Related papers: The Mathematics of Fivebranes
Non-perturbative instanton corrections to the moduli space geometry of type IIA string theory compactified on a Calabi-Yau space are derived and found to contain order $e^{-1/g_s}$ contributions, where $g_s$ is the string coupling. The…
We study an orientifold of the solitonic fivebrane of type II string theory. The consideration is restricted to a space-time domain which can be described by an exact conformal field theory. There are no IR divergent contributions to…
The study of curved D-brane geometries in type II strings implies a general relation between local singularities $\cx W$ of Calabi-Yau manifolds and gravity free supersymmetric QFT's. The minimal supersymmetric case is described by F-theory…
Basics of some topics on perturbative and non-perturbative string theory are reviewed. After a mathematical survey of the Standard Model of particle physics and GUTs, the bosonic string kinematics for the free case and with interaction is…
Configurations of fivebranes, twobranes and fourbranes in type IIA string theory, which give (1+1) dimensional supersymmetric gauge theories in the low energy limit, are constructed. It is shown that these brane configurations are…
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…
We present a general method for calculating the moduli spaces of fivebranes wrapped on holomorphic curves in elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds, in particular, in the context of heterotic M theory. The cases of fivebranes wrapped…
We show that the fully covariant equations of motion for the M-theory fivebrane can be interpreted as charge conservation equations. The associated charges induce `shift'-symmetries of the scalar, spinor and gauge-fields of the fivebrane,…
Just as parallel threebranes on a smooth manifold are related to string theory on $AdS_5\times {\bf S}^5$, parallel threebranes near a conical singularity are related to string theory on $AdS_5\times X_5$, for a suitable $X_5$. For the…
Geometric transitions between Calabi-Yau manifolds have proven to be a powerful tool in exploring the intricate and interconnected vacuum structure of string compactifications. However, their role in N=1, 4-dimensional string…
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.
The $\mathcal{A}$-theory takes U-duality symmetry as a guiding principle, with the SL(5) U-duality symmetry being described as the world-volume theory of a 5-brane. Furthermore, by unifying the 6-dimensional world-volume Lorentz symmetry…
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…
An interesting consequence of string dualities is that they reveal situations where the geometry of a string background appears to be globally ill-defined, a phenomenon usually referred to as non-geometry. On the other hand, string theory…
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…
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…
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…
When an M-theory fivebrane wraps a holomorphic surface $\mathcal{P}$ in a Calabi-Yau 3-fold $X$ the low energy dynamics is that of a black string in 5 dimensional $\mathcal{N}=1$ supergravity. The infrared dynamics on the string worldsheet…
Superstring theories are the most promising theories for unified description of all fundamental interactions including gravity. However, these theories are formulated consistently only in 10 spacetime dimensions. Therefore, to connect to…
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…