Related papers: Does the fivebrane have a nonclassical BV-structur…
We make the observation that M-brane models defined in terms of 3-algebras can be interpreted as higher gauge theories involving Lie 2-groups. Such gauge theories arise in particular in the description of non-abelian gerbes. This…
On the world-volume of an $M$-theory five-brane propagates a two-form with self-dual field strength. As this field is non-Lagrangian, there is no obvious framework for determining its partition function. An analogous problem exists in Type…
String structures in degree four are associated with cancellation of anomalies of string theory in ten dimensions. Fivebrane structures in degree eight have recently been shown to be associated with cancellation of anomalies associated to…
We enhance the action of higher abelian gauge theory associated to a gerbe on an M5-brane with an action of a torus ${\mathbb T}^n (n\ge 2)$, by a noncommutative ${\mathbb T}^n$-deformation of the M5-brane. The ingredients of the…
We show how to cast an interacting system of M--branes into manifestly gauge-invariant form using an arrangement of higher-dimensional Dirac surfaces. Classical M--theory has a cohomologically nontrivial and noncommutative set of gauge…
We construct a covariant bound on the energy-momentum of the M-fivebrane which is saturated by all supersymmetric configurations. This leads to a generalised notion of a calibrated geometry for M-fivebranes when the worldvolume gauge field…
The worldvolume theory of coincident M5-branes is expected to contain a nonabelian 2-form/nonabelian gerbe gauge theory that is a higher analog of self-dual Yang-Mills theory. But the precise details -- in particular the global moduli /…
We consider the topological and geometric structures associated with cohomological and homological objects in M-theory. For the latter, we have M2-branes and M5-branes, the analysis of which requires the underlying spacetime to admit a…
We first review self-dual (chiral) gauge field theories by studying their Lorentz non-covariant and Lorentz covariant formulations. We next construct a non-Abelian self-dual two-form gauge theory in six dimensions with a spatial direction…
M2-branes couple to a 3-form potential, which suggests that their description involves a non-abelian 2-gerbe or, equivalently, a principal 3-bundle. We show that current M2-brane models fit this expectation: they can be reformulated as…
We discuss graded D-brane systems of the topological A model on a Calabi-Yau threefold, by means of their string field theory. We give a detailed analysis of the extended string field action, showing that it satisfies the classical master…
A volume form $H$ on the $n$--dimensional sphere $S^n$ is closed $(dH=0)$, so that it is locally written as $H=dB$, where B is a $(n-1)$--form. In the first half we give an explicit form to B and, moreover, a speculation concerning higher…
In this informal review for non-specalists we discuss the construction of maximally supersymmetric gauge theories that arise on the worldvolumes branes in String Theory and M-Theory. Particular focus is made on the relatively recent…
A geometrical analysis is given of Dirichlet fourbrane creation, when sixbrane crosses fivebrane in M-theory. A special property of the Taub-NUT space leads to the consequence. When brane configurations are considered for four dimensional…
We study the new ``gauge'' theories in 5+1 dimensions, and their non-commutative generalizations. We argue that the $\theta$-term and the non-commutative torus parameters appear on an equal footing in the non-critical string theories which…
Fivebranes are non-perturbative objects in string theory that generalize two-dimensional conformal field theory and relate such diverse subjects as moduli spaces of vector bundles on surfaces, automorphic forms, elliptic genera, the…
We relate Type IIB superstrings compactified to six dimensions on K3 to an eleven-dimensional theory compactified on $({\bf S}^1)^5/{\bf Z}_2$. Eleven-dimensional five-branes enter the story in an interesting way.
In the paper arXiv:0810.4291 we have shown, in the context of type II superstring theory, the classification of the allowed B-field and A-field configurations in the presence of anomaly-free D-branes, the mathematical framework being…
We study M theory fivebranes to understand the moduli space of vacua of N=1 supersymmetric SO(N_c) gauge theory with N_f flavors in four dimensions. We discuss how the various branches of this theory arise in the string/M theory brane…
We analyze higher gauge theories in various dimensions using a supergeometric method based on a differential graded symplectic manifold, called a QP-manifold, which is closely related to the BRST-BV formalism in gauge theories. Extensions…