Inspired by the recent advances in multiple M2-brane theory, we consider the generalizations of Nahm equations for arbitrary p-algebras. We construct the topological p-algebra quantum mechanics associated to them and we show that this can be obtained as a truncation of the topological p-brane theory previously studied by the authors. The resulting topological p-algebra quantum mechanics is discussed in detail and the relation with the M2-M5 system is pointed out in the p=3 case, providing a geometrical argument for the emergence of the 3-algebra structure in the Bagger-Lambert-Gustavsson theory
We derive the Nahm construction of monopoles from exact tachyon condensation on unstable D-branes. The Dirac operator used in the Nahm construction is identified with the tachyon profile in our D-brane approach, and we provide physical interpretation of the procedures Nahm gave. Crucial is the introduction of infinite number of brane-antibranes from which arbitrary D-brane can be constrcuted, exhibitting a unified view of various D-branes. We explicitly show the equivalence of the D3-brane boundary state with the monopole profile and the D1-brane boundary state with the Nahm data as transverse…
We construct BPS solutions representing M2-M5 bound state in the ABJM action explicitly. They include the funnel type solutions and 't Hooft Polyakov monopole solutions. Furthermore, we give a one to one correspondence between the solutions of the BPS equation and the ones of an extended Nahm equation which includes the Nahm equation. This enables us to construct infinitely many conserved quantities from the Lax form of the Nahm equation.
We review various generalizations of the notion of Lie algebras, in particular those appearing in the recently proposed Bagger-Lambert-Gustavsson model, and study their interrelations. We find that Filippov's n-Lie algebras are a special case of strong homotopy Lie algebras. Furthermore, we define a class of homotopy Maurer-Cartan equations, which contains both the Nahm and the Basu-Harvey equations as special cases. Finally, we show how the super Yang-Mills equations describing a Dp-brane and the Bagger-Lambert-Gustavsson equations supposedly describing M2-branes can be rewritten as homotopy …
We propose an equation that describes M2-branes ending on M5-branes, and which generalizes the description of the D1-D3 system via Nahm's equation. The simplest solution to this equation constructs the transverse geometry in terms of a fuzzy three sphere. We show that the solution passes a number of consistency checks including a consistent reduction to the D1-D3 system, a calculation of the energy of the system, matching to the self-dual string solution in the M5-brane world volume, and a study of simple fluctuations about the ground state configuration. We write down certain terms in the eff…
We derive certain boundary conditions in Nahm's equations by considering a system of N parallel D1-branes perpendicular to a D3-brane in type IIB string theory.
This thesis is designed for a comprehensive review of noncommutative (BPS) solitons with applications to D-brane dynamics including our works. We focus on noncommutative instantons and monopoles and study various aspects of the exact solutions by using Atiyah-Drinfeld-Hitchin-Manin (ADHM) and Nahm constructions. Finally we propose noncommutative extensions of integrable systems and soliton theories in lower dimensions in collaboration with Kouichi Toda, which would pioneer a new study area of integrable systems. Appendix is devoted to a brief and systematic review of formal aspects of ADHM/Nah…
We investigated the equivalence of the T-duality for a bound state of D2 and D0-branes with the Nahm transformation of the corresponding gauge theory on a 2-dimensional torus, using the boundary state analysis in superstring theory. In contrast to the case of a 4-dimensional torus, it changes a sign in a topological charge, which seems puzzling when regarded as a D-brane charge. Nevertheless, it is shown that it agrees with the T-duality of the boundary state, including a minus sign. We reformulated boundary states in the RR-sector using a new representation of zeromodes, and show that the RR-…
We study the correspondence between IIb solitonic 1-branes and monopoles in the context of the 3-brane realization of $D=4$ $N=4$ super Yang-Mills theory. We show that a bound state of 1-branes stretching between two separated 3-branes exhibits a family of super-symmetric ground states that can be identified with the ADHMN construction of the moduli space of $SU(2)$ monopoles.. This identification is supported by the construction of the monopole gauge field as a space-time coupling in the quantum mechanical effective action of a 1-brane used as a probe. The analysis also reveals an intriguing …
Motivated by the recently observed relation between the physics of $D$-branes in the background of $B$-field and the noncommutative geometry we study the analogue of Nahm transform for the instantons on the noncommutative torus.
In the Matrix theories compactified on the $d$ dimensional torus with $d = 5, 6, 7$ which are described by the theories of D$d$-branes in the type IIA or IIB theory on the $d$ dimensional dual torus we analyze the BPS bound states of the background D$d$-brane with other objects by taking the matrix theory limit. Through the Nahm duality transformation the flux and the momentum multiplets for these BPS states are shown to be associated with the black holes and the black strings respectively from the viewpoint of the weakly coupled type IIA string theory compactified on the $d-1$ dimensional tor…
We consider a large class of $q$-series that have the structure of Nahm sums, or equivalently motivic generating series for quivers. First, we initiate a systematic analysis and classification of classical and quantum A-polynomials associated to such $q$-series. These quantum quiver A-polynomials encode recursion relations satisfied by the above series, while classical A-polynomials encode asymptotic expansion of those series. Second, we postulate that those series, as well as their quantum quiver A-polynomials, can be reconstructed by means of the topological recursion. There is a large class…
We study the 6d N=(0,2) superconformal field theory, which describes multiple M5-branes, on the product space S^2 x M_4, and suggest a correspondence between a 2d N=(0,2) half-twisted gauge theory on S^2 and a topological sigma-model on the four-manifold M_4. To set up this correspondence, we determine in this paper the dimensional reduction of the 6d N=(0,2) theory on a two-sphere and derive that the four-dimensional theory is a sigma-model into the moduli space of solutions to Nahm's equations, or equivalently the moduli space of k-centered SU(2) monopoles, where k is the number of M5-branes…
We give two independent arguments why the classical membrane fields should be loops. The first argument comes from how we may construct selfdual strings in the M5 brane from a loop space version of the Nahm equations. The second argument is that there appears to be no infinite set of finite-dimensional Lie algebras (such as $su(N)$ for any $N$) that satisfies the algebraic structure of the membrane theory.
We show that the transformation of D-branes under T-duality on four-torus is represented by Nahm transform of instantons. The argument for this allows us to generalize Nahm transform to the case of orthogonal and symplectic gauge groups as well as to instantons on Z_2 orbifold of four-torus. In addition, we identify the isomorphism of K-theory groups that realizes the transformation of D-brane charges under T-duality on torus of arbitrary dimensions. By the isomorphism we are lead to identify the correct K-theory group that classifies D-brane charges in Type II orientifold.
Recently a Nahm transform has been discovered for magnetic bags, which are conjectured to arise in the large n limit of magnetic monopoles with charge n. We interpret these ideas using string theory and present some partial proofs of this conjecture. We then extend the notion of bags and their Nahm transform to higher gauge theories and arbitrary domains. Bags in four dimensions conjecturally describe the large n limit of n self-dual strings. We show that the corresponding Basu-Harvey equation is the large n limit of an equation describing n M2-branes, and that it has a natural interpretation …
We show that the Nahm equation which describes a fuzzy D3-brane in the presence of a B-field can be derived as a boundary condition of the F1-strings ending on the D3-brane, and that the modifications of the original Nahm equation by a B-field can be understood in terms of the noncommutative geometry of the D3-brane. Naturally this is consistent with the alternative derivation by quantising the open strings in the B-field background. We then consider a configuration of multiple M2-branes ending on an M5-brane with a constant 3-form C-field. By analogy with the case of strings ending on a D3-br…
By studying zero modes of the Dirac equation on the lattice, we explicitly construct the Nahm transform of some topologically non-trivial gauge field configurations.
We present new non-Abelian solitonic configurations in the low energy effective theory describing a collection of N parallel D1--branes. These configurations preserve 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 and 1/32 of the spacetime supersymmetry. They are solutions to a set of generalised Nahm's equations which are related to self-duality equations in eight dimensions. Our solutions represent D1--branes which expand into fuzzy funnel configurations ending on collections of intersecting D3--branes. Supersymmetry dictates that such intersecting D3--branes must lie on a calibrated three-surface of spacetime and we argue…
Algebraic Nahm equations, considered in the paper, are polynomial equations, governing the $q\rightarrow 1$ limit of the $q$-hypergeometric Nahm sums. They make an appearance in various fields: hyperbolic geometry, knot theory, quiver representation theory, topological strings and conformal field theory. In this paper we focus primarily on Nahm sums and Nahm equations that arise in relation with symmetric quivers. For a large class of them, we prove that quiver A-polynomials -- specialized resultants of the Nahm equations, are tempered (the so-called K-theoretic condition). This implies that t…
We investigate BPS equations which determine the configuration of an M2-M5 bound state preserving half of the supersymmetries in the ABJM theory. We argue that the BPS equations are classically integrable, showing that they admit a Lax representation. The integrable structure of the BPS equations is closely related to that of the Nahm equations. Using this relation we formulate an efficient way of constructing solutions of the BPS equations from those of the Nahm equations. As an illustration of our method, we construct explicitly the most general solutions describing two M2-branes suspended b…
We show that band spectrum of topological insulators can be identified as the shape of D-branes in string theory. The identification is based on a relation between the Berry connection associated with the band structure and the ADHM/Nahm construction of solitons whose geometric realization is available with D-branes. We also show that chiral and helical edge states are identified as D-branes representing a noncommutative monopole.
The equations of motion of multiple M0{brane (multiple M-wave or mM0) system in an arbitrary D = 11 supergravity superspace, which generalize the Matrix model equations for the case of inter- action with a generic 11D supergravity background, are obtained in the frame of superembedding approach. We also derive the BPS equations for supersymmetric bosonic solutions of these mM0 equations and show that the set of 1/2 BPS solutions contain a fuzzy sphere modeling M2 brane as well as that the Nahm equation appears as a particular case of the 1/4 BPS equations.
This note covers various aspects of recent attempts to describe membranes ending on fivebranes using fuzzy geometry. In particular, we examine the Basu-Harvey equation and its relation to the Nahm equation as well as the consequences of using a non-associative algebra for the fuzzy three-sphere. This produces the tantalising result that the fuzzy funnel solution corresponding to Q coincident membranes ending on a five-brane has $Q^{3/2}$ degrees of freedom.
A generalization of Nahm's equation has been recently conjectured by Basu and Harvey to be the BPS condition describing the bound state of a stack of M2-branes ending on an M5-brane. In this note exact solutions are presented for the proposed BPS equation - which is from the point of view of the M2-brane world-volume dynamics - with boundary conditions appropriate for M2-branes stretching between two M5-branes. Unfortunately, since the action for multiple M5-branes or for multiple coincident M2-branes is not known, one can only resort to consistency checks of the proposal instead of a direct c…
The half-BPS boundary conditions preserving $\mathcal{N}=(2,2)$ and $\mathcal{N}=(0,4)$ supersymmetry in 3d $\mathcal{N}=4$ supersymmetric gauge theories are examined. The BPS equations admit decomposition of the bulk supermultiplets into specific boundary supermultiplets of preserved supersymmetry. Nahm-like equations arise in the vector multiplet BPS boundary condition preserving $\mathcal{N}=(0,4)$ supersymmetry and Robin-type boundary conditions appear for the hypermultiplet coupled to vector multiplet when $\mathcal{N}=(2,2)$ supersymmetry is preserved. The half-BPS boundary conditions ar…
We study two aspects of M5-branes in N=6 U(N)xU(N) Chern-Simons gauge theory. We first examine multiple M2-branes ending on a M5-brane. We study Basu-Harvey type cubic equations, fuzzy funnel configurations, and derive the M5-brane tension from the N=6 theory. We also find a limit in which the above M2-M5 system reduces to a D2-D4 system and we recover the Nahm equation from the N=6 theory. We then examine domain wall configurations in mass-deformed N=6 theory with a manifest SU(2)xSU(2)xU(1) global symmetry. We derive tensions of domain walls connecting between arbitrary M5-brane vacua of the…
We review the AKSZ construction as applied to the topological open membranes and Poisson sigma models. We describe a generalization to open topological p-branes and Nambu-Poisson sigma models.
We expand Topological Field Theory on some special CW-complexes (brane complexes). This Brane Topological Field Theory one-to-one corresponds to infinite dimensional Frobenius Algebras, graduated by CW-complexes of lesser dimension. We define general and regular Hurwitz numbers of brane complexes and prove that they generate Brane Topological Field Theories. For general Hurwitz numbers corresponding algebra is an algebra of coverings of lesser dimension. For regular Hurwitz numbers the Frobenius algebra is an algebra of families of subgroups of finite groups.
We show that there is a natural universal limit of the topological string free energies at the large radius point. The new free energies keep a nonholomorphic dependence on the complex structure moduli space and their functional form is the same for all Calabi-Yau geometries, compact and noncompact alike. The asymptotic nature of the free energy expansion changes in this limit due to a milder factorial growth of its coefficients, and this implies a transseries extension with instanton effects in $\exp(- 1/g_s^2)$, of NS-brane type, rather than $\exp(-1/g_s)$, of D-brane type. We show a relatio…
We propose a concrete form of a vertex function, which we call O-vertex, for the intersection between an O5-plane and a 5-brane in the topological vertex formalism, as an extension of the work of arXiv:1709.01928. Using the O-vertex it is possible to compute the Nekrasov partition functions of 5d theories realized on any 5-brane web diagrams with O5-planes. We apply our proposal to 5-brane webs with an O5-plane and compute the partition functions of pure SO($N$) gauge theories and the pure $G_2$ gauge theory. The obtained results agree with the results known in the literature. We also compute …
We study the vacuum moduli spaces of 3d N=2 supersymmetric quantum field theories by applying the formalism developed in our previous paper arXiv:1404.5527. The 3d theories can be realized by branes in type IIB string theory, which in a decoupling limit reduce to 4d N=4 super-Yang-Mills theory on an interval with BPS defects inserted. The moduli space of a given 3d theory is obtained by solving a generalization of Nahm's equations with appropriate boundary/junction conditions, along with help from the S-duality of type IIB string theory. Our classical computations reproduce many known results …
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 classes of maps from the worldvolume $Σ_{M5}$ to $BString^{c_2}(4)$. This note calculates the sectors in a number of examples of M5-brane topology, including examples considered in the 3d-3d correspondence, the emergence of skyrmions from higher-dimensional instantons and Witten's analysis of the S-duality of 4d Yang-Mills theory.
This is the next step of uncovering the relation between string theory and exotic smooth R^4. Exotic smoothness of R^4 is correlated with D6 brane charges in IIA string theory. We construct wild embeddings of spheres and relate them to a class of topological quantum Dp-branes as well to KK theory. These branes emerge when there are non-trivial NS-NS H-fluxes where the topological classes are determined by wild embeddings S^2 -> S^3. Then wild embeddings of higher dimensional $p$-complexes into S^n correspond to Dp-branes. These wild embeddings as constructed by using gropes are basic objects t…
The various descent and duality relations among BPS and non-BPS D-branes are classified using topological K-theory. It is shown how the descent procedures for producing type-II D-branes from brane-antibrane bound states by tachyon condensation and $\klein$ projections arise as natural homomorphisms of K-groups generating the brane charges. The transformations are generalized to type-I theories and type-II orientifolds, from which the complete set of vacuum manifolds and field contents for tachyon condensation is deduced. A new set of internal descent relations is found which describes branes o…
Nature harbors crystals of dimensionality ($d$) only up to three. Here we introduce the notion of \emph{projected topological branes} (PTBs): Lower-dimensional branes embedded in higher-dimensional parent topological crystals, constructed via a geometric cut-and-project procedure on the Hilbert space of the parent lattice Hamiltonian. When such a brane is inclined at a rational or an irrational slope, either a new lattice periodicity or a quasicrystal emerges. The latter gives birth to topoquasicrystals within the landscape of PTBs. As such PTBs are shown to inherit the hallmarks, such as the …
We study phase transitions induced by topological defects in Abelian gauge theories of open p-branes in (d+1) space-time dimensions. Starting from a massive antisymmetric tensor theory for open p-branes we show how the condensation of topological defects can lead to a decoupled phase with a massless tensor coupled to closed (p-1)-branes and a massive tensor coupled to open (p+1)-branes. We also consider the case, relevant in string theory, in which the boundaries of the p-branes are constrained to live on a Dirichlet n-branes.
We show, in a number of simple examples, that Macdonald-type $qt$-deformations of topological string partition functions are equivalent to topological string partition functions that are without $qt$-deformations but with brane condensates, and that these brane condensates lead to geometric transitions.
By the generalization of Chern--Simons topological current and Gauss--Bonnet-Chern theorem, the purpose of this paper is to make a non-Abelian gauge field theory foundation of the topological current of $\tilde{p}$-branes formulated in our previous work. Using $ϕ$--mapping topological current theory proposed by Professor Duan, we find that the topological $\tilde p$-branes are created at every isolated zero of vector field $\vec ϕ(x)$. It is shown that the topological charges carried by $\tilde p$-branes are topologically quantized and labeled by Hopf index and Brouwer degree, i.e., the windin…
We study D-branes in topologically twisted N=2 minimal models using the Landau-Ginzburg realization. In the cases of A and D-type minimal models we provide what we believe is an exhaustive list of topological branes and compute the corresponding boundary OPE algebras as well as all disk correlators. We also construct examples of topological branes in E-type minimal models. We compare our results with the boundary state formalism, where possible, and find agreement.
We give a general construction of extended moduli spaces of topological D-branes as non-commutative algebraic varieties. This shows that noncommutative symplectic geometry in the sense of Kontsevich arises naturally in String Theory.
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 generalizing the topological strings and the $D$-branes through the subfactor theory.
Tachyon condensation in topological Landau-Ginzburg models can generally be studied using methods of commutative algebra and properties of triangulated categories. The efficiency of this approach is demonstrated by explicitly proving that every D-brane system in all minimal models of type ADE can be generated from only one or two fundamental branes.
This thesis is concerned with D-branes in topological string theory, focusing on the description of B-type D-branes in topological Landau-Ginzburg models. Such D-branes are characterized by matrix factorizations of the Landau-Ginzburg superpotential. After reviewing some aspects of topological string theory we give a detailed discussion of matrix factorizations. We discuss methods to calculate the effective superpotential in minimal models, putting emphasis on an algorithm to calculate the effective superpotential via deformations of matrix factorizations. We furthermore perform a non-trivial …
We construct the six-dimensional topological field theory appropriate to describe the ground-state configurations of D5-branes. A close examination on the degenerations of D5-branes gives us the physical observables which can be regarded as the Poincaré duals of the cycles of the moduli space. These observables are identified with the creation opeartors of the bound states of D5-branes and lead to the second quantization of five-branes. This identification of the bound states with the cycles also provides their topological stability and suggests that the bound states of five-branes have intern…
We present a new general topological tensor current of $\tilde{p}$-branes by making use of the $ϕ$-mapping theory. It is shown that the current is identically conserved and behave as $δ(\vecϕ),$ and every isolated zero of the vector field $\vecϕ(x)$ corresponds to a `magnetic' $\tilde{p}$-brane. Using this topological current, the generalized Nambu action for multi $\tilde{p}$-branes is given, and the field strength $F$ corresponding to this topological tensor current is obtained. It is also shown that the `magnetic' charges carried by $\tilde{p}$-branes are topologically quantized and labeled…
The superfield equations of massive IIA supergravity, in the form of constraints on the superspace geometry, are shown to be implied by $κ$-symmetry of the topologically massive D-2-brane.
Employing the method applied to construct $AdS_5$ solutions from M5-branes recently by Bah, Bonetti, Minasian and Nardoni, we construct supersymmetric $AdS_3$ solutions from D3-branes and M5-branes wrapped on a disc with non-trivial holonomies at the boundary. In five-dimensional $U(1)^3$-gauged $\mathcal{N}=2$ supergravity, we find $\mathcal{N}=(2,2)$ and $\mathcal{N}=(4,4)$ supersymmetric $AdS_3$ solutions. We uplift the solutions to type IIB supergravity and obtain D3-branes wrapped on a topological disc. We also uplift the solutions to eleven-dimensional supergravity and obtain M5-branes w…
The known extended algebras associated with p-branes are shown to be generated as topological charge algebras of the standard p-brane actions. A representation of the charges in terms of superspace forms is constructed. The charges are shown to be the same in standard/extended superspace formulations of the action.
We propose that the effective field theories of certain wrapped D-branes are given by topological actions based on Born-Infeld theory. In particular, we present a Born-Infeld version of the Abelian Donaldson-Witten theory. We then consider wrapping D3 branes on calibrated submanifolds and for the Calabi-Yau four-fold case, discuss how the resulting theory could give rise to a Born-Infeld version of the ampicheiral twisted N=4 super Yang-Mills topological field theory.
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 coisotropic branes in topological string theory. It is demonstrated that the self-duality is consistent with the stability conditions, which are solved locally in terms of a tensor in the representation 6 of SU(3) in G_2. The double dimensional reduction of the M5-brane is the D4-brane, and its direct reduction is an NS5-brane. We show that the equation of motio…
We study the open refined topological string amplitudes using the refined topological vertex. We determine the refinement of holonomies necessary to describe the boundary conditions of open amplitudes (which in particular satisfy the required integrality properties). We also derive the refined holonomies using the refined Chern-Simons theory.
We study static brane configurations in the bulk background of the topological black holes in asymptotically flat spacetime. We find that such configurations are possible even for flat black hole horizon, unlike the AdS black hole case. We construct the brane world model with an orbifold structure S^1/Z_2 in such bulk background. We also study massless bulk scalar field.
We propose expressions for refined open topological string partition function on certain non-compact Calabi Yau 3-folds with topological branes wrapped on the special lagrangian submanifolds. The corresponding web diagrams are partially compact and a lagrangian brane is inserted on one of the external legs. Partial compactification introduces a mass deformation in the corresponding gauge theory. We propose conjectures that equate these open topological string partition functions with the generating function of equivaraint indices on certain quiver moduli spaces. To obtain these conjectures we …
Besides the String Theory context, the quantum General Relativity can be studied by the use of constrained topological field theories. In the celebrated Plebanski formalism, the constraints connecting topological field theories and gravity are imposed in space-times with trivial topology. In the braneworld context there are two distinct regions of the space-time, namely, the bulk and the braneworld volume. In this work we show how to construct topological gravity in a scenario containing one extra dimension and a delta-function like 3-brane which naturally emerges from a spontaneously broken d…
We show a duality of branes in the topological B-model by inserting two kinds of the non-compact branes simultaneously. We explicitly derive the integral formula for the matrix model partition function describing this situation, which correspondingly includes both of the characteristic polynomial and the external source. We show that these two descriptions are dual to each other through the Fourier transformation, and the brane partition function satisfies integrable equations in one and two dimensions.
We consider a static brane in the background of a topological black hole, in arbitrary dimensions. For hyperbolic horizons, we find a solution only when the black hole mass assumes its minimum negative value. In this case, the tension of the brane vanishes, and the brane position coincides with the location of the horizon. For an elliptic horizon, we show that the massless mode of Randall-Sundrum is recovered in the limit of large black hole mass.
We study Fateev-Zamolodchikov-Zamolodchikov-Teschner (FZZT) branes in Witten-Kontsevich topological gravity, which includes Jackiw-Teitelboim (JT) gravity as a special case. Adding FZZT branes to topological gravity corresponds to inserting determinant operators in the dual matrix integral and amounts to a certain shift of the infinitely many couplings of topological gravity. We clarify the perturbative interpretation of adding FZZT branes in the genus expansion of topological gravity in terms of a simple boundary factor and the generalized Weil-Petersson volumes. As a concrete illustration we…
In this note we generalize a result by Alekseev and Strobl for the case of $p$-branes. We show that there is a relation between anomalous free current algebras and "isotropic" involutive subbundles of $T\oplus \wedge^p T^*$ with the Vinogradov bracket, that is a generalization of the Courant bracket. As an application of this construction we go through some interesting examples: topological strings on symplectic manifolds, topological membrane on $G_2$-manifolds and topological 3-brane on $Spin(7)$ manifolds. We show that these peculiar topological theories are related to the physical (i.e., N…
In the presence of a D-brane a string theory develops a new subsector. We show that for curved D-branes the corresponding sector is a (partially twisted) topological field theory. We use this result to compute the degeneracy of 2-branes wrapped around $K3$ cycles as well as 3-branes wrapped around CY threefold vanishing 3-cycles. In both cases we find the degeneracy is in accord with expectation. The counting of BPS states of a gas of 0-branes in the presence of a 4-brane in $K3$ is considered and it is noted that the effective 0-brane charge is shifted by 1, due to a quantum correction. This …