sati-Schreiber's Hypothesis H, on the charge quantization of M-theory's $C$-field, the topological sectors of the resulting $String^{c_2}(4)$-valued higher gauge theory on a heterotic M5-brane are classified by homotopy…
Compactification of M- / string theory on manifolds with $G_2$ structure yields a wide variety of 4D and 3D physical theories. We analyze the local geometry of such compactifications as captured by a gauge theory obtained from a…
It is shown how the topological string amplitudes encode the BPS structure of wrapped M2 branes in M-theory compactification on Calabi-Yau threefolds. This in turn is related to a twisted supersymmetric index in 5 dimensions which receives…
The kappa symmetry of an open M2-brane ending on an M5-brane requires geometrical constraints on the embedding of the system in target superspace. These constraints lead to the M5-brane equations of motion, which we review both in…
This review is devoted to strings and branes. Firstly, perturbative string theory is introduced. The appearance of various types of branes is discussed. These include orbifold fixed planes, D-branes and orientifold planes. The connection to…
We study M5-branes wrapped on a multi-centred Taub-NUT space. Reducing to String Theory on the circle fibration leads to D4-branes intersecting with D6-branes. D-braneology shows that there are additional charged chiral fermions from the…
We study geometries for the NS5-, the KK5- and the $5^2_2$-branes of codimension two in type II and heterotic string theories. The geometries are classified by monodromies that each brane has. They are the $B$-, the general coordinate and…
The dissertation consists of two parts. The first presents an account of the effective worldvolume description of $N$ coincident M2-branes ending on an M5-brane in M-theory. It reviews Basu and Harvey's recent description of the worldvolume…
We discuss some topological constraints on Type IIB string theory that cannot be described by elementary characteristic classes. Anomaly cancellation of the worldvolume theory of a D3-brane requires a shifted Dirac quantization condition of…
In this talk we give a brief review of the algebraic structure behind the open and closed topological strings and $D$-branes and emphasize the role of tensor category and the Frobenius algebra. Also, we speculate on the possibility of…
We consider world-volume description of M2-branes ending on an M5-brane. The system can be described either as a solitonic solution of the M5-brane field equations or in terms of an effective string propagating in 6-dimensions. We show that…
Dualities between certain supersymmetric gauge field theories in three and four dimensions have been studied in considerable detail recently, by realizing them as geometric manipulations of configurations of extended objects in type II…
In this PhD thesis the low energy effective actions for D-branes and the M5-brane are used to analyze the dynamics of brane probes moving in the geometry created by diverse supergravity backgrounds. It begins with an introduction to string…
In string theory, stacks of D1-branes can expand into intersecting D3-branes. These configurations are called (generalized) BIons. We show how the analogous constructions in M-theory, where M2-branes blow up into calibrated intersections of…
In this note we investigate certain topological aspects of the effective action of the NS5-brane in type IIA string theory. To facilitate the study of the corresponding partition function, we define a cohomology class whose vanishing is a…