We investigate string-phenomenological questions of Hull's exotic superstring theories with Euclidean strings/branes and multiple times. These are known to be plagued by pathologies like the occurrence of ghosts. On the other hand, these theories exhibit de Sitter solutions. Our special focus lies on the question of the coexistence of such de Sitter solutions and ghost-free brane worlds. To this end, the world-sheet CFT description of Euclidean fundamental strings is generalized to include also the open string/D-brane sector. Demanding that in the "observable" gauge theory sector the gauge fields themselves are non-ghosts, a generalization of the dS swampland conjecture is found.
We study the supersymmetry projection rules on exotic branes in type II string theories and M-theory. They justify the validity of the exotic duality between standard branes and exotic branes of codimension two. By virtue of the supersymmetry projection rules on various branes, we can consider a system that involves multiple non-parallel exotic branes in the nongeometric background.
Applying string dualities to F-theory, we obtain various $[p,q]$-branes whose constituents are standard branes of codimension two and exotic branes. We construct junctions of the exotic five-branes and their Hanany-Witten transitions associated with those in F-theory. In this procedure, we understand the monodromy of the single $5^2_2$-brane. We also find the objects which are sensitive to the branch cut of the $5^2_2$-brane. Considering the web of branes in the presence of multiple exotic five-branes analogous to the web of five-branes with multiple seven-branes, we obtain novel brane constru…
When string/M-theory is compactified to lower dimensions, the U-duality symmetry predicts so-called exotic branes whose higher dimensional origin cannot be explained by the standard string/M-theory branes. We argue that exotic branes can be understood in higher dimensions as non-geometric backgrounds or U-folds, and that they are important for the physics of systems which originally contain no exotic charges, since the supertube effect generically produces such exotic charges. We discuss the implications of exotic backgrounds for black hole microstate (non-)geometries.
A two-parameter group element is presented that interpolates between M-brane solutions. The group element is used to interpret a number of exotic branes related to the generators of the adjoint representation of E11 as non-marginal half-BPS bound states of M-branes. It is conjectured that the adjoint representation of E11 contains only generators related to bound states of fundamental M-branes which, in the limit, may be understood as membrane molecules.
We revisit a correspondence between toroidal compactifications of M-theory and del Pezzo surfaces, in which rational curves on the del Pezzo are related to ${1\over 2}$-BPS branes of the corresponding compactification. We argue that curves of higher genus correspond to non-geometric backgrounds of the M-theory compactifications, which are related to exotic branes. In particular, the number of "special directions" of the exotic brane is equal to the genus of the corresponding curve. We also point out a relation between addition of curves in the del Pezzo and the brane polarization effect.
We study how exotic branes, i.e. branes whose tensions are proportional to $g_s^{-α}$, with $α>2$, are realised in Exceptional Field Theory (EFT). The generalised torsion of the Weitzenböck connection of the $\operatorname{SL}(5)$ EFT which, in the language of gauged supergravity describes the embedding tensor, is shown to classify the exotic branes whose magnetic fluxes can fit into four internal dimensions. By analysing the weight diagrams of the corresponding representations of $\operatorname{SL}(5)$ we determine the U-duality orbits relating geometric and non-geometric fluxes. As a further…
We construct world-volume effective actions of exotic $5^2_2$-branes in type IIA and IIB string theories. The effective actions are given in fully space-time covariant forms with two Killing vectors associated with background isometries. The effective theories are governed by the six-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=(2,0)$ tensor multiplet and $\mathcal{N}=(1,1)$ vector multiplet, respectively. Performing the S-duality transformation to the $5^2_2$-brane effective action in type IIB string theory, we also work out the world-volume action of the $5^2_3$-brane. We discuss some additional issues relevant…
We study an N=(4,4) supersymmetric gauged linear sigma model which gives rise to the nonlinear sigma model for multi-centered KK-monopoles. We find a new T-duality transformation of the model even in the presence of F-terms. Performing T-duality, we find the gauged linear sigma model whose IR limit describes the exotic 522-brane with B-field.
We examine the set of objects which can be built in type IIA string theory by matrix methods using an infinite number of D0-branes. In addition to stacks of ordinary Dp-branes and branes in background fields, we find exotic states which cannot be constructed by other means. These states exhibit strongly noncommutative geometry, (e.g., partial derivatives on them do not commute) and some are conjectured to have Z_N-valued charges similar to those of the type I D-instanton. Real-valued charges are forbidden by Dirac quantization, leading to a nontrivial relationship between noncommutative topolo…
We construct the effective action of certain exotic branes in the Type II theories which are not predicted by their spacetime supersymmetry algebras. We analyze in detail the case of the NS-7B brane, S-dual to the D7-brane, and connected by T-duality to other exotic branes in Type IIA: the KK-6A brane and the KK-8A brane (obtained by reduction of the M-theory Kaluza-Klein monopole and M9-brane, respectively). The NS-7B brane carries charge with respect to the S-dual of the RR 8-form, which we identify as a non-local combination of the electric-magnetic duals of the axion and the dilaton. The s…
We study the world-volume effective action of an exotic five-brane, known as the M-theory 5${}^3$-brane (M5${}^3$-brane) in eleven dimensions. The supermultiplet of the world-volume theory is the $\mathcal{N} = (2, 0)$ tensor multiplet in six dimensions. The world-volume action contains three Killing vectors $\hat{k}_{\hat{I}} {}^M \ (\hat{I} =1,2,3)$ associated with the $U(1)^3$ isometry. We find the effective T-duality rule for the eleven-dimensional backgrounds that transforms the M5-brane effective action to that of the M5${}^3$-brane. We also show that our action provides the source term …
We consider localization of gravity on thick branes with a non trivial structure. Double walls that generalize the thick Randall-Sundrum solution, and asymmetric walls that arise from a Z_2-symmetric scalar potential, are considered. We present a new asymmetric solution: a thick brane interpolating between two AdS_5 spacetimes with different cosmological constants, which can be derived from a ``fake supergravity'' superpotential, and show that it is possible to confine gravity on such branes.
We revisit curious objects in string and M-theory called exotic brane---objects that are highly non-perturbative, possessing a tension that scales less than $g_s^{-2}$ and are generically of low-codimension. They are non-geometric in the sense that they are only well-defined locally as supergravity solutions and require duality transformations to patch correctly, in addition to the usual diffeomorphisms and gauge transformations. We argue that Double Field Theory (DFT) and Exceptional Field Theory (EFT) are the prime setting in which to examine such objects. To emphasise this, we construct an …
The general solutions in the models of closed and open superstring and super p-branes with exotic fractions of the N=1 supersymmetry are considered and the spontaneously broken character of the $OSp(1,2M)$ symmetry of the models is established. It is shown that extending these models by Wess-Zumino terms generates the Dirichlet boundary conditions for superstring and super p-branes. Using the generalized Wess-Zumino terms new $OSp(1,2M)$ invariant super p-brane and Dp-brane-like actions preserving $\frac{M-1}{M}$ fraction of supersymmetry are proposed. For M=32 these models suggest new superbr…
We study the string worldsheet description of the background geometry of the exotic $5^2_2$-brane where two isometries are gauged. This is an extension of the gauged linear sigma model (GLSM) for the exotic $5^2_2$-brane with a single gauged isometry. The new GLSM with two gauged isometries has only ${\mathcal N}=(2,2)$ supersymmetry rather than ${\mathcal N}=(4,4)$ supersymmetry of the original GLSM. This is caused by a conflict between two different $SU(2)_R$ associated with the two gauge symmetries. However, if we take a certain limit, we can find the genuine string sigma model of the backg…
Besides the familiar D-branes, string theory contains a vast number of other non-perturbative objects. While a complete classification is lacking, many of these objects are related to each other through various dualities. Codimension two objects play a special role, because their charges are no longer additive but are instead expressed in terms of holonomies of scalar fields, which is given by an element of the relevant duality group. In this paper we present a detailed exposition of these "exotic" objects, the charges they carry, and their connection to non-geometric compactifications. Despit…
Classical and quantum symmetries of super $p$-branes preserving exotic 3/4 fraction of $N=1 D=4$ global supersymmetry are studied. Classical realization of the algebra of global and world-volume symmetries is constructed and its quantum generalizations are analyzed. Established is that the status of the conformal supersymmetry $OSp(1|8)$ as a proper quantum symmetry of brane depends both on the choice of its vacuum state and the associated ordering of $\hat{\cal Q}$ and $\hat{\cal P}$ operators.
Type II string theory or M-theory contains a broad spectrum of gauge potentials. In addition to the standard $p$-form potentials, various mixed-symmetry potentials have been predicted, which may couple to exotic branes with non-standard tensions. Together with $p$-forms, mixed-symmetry potentials turn out to be essential to build the multiplets of the U-duality symmetry in each dimension. In this paper, we systematically determine the set of mixed-symmetry potentials and exotic branes on the basis of the $E_{11}$ conjecture. We also study the decompositions of U-duality multiplets into T-duali…
Recently, Guarino et al. found that dyonically-gauged N=8 supergravity arises as a consistent truncation of massive type IIA supergravity when the gauge group is chosen to be ISO(7). In particular, they found a critical point of the supergravity that uplifted to the first explicit N = 2 $AdS_4$ massive IIA background. Its free energy was also calculated. Though no black brane solutions for this theory have been constructed yet, we nevertheless expect the free energy of the black brane solutions to scale with the same N dependence as the solution obtained by Guarino et al.. In this note, we wil…
We extend the $P$-flux analysis carried out recently on the $T^6/[\mathbb{Z}_2 \times \mathbb{Z}_2 ]$ type-II orientifold model to include all the possible non-geometric fluxes. By deriving universal T-duality rules for all the fluxes, we are able to write down a complete expression for the superpotential for both the IIB and IIA theories. By exploiting the universal T-duality rules that apply to all the branes in string theory, we then identify all the exotic branes that can be consistently included to cancel the tadpoles induced by the fluxes. Finally, we derive the representations of these …
A recently constructed limit of K3 has a long neck consisting of segments, each of which is a nilfold fibred over a line, that are joined together with Kaluza-Klein monopoles. The neck is capped at either end by a Tian-Yau space, which is non-compact, hyperkahler and asymptotic to a nilfold fibred over a line. We show that the type IIA string on this degeneration of K3 is dual to the type I$'$ string, with the Kaluza-Klein monopoles dual to the D8-branes and the Tian-Yau spaces providing a geometric dual to the O8 orientifold planes. At strong coupling, each O8-plane can emit a D8-brane to giv…
We investigate the oblique vacua in the perturbed 2+1 dimensional gauge theory living on D2 branes. The string theory dual of these vacua is expected to correspond to polarizations of the D2 branes into NS5 branes with D4 brane charge. We perturb the gauge theory by adding fermions masses. In the nonsupersymmetric case, we also consider the effect of slight variations of the masses of the scalars. For certain ranges of scalar masses we find oblique vacua. We show that D4 charge is an essential ingredient in understanding D2 -> NS5 polarizations. We find that some of the polarization states whi…
String and M-theory contain a family of branes forming U-duality multiplets. In particular, standard branes with codimension higher than or equal to two, can be explicitly found as supergravity solutions. However, whether domain-wall branes and space-filling branes can be found as supergravity solutions is still unclear. In this paper, we firstly provide a full list of exotic branes in type II string theory or M-theory compactified to three or higher dimensions. We show how to systematically obtain backgrounds of exotic domain-wall branes and space-filling branes as solutions of the double fie…
In recent years, it has been widely argued that the duality transformations of string and M-theory naturally imply the existence of so-called `exotic branes'---low codimension objects with highly non-perturbative tensions, scaling as $g_s^α$ for $α\leq -3$. We argue that their intimate link with these duality transformations make them an ideal object of study using the general framework of Double Field Theory (DFT) and Exceptional Field Theory (EFT)---collectively referred to as ExFT. Parallel to the theme of dualities, we also stress that these theories unify known solutions in string- and M-…
We study two-dimensional ${\cal N}=(4,4)$ gauged linear sigma model (GLSM). Its low energy effective theory is a nonlinear sigma model whose target space gives rise to a configuration of five-branes in string theory. In this article we focus on sigma models for NS5-branes, KK5-branes and an exotic $5^2_2$-brane. In particular, we carefully analyze the GLSM for an exotic $5^2_2$-brane whose background configuration is multi-valued. The exotic $5^2_2$-brane is a concrete example of nongeometric configuration in string theory. We find that the exotic feature originates from the string winding coo…
We discuss implications of Weak gravity conjecture (WGC) for exotic D-brane instantons. In particular, WGC leads to indirect stringent bounds on non-perturbative superpotentials generated by exotic instantons, with many implications for phenomenology: R-parity violating processes, neutrino mass, $μ$-problem, Neutron-Antineutron transitions and collider physics.
The Hamiltonian of the simplest super $p$-brane model preserving 3/4 of the D=4 N=1 supersymmetry in the centrally extended symplectic superspace is derived and its symmetries are described. The constraints of the model are covariantly separated into the first- and the second-class sets and the Dirac brackets (D.B.) are constructed. We show the D.B. noncommutativity of the super $p$-brane coordinates and find the D.B. realization of the $OSp(1|8)$ superalgebra. Established is the coincidence of the D.B. and Poisson bracket realizations of the $OSp(1|8)$ superalgebra on the constraint surface a…
This paper is devoted to the study of dynamics of fundamental string and D1-brane in I-brane background. We consider configurations where string and D1-brane uniformly wrap transverse spheres. We explicitly determine corresponding conserved charges and find relations between them.
In this short note we formulate Covariant Hamiltonian formalism for strings, p-branes and Non-BPS Dp-branes. We also analyse the vacuum tachyon condensation in case of unstable D1-brane.
Algebra of the constraints of twistor-like p-branes restoring 3/4 fraction of the spontaneously broken D=4 N=1 supersymmetry is studied using the conversion method. Classical and quantum realizations of the BRST charge, unified superalgebra of the global generalized superconformal OSp(1|8) and Virasoro and Weyl symmetries are constructed. It is shown that the quantum Hermitian BRST charge is nilpotent and the quantized OSp(1|8) superalgebra is closed.
In this paper we would like to discuss the emergence of D-branes from infinite many D-instantons in bosonic and type IIA string theory in the framework of boundary string field theory.
We consider the ${\cal N}=1$ superpotential generated in type-II orientifold models by non-geometric fluxes. In particular, we focus on the family of $P$ fluxes, that are related by T-duality transformations to the S-dual of the $Q$ flux. We determine the general rule that transforms a given flux in this family under a single T-duality transformation. This rule allows to derive a complete expression for the superpotential for both the IIA and the IIB theory for the particular case of a $T^6/[\mathbb{Z}_2 \times \mathbb{Z}_2 ]$ orientifold. We then consider how these fluxes modify the generalis…
We study the mass and different RR charge distributions of the BPS (p,p-2)-brane bound states in the closed string brane-like $σ$-model. We show that such brane bound states can be realized by introducing a constant B field in the closed string theory. In addition we show that the worldvolume coordinates of these brane bound states turn out to be noncommutative.
We generalize the ideas and formalism of Two-Time Physics from particle dynamics to some specific examples of string and p-brane (p >= 1) dynamics. The two-time string or p-brane action can be gauge fixed to produce various one-time string or p-brane actions that are dual to each other under gauge transformations. We discuss the particular gauges that correspond to tensionless strings and p-branes in flat (d-1)+1 spacetime, rigid strings and p-branes in flat (d-1)+1 spacetime, and tensionless strings and p-branes propagating in the AdS_{d-n} x S^n backgrounds.
We study fundamental string (F-string) dynamics near D5-brane in some limits. We find that when the angular momentum of the probe is proportional to string length (l_s) and square root of string coupling constant {g_s}, the F-string lies in its metastable orbit at a finite distance from D5-branes. We further study the metastable orbits of a M2-brane in M5-brane background.
We present our searches for the tubular bound states of a D2-brane with $m$ D0-branes and $n$ fundamental strings in the NS5-brane, Dp-brane or macroscopic strings background by solving the Dirac-Born-Infeld equation. The geometry of tubular configurations we considered are taken to be parallel to the background branes or macroscopic strings. The $n$ fundamental strings therein may be the circular strings $F_c$ or the straight strings $F_s$, which are along the cross section or the axis of the tube respectively. We show that the stable tubular bound states of ($nF_s$, $m$D0, D2) which are prev…
The production of string charge during a crossing of certain oriented D-branes is studied. We compute the string charge in the system of a probe D2-brane and a background D6-brane by use of the equations of motion in the ten-dimensions. We confirm the creation of string charge as inflow from the background D6-brane.
We describe cosmic D--term strings as D3 branes wrapped on a resolved conifold. The matter content that gives rise to D--term strings is shown to describe the world--volume theory of a space--filling D3 brane transverse to the conifold which itself is a wrapped D5 brane. We show that, in this brane theory, the tension of the wrapped D3 brane mathces that of the D--term string. We argue that there is a new type of cosmic string which arises from fractional D1 branes on the world--volume of a fractional D3 brane.
We study dynamics of (m,n)-string in (p,q)-five brane and (p,q)-string background. We determine world-volume stress energy tensor and we analyze the dependence of the string's dynamics on the values of the charges (m,n) and the value of the angular momentum.
We consider eight-brane configurations in M(atrix) theory and compute their interaction potentials with gravitons, membranes, and four-branes. We compare these results with the interactions of D8-branes with D0-branes, D2-branes, and D4-branes in IIA string theory. We find agreement between the two approaches for eight-brane interactions with two-branes and four-branes. A discrepancy is noted in the case with zero-branes.
We study D-brane actions in non-relativistic string theory. We consider single D-brane and analyse its properties under T-duality. We also derive an action for N D8-branes and also for lower dimensional D-branes through T-duality transformations.
Brane actions with chiral bosons present special challenges. Recent progress in the description of the two main examples -- the M theory five-brane and the heterotic string -- is described. Also, double dimensional reduction of the M theory five-brane on K3 is shown to give the heterotic string.
A ghost D-brane has been proposed as an object that cancels the effects of a D-branes. We construct a classical solution with an arbitrary number of D-branes and ghost D-branes in the context of open string field theory. Cancellation of BRST cohomolgy between D-branes and ghost D-branes is shown.
We study the spectrum of open strings on AdS_2 branes in AdS_3 in an NS-NS background, using the SL(2,R) WZW model. When the brane carries no fundamental string charge, the open string spectrum is the holomorphic square root of the spectrum of closed strings in AdS_3. It contains short and long strings, and is invariant under spectral flow. When the brane carries fundamental string charge, the open string spectrum again contains short and long strings in all winding sectors. However, branes with fundamental string charge break half the spectral flow symmetry. This has different implications fo…
By using the non-supersymmetric $p$-brane solutions delocalized in arbitrary number of transverse directions in type II supergravities, we show how they can be regarded as interpolating solutions between unstable D$p$-branes (a non-BPS D-brane or a pair of coincident D-brane-antiD-brane) and fundamental strings and also between unstable D$p$-branes and NS5-branes. We also show that some of these solutions can be regarded as interpolating solutions between NS5/$\bar{\rm NS}$5 and D$p$-branes (for $p \leq 5$). This gives a closed string description of the tachyon condensation and lends support t…
We show that Dirichlet p-brane can be expressed as a configuration of infinitely many Dirichlet (p-2)-branes in the bosonic string theory. Using this fact, we interpret the massless fields on the p-brane worldvolume as deformations of the configuration of the (p-2)-branes. Especially we find that the worldvolume gauge field parametrizes part of the group of diffeomorphisms on the worldvolume.
Following the conjectured duality between near-horizon NS5-branes and little string theory, the string-corrected thermodynamics of near-horizon NS5-branes is studied and found to agree with the statistical thermodynamics of a 5+1 dimensional supersymmetric string theory near the Hagedorn temperature. Specifically, tree-level corrections to the temperature are argued to vanish, in accordance with the duality, while the one-loop string correction to the NS5-brane thermodynamics is shown to generate the correct temperature dependence of the entropy.
The compactness of the closed string in the classical Type II string theory reveals the duality, whereas the compactness of the open string reveals that the end of the string is on the hypersurface which satisfies the Dirichlet boundary condition.
The tremendous progress achieved through the study of black holes and branes suggests that their time dependent generalizations called Spacelike branes (S-branes) may prove similarly useful. An example of an established approach to S-branes is to include a string boundary interaction and we first summarize evidence for the death of open string degrees of freedom for the homogeneous rolling tachyon on a decaying brane. Then, we review how to extract the flat S-brane worldvolumes describing the homogeneous rolling tachyon and how large deformations correspond to creation of lower dimensional str…
Recent work on solutions to the Born-Infeld theory used to describe D-branes suggests that fundamental strings can be viewed, in a certain limit, as D-branes whose worldvolumes have collapsed to string-like configurations. Here we address the possibility of undoing this collapse, by inducing the string to tunnel to an extended brane configuration. Using semiclassical methods we argue that, by putting one of these Born-Infeld strings in the background of a uniform 4-form RR field strength, the string can nucleate a spheroidal bulge of D2-brane, or, if the string is wrapped around a small enough…
The covariant field equations of ten-dimensional super D-branes are obtained by considering fundamental strings whose ends lie in the superworldsurface of the D-brane. By considering in a similar fashion Dp-branes ending on D(p+2)-branes we derive equations describing D-branes with dual potentials, as well as the vector potentials.
D-brane configurations containing fundamental strings are constructed as classical solutions of Yang-Mills theory. The fundamental strings in these systems stretch between D-branes. In the case of D1-branes, this construction gives smooth (classical) resolutions of string junctions and string networks. Using a non-abelian Yang-Mills analysis of the string current, the string charge density is computed and is shown to have support in the region between the D-brane world-volumes. The 't Hooft-Polyakov monopole is analyzed using similar methods, and is shown to contain D-strings whose flux has su…
We review the recent developments in our understanding of non-BPS states and branes in string theory. The topics include 1) construction of unstable non-BPS D-branes in type IIA and type IIB string theories, 2) construction of stable non-BPS D-branes on various orbifolds and orientifolds of type II string theories, 3) description of BPS and non-BPS D-branes as tachyonic soliton solutions on brane-antibrane pair of higher dimension, and 4) study of the spectrum of non-BPS states and branes on a system of coincident D-brane - orientifold plane system. Some other related results are also discusse…
We present and study ten-dimensional effective actions for various non-geometric fluxes of which exotic branes act as the magnetic sources. Each theory can be regarded as a U-dual version of the $β$-supergravity, a reformulation of the ten-dimensional supergravity which is suitable for describing non-geometric backgrounds with Q-flux. In each theory, we find a solution that corresponds to the background of an exotic brane and show that it is single-valued up to a gauge transformation, although the same background written in the standard background fields is not single-valued in a usual sense. …
We investigate spectrum of open strings on D-branes after tachyon condensation in bosonic string theory. We calculate 1-loop partition function of the string and show that its limiting forms coincide with partition functions of open strings with different boundary conditions.
We construct non-relativistic string and p-brane actions in Newton-Cartan background using the limiting procedure from the relativistic string and p-brane action in general background. We also find their Hamiltonian formulations when however we restrict ourselves to the case of the vanishing gauge field.
