Related papers: Geometric and topological structures related to M-…
In type II string theories, we examine intersecting brane constructions containing brane-antibrane pairs suspended between 5-branes, and more general non-BPS constructions. The tree-level spectra are obtained in each case. We identify…
The string field theory of N=(2,1) heterotic strings describes a set of self-dual Yang-Mills fields coupled to self-dual gravity in 2+2 dimensions. We show that the exact classical action for this field theory is a certain complexification…
We examine string-theory orientifold planes of various types including the Sp and SO-odd planes, and deduce the gravitational Chern-Simons couplings on their world-volumes. Consistency checks are carried out in different spacetime…
By analyzing super-torsion and brane super-cocycles, we derive a new duality in M-theory, which takes the form of a higher version of T-duality in string theory. This involves a new topology change mechanism abelianizing the 3-sphere…
A basic arbitrariness in the determination of the topology of a manifold at the Planck length is discussed. An explicit example is given of a `smooth' change in topology from the 2-sphere to the 2-torus through a sequence of noncommuting…
We consider M-theory in the presence of M parallel M5-branes probing a transverse A_{N-1} singularity. This leads to a superconformal theory with (1,0) supersymmetry in six dimensions. We compute the supersymmetric partition function of…
Three-dimensional conformal theories with six supersymmetries and SU(4) R-symmetry describing stacks of M2-branes are here proposed to be related to generalized Jordan triple systems. Writing the four-index structure constants in an…
We study metastable nonsupersymmetric configurations in type IIA string theory, obtained by suspending D4-branes and anti-D4-branes between holomorphically curved NS5's, which are related to those of hep-th/0610249 by T-duality. When the…
We study the effects of having multiple Spin structures on the partition function of the spacetime fields in M-theory. This leads to a potential anomaly which appears in the eta-invariants upon variation of the Spin structure. The main…
We consider the tensor theory on coincident E8 5-branes compactified on a three torus. Using string theory, we predict that there must be distinct components in the moduli space of this theory.We argue that new superconformal field theories…
We probe poly-vector deformations of Type II backgrounds by the fundamental string, D0-brane and D3-brane, and of the 11D membrane background by the fundamental M2-brane. We show that the corresponding deformations of the world-volume…
We study the most general supersymmetric warped M-theory backgrounds with non-trivial G-flux of the type R^{1,2} x M_8 and AdS_3 x M_8. We give a set of necessary and sufficient conditions for preservation of supersymmetry which are phrased…
We uncover and highlight relations between the M-branes in M-theory and various topological invariants: the Hopf invariant over $\mathbb{Q}$, $\mathbb{Z}$ and $\mathbb{Z}_2$, the Kervaire invariant, the $f$-invariant, and the…
D-branes, topological defects in string theory on which string endpoints can live, may give new insight into the understanding of the cosmological evolution of the Universe at early epochs. We analyze the dynamics of D-branes in curved…
We discuss fluxes of RR and NSNS background fields in type II string compactifications on non-compact Calabi-Yau threefolds together with their dual brane description which involves bound states of branes. Simultaneously turning on RR and…
We show that supercocycles on super $L_\infty$-algebras capture, at the rational level, the twisted cohomological charge structure of the fields of M-theory and of type IIA string theory. We show that rational 4-sphere-valued supercocycles…
Recently an action based on Lie 3-algebras was proposed to describe M2-branes. We study the case of infinite dimensional Lie 3-algebras based on the Nambu-Poisson structure of three dimensional manifolds. We show that the model contains…
It is shown how two-dimensional states corresponding to D-branes arise in orbifolds of topologically massive gauge and gravity theories. Brane vertex operators naturally appear in induced worldsheet actions when the three-dimensional gauge…
Recently a three-dimensional field theory was derived that is consistent with all the symmetries expected of the worldvolume action for multiple M2-branes. In this note we examine several physical predictions of this model and show that…
We review recent progress in formulating the worldvolume theory of M2-branes using the Nambu bracket. Although it is generally agreed that this formulation should be replaced by another using the superconformal Chern-Simons theory, we try…