Related papers: Intersecting branes from 7-manifolds with G_2 holo…
We obtain a supergravity solution arising when D6-branes are wrapped on coassociative four-cycles of constant curvature in seven manifolds of G_2 holonomy. The solutions preserve two supercharges and thus represent supergravity duals of…
The exceptional holonomy groups are G2 in 7 dimensions, and Spin(7) in 8 dimensions. Riemannian manifolds with these holonomy groups are Ricci-flat. This is a survey paper on exceptional holonomy, in two parts. Part I introduces the…
We construct Calabi-Yau geometries with wrapped D6 branes which realize ${\cal N}=1$ supersymmetric $A_r$ quiver theories, and study the corresponding geometric transitions. This also yields new large $N$ dualities for topological strings…
We discuss how to incorporate non-supersymmetric branes in compactifications of type II string theories. We particularly focus on flux compactifications on $SU(3)\times SU(3)$ structure manifolds to four dimensions, so that a linear…
A new world volume theory with a free scalar field was proposed for Multiple M2 branes recently. By giving the free scalar a large VEV, we can obtain a gauge theory of multiple D2 branes with a coupling constant proportional to the VEV. It…
We construct infinitely many seven-dimensional Einstein metrics of weak holonomy G_2. These metrics are defined on principal SO(3) bundles over four-dimensional Bianchi IX orbifolds with the Tod-Hitchin metrics. The Tod-Hitchin metric has…
We study a class of intersecting D-brane models in which fermions localized at different intersections interact via exchange of bulk fields. In some cases these interactions lead to dynamical symmetry breaking and generate a mass for the…
We explore the connection between D-branes and black holes in one particular case: a $D3$-brane compactified to four dimensions on $T^6/Z_3$. Using the $D$-brane boundary state description we show the equivalence with a double extremal N=2…
We study a particular N = 1 confining gauge theory with fundamental flavors realised as seven branes in the background of wrapped five branes on a rigid two-cycle of a non-trivial global geometry. In parts of the moduli space, the five…
We discuss some new metrics of special holonomy, and their roles in string theory and M-theory. First we consider Spin(7) metrics denoted by C_8, which are complete on a complex line bundle over CP^3. The principal orbits are S^7, described…
We consider a series of duality transformations that leads to a constant shift in the harmonic functions appearing in the description of a configuration of branes. This way, for several intersections of branes, we can relate the original…
We consider intersecting M-brane solutions of supergravity in eleven dimensions. Supersymmetry turns out to be a powerful tool in obtaining such solutions and their generalizations.
We study the supergravity duals of supersymmetric theories arising in the world-volume of D6 branes wrapping holomorphic two-cycles and special Lagrangian three-cycles within the framework of eight dimensional gauged supergravity. When…
We consider $G_2$ structures with torsion coupled with $G_2$-instantons, on a compact $7$-dimensional manifold. The coupling is via an equation for $4$-forms which appears in supergravity and generalized geometry, known as the Bianchi…
We study gravity in codimension-2 brane world scenarios with infinite volume extra dimensions. In particular, we consider the case where the brane has non-zero tension. The extra space then is a two-dimensional ``wedge'' with a deficit…
This is a pedagogical exposition of holonomy groups intended for physicists. After some pertinent definitions, we focus on special holonomy manifolds, two per division algebras, and comment upon several cases of interest in physics,…
We review recent results concerning closed G$_2$-structures on seven-dimensional manifolds. In particular, we discuss the construction of examples and some related problems.
We introduce T-branes, or "triangular branes," which are novel non-abelian bound states of branes characterized by the condition that on some loci, their matrix of normal deformations, or Higgs field, is upper triangular. These…
We first review the notion of a $G_2$-manifold, defined in terms of a principal $G_2$ ("gauge") bundle over a $7$-dimensional manifold, before discussing their relation to supergravity. In a second thread, we focus on associative…
Intersecting stacks of supersymmetric fractional branes on the Z_6' orientifold may be used to construct the supersymmetric Standard Model. If $a,b$ are the stacks that generate the SU(3)_{colour} and SU(2)_L gauge particles, then, in order…