In this note we analyze the geometry of maximally symmetric boundary conditions in Lie supergroup Wess-Zumino-Novikov-Witten models. We find that generically the worldvolume of a brane is a twisted superconjugacy class, very much like in the Lie group case. Whenever the brane is not completely delocalized in the fermionic directions a new atypical class of branes arises. We give an example of these new branes and show for type I supergroups and trivial gluing conditions that they can be naturally associated with atypical representations of the affine Lie superalgebra.
We show that in the context of topological string theories N branes and M anti-branes give rise to Chern-Simons gauge theory with the gauge supergroup $U(N|M)$. We also identify a deformation of the theory which corresponds to brane/anti-brane annihilation. Furthermore we show that when $N=M$ all open string states are BRST trivial in the deformed theory.
The super 0-brane action on the coset space of $D(2,1;α)$ supergroup is constructed which involves a set of parameters related by $κ$-symmetry. It describes a massive superparticle propagating near the horizon of the extreme Reissner-Nordstr$ö$m-AdS-dS black hole which is linked to the recently constructed $D(2,1;α)$-superparticle [JHEP 1703 (2017) 054] by a canonical transformation.
We study the realization of supergroup gauge theories using negative branes in string theory. We show that negative branes are intimately connected with the possibility of timelike compactification and exotic spacetime signatures previously studied by Hull. Isolated negative branes dynamically generate a change in spacetime signature near their worldvolumes, and are related by string dualities to a smooth M-theory geometry with closed timelike curves. Using negative D3 branes, we show that $SU(0|N)$ supergroup theories are holographically dual to an exotic variant of type IIB string theory on …
In this thesis we initiate a systematic study of branes in Wess-Zumino-Novikov-Witten models with Lie supergroup target space. We start by showing that a branes' worldvolume is a twisted superconjugacy class and construct the action of the boundary WZNW model. Then we consider symplectic fermions and give a complete description of boundary states including twisted sectors. Further we show that the GL(1|1) WZNW model is equivalent to symplectic fermions plus two scalars. We then consider the GL(1|1) boundary theory. Twisted and untwisted Cardy boundary states are constructed explicitly and thei…
We investigate correlation functions for maximally symmetric boundary conditions in the WZNW model on GL(1|1). Special attention is payed to volume filling branes. Generalizing earlier ideas for the bulk sector, we set up a Kac-Wakimoto-like formalism for the boundary model. This first order formalism is then used to calculate bulk-boundary 2-point functions and the boundary 3-point functions of the model. The note ends with a few comments on correlation functions of atypical fields, point-like branes and generalizations to other supergroups.
Extending previous work that involved D3-branes ending on a fivebrane with $θ_{\mathrm{YM}}\not=0$, we consider a similar two-sided problem. This construction, in case the fivebrane is of NS type, is associated to the three-dimensional Chern-Simons theory of a supergroup U$(m|n)$ or OSp$(m|2n)$ rather than an ordinary Lie group as in the one-sided case. By $S$-duality, we deduce a dual magnetic description of the supergroup Chern-Simons theory; a slightly different duality, in the orthosymplectic case, leads to a strong-weak coupling duality between certain supergroup Chern-Simons theories on …
We study the boundary conditions in the topologically twisted Chern-Simons matter theories with the Lie 3-algebraic structure. We find that the supersymmetric boundary conditions and the gauge invariant boundary conditions can be unified as the complexified gauge invariant boundary conditions which lead to the supergroup WZW models. We propose that the low-energy effective field theories on the two-dimensional intersection of multiple M2-branes on a holomorphic curve inside K3 with two non-parallel M5-branes on the K3 are supergroup WZW models from the topologically twisted BLG-model and the A…
The nature of $κ$-symmmetry transformations is examined for p-branes embedded in a class of coset superspaces G/H, where G is an appropriate supergroup and H is the Lorentz subgroup. It is shown that one of the conditions $δZ^M E_M{}^a = 0$ which characterizes $κ$-symmetry transformations arises very naturally if they are implemented in terms of a right action of a subgroup of the supergroup G on the supergroup elements which represent the coset. Unlike the global left action of G on G/H (which gives rise to supersymmetry on the coset superspace), there is no canonically defined right action o…
Recent work applying higher gauge theory to the superstring has indicated the presence of 'higher symmetry', and the same methods work for the super-2-brane. In the previous paper in this series, we used a geometric technique to construct a 'Lie 2-supergroup' extending the Poincare supergroup in precisely those spacetime dimensions where the classical Green-Schwarz superstring makes sense: 3, 4, 6 and 10. In this paper, we use the same technique to construct a 'Lie 3-supergroup' extending the Poincare supergroup in precisely those spacetime dimensions where the classical Green-Schwarz super-2-…
We show that the WZNW model on the Lie supergroup GL(1|1) has super Poisson-Lie symmetry with the dual Lie supergroup B + A + A1;1|.i. Then, we discuss about D-branes and worldsheet boundary conditions on supermanifolds, in general, and obtain the algebraic relations on the gluing supermatrix for the Lie supergroup case. Finally, using the supercanonical transformation description of the super Poisson-Lie T-duality transformation, we obtain formula for the description of the dual gluing supermatrix, then, we find the gluing supermatrix for the WZNW model on GL(1|1) and its dual model. We also …
Actions for extended objects based on Transgression and Chern-Simons forms for space-time groups and supergroups provide a gauge theoretic framework in which to embed previously studied String and Brane actions, extending them in interesting ways that may be useful in a future non perturbative formulation of String Theory. In this Letter I investigate aspects of the actions of these theories, including equations of motion and boundary conditions, gauge and space-time symmetries, and Dirac quantization of tensions. This theoretical framework is shown to include in certain limit and for a suitab…
Using higher order corrections we argue that five dimensional N=2 and N=4 small black holes exhibit supersymmetry enhancement in near horizon geometry leading to eight and sixteen supercharges, respectively. Using this enhancement at supergravity level we can identify the global supergroup of the near horizon geometry. In particular we show how this supergroup distinguishes between small and large black holes in N=2 case.
We identify the two dimensional AdS subsupergroup $OSp(16/2,R)$ of the M-theory supergroup $OSp(1/32,R)$ which captures the dynamics of $n$ $D0$-branes in the large $n$ limit of Matrix theory. The $Sp(2,R)$ factor in the even subgroup $SO(16) \times Sp(2,R)$ of $OSp(16/2,R)$ corresponds to the AdS extension of the Poincare symmetry of the longitudinal directions. The infinite number of $D0$-branes with ever increasing and quantized values of longitudinal momenta are identified with the Fourier modes of the singleton supermultiplets of $OSp(16/2,R)$,which consist of 128 bosons and 128 fermions.…
From the four normed division algebras--the real numbers, complex numbers, quaternions and octonions, of dimension k=1, 2, 4 and 8, respectively--a systematic procedure gives a 3-cocycle on the Poincare superalgebra in dimensions k+2=3, 4, 6 and 10, and a 4-cocycle on the Poincare superalgebra in dimensions k+3=4, 5, 7 and 11. The existence of these cocycles follow from spinor identities that hold only in these dimensions, and which are closely related to the existence of the superstring in dimensions k+2, and the super-2-brane in dimensions k+3. In general, an (n+1)-cocycle on a Lie superalge…
In this note we prove a correspondence between the Wess-Zumino-Novikov-Witten model of the Lie supergroup GL(1|1) and a free model consisting of two scalars and a pair of symplectic fermions. This model was discussed earlier by LeClair. Vertex operators for the symplectic fermions include twist fields, and correlation functions of GL(1|1) agree with the known results for the scalars and symplectic fermions. We perform a detailed study of boundary states for symplectic fermions and apply them to branes in GL(1|1). This allows us to compute new amplitudes of strings stretching between branes of …
We present BPS indices of the supergroup WZW models that live on intersecting M2-M5 brane systems. They can encode data of the stretched M2-branes between M5-branes and count the BPS states. They are generally expressed in terms of mock theta functions via the Kac-Wakimoto character formula of the affine Lie superalgebra. We give an explicit expression of the index for the $PSL(2|2)_{k=1}$ WZW model in terms of the second order multi-variable Appell-Lerch sum. It indicates that wall-crossing occurs in the BPS state counting due to the $C$-field on the M5-branes.
We study worldsheet instanton corrections to the exotic 522-brane geometry in type II string theory. The BPS vortices in the N=(4,4) gauged linear sigma model modify the geometry of the 522-brane. We find that the modification of the geometry is understood by the localization in the T-dualized winding direction.
We study non-supersymmetric orbifold singularities from the point of view of D-brane probes. We present a description of the decay of such singularities from considerations of the toric geometry of the probe branes.
In this paper, we give a map from matrices to a commutative geometry from a bound state of a D2-brane and N D0-branes. For this, tachyons in auxiliary unstable D-brane system describing the bound state play crucial roles. We found the map obtained in this way coincides with the recent proposals. We also consider the map from the geometry to matrices in a large N limit and argue that the map is a matrix regularization of geometry.
We use toric geometry to investigate the recently proposed relation between a set of D3 branes at a generalized conifold singularity and type IIA configurations of D4 branes stretched between a number of relatively rotated NS5 branes. In particular we investigate how various resolutions of the singularity corresponds to moving the NS branes and how Seiberg's duality is realized when two relatively rotated NS-branes are interchanged.
We show that toric geometry can be used rather effectively to translate a brane configuration to geometry. Roughly speaking the skeletons of toric space are identified with the brane configurations. The cases where the local geometry involves hypersurfaces in toric varieties (such as P^2 blown up at more than 3 points) presents a challenge for the brane picture. We also find a simple physical explanation of Batyrev's construction of mirror pairs of Calabi-Yau manifolds using T-duality.
Coset models and their symmetry preserving branes are studied from a representation theoretic perspective, relating e.g. the horizontal branching spaces to a truncation of the space of bulk fields, and accounting for field identification. This allows us to describe the fuzzy geometry of the branes at finite level.
We discuss the nonabelian world-volume action which governs the dynamics of N coincident Dp-branes. In this theory, the branes' transverse displacements are described by matrix-valued scalar fields, and so this is a natural physical framework for the appearance of noncommutative geometry. One example is the dielectric effect by which Dp-branes may be polarized into a noncommutative geometry by external fields. Another example is the appearance of noncommutative geometries in the description of intersecting D-branes of differing dimensions, such as D-strings ending on a D3- or D5-brane. We also…
A D3 brane in the background of NS5 branes is studied semi-classically. The conditions for preserved supersymmetry are derived, leading to a differential equation for the shape of the D3 brane. The solutions of this equation are analyzed. For a D3 brane intersecting the NS5 branes, the angle of approach is known to be restricted to discrete values. Four different ways to obtain this quantization are described. In particular, it is shown that, assuming the D3 brane avoids intersecting a {\em single} NS5 brane, the above discrete values correspond to the different possible positions of the D3 br…
Starting from the usual bosonic membrane action, we develop the geometry suitable for the description of $p$-brane backgrounds. Using the tools of generalized geometry we derive the generalization of string open-closed relations. Nambu-Poisson structures are used to generalize the concept of semiclassical noncommutativity of $D$-branes governed by Poisson tensor. We naturally describe the correspondence of recently proposed commutative and noncommutative versions of an effective action for $p$-branes ending on a $p'$-brane. We calculate the power series expansion of the action in background in…
We introduce a Nambu-Poisson bracket in the geometrical description of the D=11 M5-brane. This procedure allows us, under some assumptions, to eliminate the local degrees of freedom of the antisymmetric field in the M5-brane Hamiltonian and to express it as a D=11 p-brane theory invariant under symplectomorphisms. A regularization of the M5-brane in terms of a multi D1-brane theory invariant under the $SU(N)\times SU(N)$ group in the limit when $N\to\infty$ is proposed. Also, a regularization for the D=10 D4-brane in terms of a multi D0-brane theory is suggested.
For supersymmetric solutions of D3(M2) branes with AdS3(AdS2) factor, it is known that the internal space is expressible as U(1) fibration over Kähler space which satisfies a specific partial differential equation involving the Ricci tensor. In this paper we study the wrapped brane solutions of D3 and M2-branes which were originally constructed using gauged supergravity and uplifted to D=10 and D=11. We rewrite the solutions in canonical form, identify the backreacted Kähler geometry, and present a class of solutions which satisfy the Killing spinor equation.
The disk partition function of the open topological string computes the spacetime superpotential for D-branes wrapping cycles of a compact Calabi-Yau threefold. We use string duality to show that when appropriately formulated, the problem admits a natural geometrization in terms of a non-compact Calabi-Yau fourfold without D-branes. The duality relates the D-brane superpotential to a flux superpotential on the fourfold. This sheds light on several features of superpotential computations appearing in the literature, in particular on the observation that Calabi-Yau fourfold geometry enters the p…
Our motivation is to find the relationship between the commutator of coordinates and uncertainty relation involving only the coordinates. The boundary condition with constant background field is connected with the rotation of D-brane at general angle. And the mode expansions of D-brane we found is more reasonable than those appeared in literature. The partition functions and scattering amplitudes are also discussed.
The characterization of the DBI action of a Dp-brane using the generalized geometry is discussed. It is shown that the DBI action is invariant under the diffeomorphism and B-transformation of the generalized tangent bundle of the target space. The symmetry is realized non-linearly on the fluctuation of the D-brane.
In this article, we study how the Grothendieck group of coherent sheaves can be used to describe D-branes. We show how global bound state construction in topological $K$-theory can be adapted to our context, showing that D-branes wrapping a subvariety are holomorphically classified by a relative $K$-group. By taking the duality between the relative $K$-groups and the $K$-homologies, we show that D-brane charge of type IIB superstrings is properly classified by the $K$-homology.
We consider string theory on the Lorentzian Melvin geometry, which is obtained by analytically continuing the two-parameter Euclidean Melvin background. Because this model provides a solvable conformal field theory that describes time-dependent twisted string dynamics, we study the string one-loop partition function and the D-brane spectrum. We found that both the wrapping D2-brane and the codimension-one D-string emit winding strings, and this behavior can be traced to the modified open string Hamiltonian on these probe D-branes.
We apply noncommutative geometry to a system of N parallel D-branes, which is interpreted as a quantum space. The Dirac operator defining the quantum differential calculus is identified to be the supercharge for strings connecting D-branes. As a result of the calculus, Connes' Yang-Mills action functional on the quantum space reproduces the dimensionally reduced U(N) super Yang-Mills action as the low energy effective action for D-brane dynamics. Several features that may look ad hoc in a noncommutative geometric construction are shown to have very natural physical or geometric origin in the D…
Using properties of the DBI action we find D-branes on $S^3$ of the radius $Q_5$ corresponding to the conjugacy classes of SU(2). The branes are stable due to nonzero 2-form NSNS background. In the limit of large $Q_5$ the dynamics of branes is governed by the non-commutative Yang-Mills theory. The results partially overlap with those obtained in the recent paper hep-th/0003037.
We find explicit solutions of Type IIB string theory on R^4/Z_2 corresponding to the classical geometry of fractional D1-branes. From the supergravity solution obtained, we capture perturbative information about the running of the coupling constant and the metric on the moduli space of N=4, D=2 Super Yang Mills.
We show how non-compact (quantum 2d AdS) space-time emerges for specific ratios of the square of the boundary cosmological constant to the cosmological constant in 2d Euclidean quantum gravity.
Basic idea of Randall-Sundrum brane world model I and II is reviewed with detailed calculation. After introducing the brane world metric with exponential warp factor, metrics of Randall-Sundrum models are constructed. We explain how Randall-Sundrum model I with two branes makes the gauge hierarchy problem much milder, and then derive Newtonian gravity in Randall-Sundrum model II with a single brane by considering small fluctuations.
We characterize the geometry produced by M5-branes wrapping a Special Lagrangian 3-cycle in a Calabi-Yau 3-fold. The presence of the brane replaces the the Calabi-Yau by a real manifold with an almost complex structure. We show that, in this classification, a distinguished (1,1) form as well as a globally defined (3,0) form play an important role. The requirements of supersymmetry preservation impose constraints on these structures which can be used to classify the background.
We report on the gauged supergravity analysis of Type IIB vacua on K3x T2/Z2 orientifold in the presence of D3-D7-branes and fluxes. We discuss supersymmetric critical points correspond to Minkowski vacua and the related fixing of moduli, finding agreement with previous analysis. An important role is played by the choice of the symplectic holomorphic sections of special geometry which enter the computation of the scalar potential. The related period matrix N is explicitly given. The relation between the special geometry and the Born--Infeld action for the brane moduli is elucidated.
We propose a class of models in which extended objects are introduced in Chern-Simons supergravity in such a way that those objects appear on the same footing as the target space. This is motivated by the idea that branes are already first quantized object, so that it is desirable to have a formalism that treats branes and their target space in a similar fashion. Accordingly, our models describe interacting branes, as gauge systems for supergroups. We also consider the case in which those objects have boundaries, and discuss possible links to superstring theory and/or M-theory, by studying the…
By looking at fractional Dp-branes of type IIA on T_4/Z_2 as wrapped branes and by using boundary state techniques we construct the effective low-energy action for the fields generated by fractional branes, build their world-volume action and find the corresponding classical geometry. The explicit form of the classical background is consistent only outside an enhancon sphere of radius r_e, which encloses a naked singularity of repulson-type. The perturbative running of the gauge coupling constant, dictated by the NS-NS twisted field that keeps its one-loop expression at any distance, also fail…
We compute the four-dimensional gaugino mass for a Dp-brane extended in spacetime and wrapping a cycle on the internal geometry in a warped compactification with fluxes. Motivated by the backreaction of gaugino bilinear VEVs, we use Generalized Complex Geometry to characterize the internal geometry as well as the cycle wrapped by the brane. We find that the RR fluxes and the non-closure of the generalized complex structures combine in the gaugino mass terms in the same form as they do in the bulk superpotential, while for the NSNS fluxes there is a crucial minus sign in the component normal to…
We investigate the open string modes, describing the world-volume of a D p-brane, for its cyclic symmetry in presence of a magnetic field. It is argued that the constant coordinate modes receive non-perturbative correction. We show that they introduce the notion of noncommutativity on the D p-brane world-volume and make it UV-renormalizable. An analogy between cyclic symmetry ($\a'$-corrections) and the noncommutative geometry ($Θ_A$-corrections) is presented to explain some of the unusual IR phenomena often noticed in a noncommutative theory.
Branes in non-trivial backgrounds are expected to exhibit interesting dynamical properties. We use the boundary conformal field theory approach to study branes in a curved background with non-vanishing Neveu-Schwarz 3-form field strength. For branes on an $S^3$, the low-energy effective action is computed to leading order in the string tension. It turns out to be a field theory on a non-commutative `fuzzy 2-sphere' which consists of a Yang-Mills and a Chern-Simons term. We find a certain set of classical solutions that have no analogue for flat branes in Euclidean space. These solutions show, …
We study the geometry of M5-branes wrapping a 2-cycle which is Special Lagrangian with respect to a specific complex structure in a Calabi-Yau two-fold. Using methods recently applied to the three-fold case, we are again able find a characterization of the geometry, in terms of a non-integrable almost complex structure and a (2,0) form. This time, however, due to the hyper-K{ä}hler nature of the underlying 2-fold we also have the freedom of choosing a different almost complex structure with respect to which the wrapped 2-cycle is holomorphic. We show that this latter almost complex structure i…
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…
We investigate boundary states of D-branes wrapped around supersymmetric cycles in Kazama--Suzuki models. We show that the geometry of the D-branes corresponds to a generalisation of calibrated geometry. We comment on the link with the geometry of the coset space and discuss how T-duality maps between these boundary states.
We analyze behaviour of D3-branes in BGMPZ throat geometry. We show that although single brane has some of the moduli stabilized multi-brane system tends to expand and form a bound state. Such a system loses non-abelian gauge symmetry.
We present a formal supersymmetric solution of type IIB supergravity generalizing previously known solutions corresponding to D3 branes to geometries without an orthogonal split between parallel and transverse directions. The metric is given implicitly as one with respect to which a certain connection is compatible. The case of the deformed conifold is discussed in detail.
We study a Hanany-Witten set-up relevant to N = 2 superconformal field theories. We find the exact near-horizon solution for this 11-dimensional system which involves intersecting M5-branes. The metric describes a warped product of AdS_5 with a manifold with SU(2) x U(1) isometry.
In this article we study correspondence between the microscopic spectrum and macroscopic properties of a class of extremal and non-extremal black branes and outline an origin of the interactions among various microstates of a given black brane configuration from the perspective of an intrinsic Riemannian geometry arising from the coarse graining entropy over a large number of microstates. We have analyzed the state-space geometry in the case of various extremal and non-extremal black branes arising from the string theories, multi-centered black brane configurations, small black holes with frac…
We define the open string version of the nonlinear sigma model on doubled geometry introduced by Hull and Reid-Edwards, and derive its boundary conditions. These conditions include the restriction of D-branes to maximally isotropic submanifolds as well as a compatibility condition with the Lie algebra structure on the doubled space. We demonstrate a systematic method to derive and classify D-branes from the boundary conditions, in terms of embeddings both in the doubled geometry and in the physical target space. We apply it to the doubled three-torus with constant H-flux and find D0-, D1-, and…
In a previous work, we have shown that, like BPS Dp branes, bulk gravity gets decoupled from the brane even for the non-susy Dp branes of type II string theories indicating a possible extension of AdS/CFT correspondence for the non-supersymmetric case. In that work, the decoupling of gravity on the non-susy Dp branes has been shown numerically for the general case as well as analytically for some special case. Here we discuss the decoupling limit and the throat geometry of the non-susy D3 brane when the charge associated with the brane is very large. We show that in the decoupling limit the th…
We consider the type I theory compactified on $T^3$. When the D5-brane wraps the $T^3$ it yields a D2-brane in seven dimensions. In the leading approximation the moduli space of vacua of the three dimensional field theory on the brane is $T^4/\ZZ_2$. The dual M theory description of this theory is a compactification on K3 and our 2-brane is the eleven dimensional 2-brane at a point in K3. We use this fact to conclude that strong coupling IR effects in the three dimensional theory on the brane turn its moduli space into a K3. This interpretation allows us to solve various strongly coupled gauge…
We introduce generalized calibrations that take into account the gauge field on the D-brane so that calibrated submanifolds minimize the Dirac-Born-Infeld energy. We establish the calibration bound and show that the calibration form is closed in a supersymmetric background with non-vanishing NS-NS 3-form H and dilaton. We show that the calibration conditions are equivalent to the existence of unbroken supersymmetry on the D-brane. We study the problem of supersymmetric D-branes in the presence of non-vanishing H also from the world-sheet approach and find exactly the same conditions. Finally, …
In this paper we study D-brane scalar fluctuations in global Pilch-Warner background geometry. We consider configurations of the probe branes compatible with the kappa symmetry preserving condition and the brane classical equations of motion. The corresponding meson spectra, obtained by the fluctuations along the transverse brane directions, admit equidistant structure for the higher modes, but some of them show additional shifts in their ground states.
