In this letter, we study the instanton moduli space of the eight-dimensional solutions of the self-duality equation $F\wedge F= \ast F\wedge F$. Using the known ADHM-construction of such instantons, we compute the dimension of the space of solutions to this construction. We find a general $N$-instanton solution of the 't Hooft type which depends on $8N+1$ free parameters and investigate the cases $N=2$ and $N=3$ in detail.
We construct an octonionic instanton solution to the seven dimensional Yang-Mills theory based on the exceptional gauge group $G_2$ which is the automorphism group of the division algebra of octonions. This octonionic instanton has an extension to a solitonic two-brane solution of the low energy effective theory of the heterotic string that preserves two of the sixteen supersymmetries and hence corresponds to $N=1$ space-time supersymmetry in the (2+1) dimensions transverse to the seven dimensions where the Yang-Mills instanton is defined.
We construct eight-dimensional gravitational instantons by solving appropriate self-duality equations for the spin-connection. The particular gravitational instanton we present has $Spin(7)$ holonomy and, in a sense, it is the eight-dimensional analog of the Eguchi-Hanson 4D space. It has a removable bolt singularity which is topologically S^4 and its boundary at infinity is the squashed S^7. We also lift our solutions to ten and eleven dimensions and construct fundamental string and membrane configurations that preserve 1/16 of the original supersymmetries.
The total space of the spinor bundle on the four dimensional sphere S^4 is a quaternionic line bundle that admits a metric of Spin(7) holonomy. We consider octonionic Yang-Mills instanton on this eight dimensional gravitational instanton. This is a higher dimensional generalization of (anti-)self-dual instanton on the Eguchi-Hanson space. We propose an ansatz for Spin(7) Yang-Mills field and derive a system of non-linear ordinary differential equations. The solutions are classified according to the asymptotic behavior at infinity. We give a complete solution, when the gauge group is reduced to…
We study the octonionic selfduality equations for $p=3$-branes in the light cone gauge and we construct explicitly, instanton solutions for spherical and toroidal topologies in various flat spacetime dimensions $(D=5+1,7+1,8+1,9+1)$, extending previous results for $p=2$ membranes. Assuming factorization of time we reduce the self-duality equations to integrable systems and we determine explicitly periodic, in Euclidean time, solutions in terms of the elliptic functions. These solutions describe 4d associative and non-associative calibrations in $D=7,8$ dimensions. It turns out that for spheric…
We consider an eight-dimensional local octonionic theory with the seven-sphere playing the role of the gauge group. Duality conditions for two- and four-forms in eight dimensions are related. Dual fields--octonionic instantons--solve an 8D generalization of the Yang-Mills equation. Modifying the ADHM construction of 4D instantons, we find general $k$-instanton 8D solutions which depends on $16k-7$ effective parameters.
We construct octonionic multi-instantons for the eight and seven dimensional Yang-Mills theory. Extended soliton solutions to the low-energy heterotic field theory equations of motion are constructed from these octonionic multi-instantons. The solitons describe a string in ten-dimensional Minkowski space, and preserve one and two of the sixteen space-time supersymmetries correspondingly.
In four-dimensional gauge theory there exists a well-known correspondence between instantons and holomorphic curves, and a similar correspondence exists between certain octonionic instantons and triholomorphic curves. We prove that this latter correspondence stems from the dynamics of various dimensional reductions of ten-dimensional supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. More precisely we show that the dimensional reduction of the (5+1)-dimensional supersymmetric sigma model with hyperkaehler (but otherwise arbitrary) target X to a four-dimensional hyperkaehler manifold M is a topological sigma mo…
We investigate the possibility of extending the Ashtekar theory to eight dimensions. Our approach relies on two notions: the octonionic structure and the MacDowell-Mansouri formalism generalized to a spacetime of signature 1+7. The key mathematical tool for our construction is the self-dual (antiself-dual) four-rank fully antisymmetric octonionic tensor. Our results may be of particular interest in connection with a possible formulation of M-theory via matroid theory.
We generalize the supermembrane solution of D=11 supergravity by permitting the 4-form $G$ to be either self-dual or anti-self-dual in the eight dimensions transverse to the membrane. After analyzing the supergravity field equations directly, and also discussing necessary conditions for unbroken supersymmetry, we focus on two specific, related solutions. The self-dual solution is not asymptotically flat. The anti-self-dual solution is asymptotically flat, has finite mass per unit area and saturates the same mass=charge Bogomolnyi bound as the usual supermembrane. Nevertheless, neither solution…
We consider a gauge theory in which a nonassociative Moufang loop takes the place of a structure group. We construct Belavin-Polyakov-Schwartz-Tyupkin (BPST) and t'Hooft like instanton solutions of the gauge theory in seven and eight dimensions.
We construct some classes of instanton solutions of eight dimensional noncommutative ADHM equations generalizing the solutions of eight dimensional commutative ADHM equations found by Papadopoulos and Teschendorff, and interpret them as supersymmetric $D0$-$D8$ bound states in a NS $B$-field. Especially, we consider the $D0$-$D8$ system with anti-self-dual $B$-field preserving 3/16 of supercharges. This system and self-duality conditions are related with the group $Sp(2)$ which is a subgroup of the eight dimensional rotation group SO(8).
In this paper, we study the (anti-)self-duality equations $\ast F\wedge F=\pm F\wedge F$ in the eight-dimensional Euclidean space. Using properties of the Clifford algebra $Cl_{0,8}(\mathbb{R})$, we find a new solution to these equations.
A topological theory for euclidean gravity in eight dimensions is built by enforcing octonionic self-duality conditions on the spin connection. The eight-dimensional manifold must be of a special type, with G_2 or Spin(7) holonomy. The resulting theory is related to a twisted version of N=1, D=8 supergravity. The situation is comparable to that of the topological Yang--Mills theory in eight dimensions, for which the SO(8) invariance is broken down to Spin(7), but is recovered after untwisting the topological theory.
The general solution of a 7D analogue of the 3D Euler top equation is shown to be given by an integration over a Riemann surface with genus 9. The 7D model is derived from the 8D $Spin(7)$ invariant self-dual Yang-Mills equation depending only upon one variable and is regarded as a model describing self-dual membrane instantons. Several integrable reductions of the 7D top to lower target space dimensions are discussed and one of them gives 6, 5, 4D descendants and the 3D Euler top associated with Riemann surfaces with genus 6, 5, 2 and 1, respectively.
We search for an abelian description of the Yang-Mills instantons on certain eight dimensional manifolds with the special holonomies $Spin(7)$ and SU(4). By mimicing the Seiberg-Witten theory in four dimensions, we propose a set of monopole-like equations governing the 8-dimensional U(1) connections and spinors, which are supposed to be the dual theory of the nonabelian instantons. We also give a naive test of the generalized $S$-duality in the abelian sector of 8-dimensional Yang-Mills theory. Some problems in this approach are pointed out.
Topological euclidean gravity is built in eight dimensions for manifolds with $Spin(7) \subset SO(8)$ holonomy. In a previous work, we considered the construction of an eight-dimensional topological theory describing the graviton and one graviphoton. Here we solve the question of determining a topological model for the combined system of a metric and a Kalb--Ramond two-form gauge field. We then recover the complete $N=1, D=8$ supergravity theory in a twisted form. We observe that the generalized self-duality conditions of our model correspond to the octonionic string equations.
In this paper, we study the 't Hooft type instantons in eight dimensions, which satisfy the (anti)self-dual equations $F\wedge F=\pm\ast_8F\wedge F$. Using various designs of such instantons, we find new soliton solutions to the low-energy effective theory of the heterotic fivebrane. We investigate conditions under which these instanton configurations can be identified with the $D$-instantons embedded in the $D7$-brane world volume. Finally, we discuss the relationship between eight-dimensional periodic instantons and monopoles.
We present a simple compact formula for a topologically nontrivial map $S^7 \to Spin(7)$ associated with the fiber bundle $Spin(7) \stackrel{G_2}{\to} S^7$. The homotopy group $π_7[Spin(7)] = \mathbb{Z}$ brings about the topologically nontrivial 8-dimensional gauge field configurations that belong to the algebra $spin(7)$. The instantons are special such configurations that minimize the functional $\int {\rm Tr} \{F\wedge F \wedge \star(F \wedge F)\} $ and satisfy non-linear self-duality conditions, $ F \wedge F \ =\ \pm \star (F\wedge F)$. $Spin(7) \subset SO(8)$, and $Spin(7)$ instantons rep…
We classify supersymmetric D0-Dp bound states with a non-zero B-field by considering T-dualities of intersecting branes at angles. Especially, we find that the D0-D8 system with the B-field preserves 1/16, 1/8 and 3/16 of supercharges if the B-field satisfies the ``(anti-)self-dual'' condition in dimension eight. The D0-branes in this system are described by eight dimensional instantons on non-commutative R^8. We also discuss the extended ADHM construction of the eight-dimensional instantons and its deformation by the B-field. The modified ADHM equations admit a sort of the `fuzzy sphere' (emb…
We study the noncommutative version of the extended ADHM construction in the eight dimensional U(1) Yang-Mills theory. This construction gives rise to the solutions of the BPS equations in the Yang-Mills theory, and these solutions preserve at least 3/16 of supersymmetries. In a wide subspace of the extended ADHM data, we show that the integer $k$ which appears in the extended ADHM construction should be interpreted as the $D4$-brane charge rather than the $D0$-brane charge by explicitly calculating the topological charges in the case that the noncommutativity parameter is anti-self-dual. We a…
We show that the eight-dimensional instanton solution, which satisfies the self-duality equation $F \wedge F = *_8 F \wedge F$, realizes the static Skyrmion configuration in eight dimensions through the Atiyah-Manton construction. The relevant energy functional of the Skyrme field is obtained by the formalism developed by Sutcliffe. By comparing the Skyrmion olution associated with the extreme of the energy, with the Atiyah-Manton solution constructed by the instantons, we find that they agree with high accuracy. This is a higher-dimensional analogue of the Atiyah-Manton construction of Skyrmi…
We construct chiral N=(1,0) self-dual supergravity in Euclidean eight-dimensions with reduced holonomy Spin(7), including all the higher-order interactions in a closed form. We first establish the non-chiral N=(1,1) superspace supergravity in eight-dimensions with SO(8) holonomy without self-duality, as the foundation of the formulation. In order to make the whole computation simple, and the generalized self-duality compatible with supersymmetry, we adopt a particular set of superspace constraints similar to the one originally developed in ten-dimensional superspace. The intrinsic properties o…
We present a unified eight-dimensional approach to instanton equations on several seven-dimensional manifolds associated to a six-dimensional homogeneous nearly Kähler manifold. The cone over the sine-cone on a nearly Kähler manifold has holonomy group Spin(7) and can be foliated by submanifolds with either holonomy group G_2, a nearly parallel G_2-structure or a cocalibrated G_2-structure. We show that there is a G_2-instanton on each of these seven-dimensional manifolds which gives rise to a Spin(7)-instanton in eight dimensions. The well-known octonionic instantons on R^7 and R^8 are contai…
Multi-instanton solutions in the eight and seven dimensional Yang-Mills fields theory is obtained. Extended-soliton solutions to the low-energy heterotic-field-theory equations of motion is constructed from this higher-dimensional multi-instantons.
We construct a chiral theory of gravity in 7 and 8 dimensions, which are equivalent to Einstein-Cartan theory using less variables. In these dimensions, we can construct such higher dimensional chiral gravity because of the existence of gravitational instanton. The octonionic-valued variables in the theory represent the deviation from the gravitational instanton, and from their non-associativity, prevents the theory to be SO(n) gauge invariant. Still the chiral gravity holds G_2 (7-D), and Spin(7) (8-D) gauge symmetry.
We study the ADHM construction of (anti-)self-dual instantons in eight dimensions. We propose the general scheme to construct the (anti-)self-dual gauge field configurations $F \wedge F = \pm *_8 F \wedge F$ whose finite topological charges are given by the fourth Chern number. We show that our construction reproduces the known $\text{SO}(8)$ one-instanton solution. We also construct multi-instanton solutions of 't Hooft and Jackiw-Nohl-Rebbi (JNR) types in the dilute instanton gas approximation. The well-separated configurations of multi-instantons reproduce the correct topological charges wi…
We obtain the exact non-perturbative thresholds of $R^4$ terms in IIB string theory compactified to eight and seven dimensions. These thresholds are given by the perturbative tree-level and one-loop results together with the contribution of the D-instantons and of the (p,q)-string instantons. The invariance under U-duality is made manifest by rewriting the sum as a non-holomorphic modular function of the corresponding discrete U-duality group. In the eight-dimensional case, the threshold is the sum of a order-1 Eisenstein series for SL(2,Z) and a order-3/2 Eisenstein series for SL(3,Z). The se…
We discuss higher-dimensional gravitational instantons by studying appropriate self-duality equations for the spin connection. In seven and in eight dimensions, the corresponding spaces admit a covariantly constant spinor and have holonomies in G_2 and Spin(7), respectively. We find a non-compact solution to the self-duality equations in eight dimensions in which the self-dual space has an elliptically-fibered structure.
We study ${\cal F}^4$-threshold corrections in an eight dimensional S-dual pair of string theories, as a prototype of dual string vacua with sixteen supercharges. We show that the orbifold CFT description of D-string instantons gives rise to a perturbative expansion similar to the one appearing on the fundamental string side. By an explicit calculation, using the Nambu-Goto action in the static gauge, we show that the first subleading term agrees precisely on the two sides. We then give a general argument to show that the agreement extends to all orders.
We interpret a class of 4k-dimensional instanton solutions found by Ward, Corrigan, Goddard and Kent as four-dimensional instantons at angles. The superposition of each pair of four-dimensional instantons is associated with four angles which depend on some of the ADHM parameters. All these solutions are associated with the group $Sp(k)$ and are examples of Hermitian-Einstein connections on $\bE^{4k}$. We show that the eight-dimensional solutions preserve 3/16 of the ten-dimensional N=1 supersymmetry. We argue that under the correspondence between the BPS states of Yang-Mills theory and those o…
When eight-dimensional instantons, satisfying F \wedge F = \pm \star_8 (F\wedge F), shrink to zero size, we find stringy objects in higher order ten-dimensional Yang-Mills (viewed as a low-energy limit of open string theory). The associated F^4 action is a combination of two independent parts having a single-trace and a double-trace structure. As a result we get a D-string from the single-trace term and a fundamental string from the double-trace. The latter has (8,0) supersymmetry on the worldsheet and couplings to the background gauge fields of a heterotic string. A correlation between the co…
We study the 1/4 BPS equations in the eight dimensional noncommutative Yang-Mills theory found by Bak, Lee and Park. We explicitly construct some solutions of the 1/4 BPS equations using the noncommutative version of the ADHM-like construction in eight dimensions. From the calculation of topological charges, we show that our solutions can be interpreted as the bound states of the $D0$-$D4$-$D8$ with a $B$-field. We also discuss the structure of the moduli space of the 1/4 BPS solutions and determine the metric of the moduli space of the U(2) one-instanton in four and eight dimensions.
We study the superconformal index of five-dimensional SCFTs and the sphere partition function of four-dimensional gauge theories with eight supercharges in the presence of co-dimension two half-BPS defects. We derive a prescription which is valid for defects which can be given a "vortex construction", i.e. can be defined by RG flow from vortex configurations in a larger theory. We test the prescription against known results and expected dualities. We employ our prescription to develop a general computational strategy for defects defined by coupling the bulk degrees of freedom to a Gauged Linea…
Self-dual 2-forms in D=2n dimensions are characterised by an eigenvalue criterion. The equivalence of various definitions of self-duality is proven. We show that the self-dual 2-forms determine a n^2-n+1 dimensional manifold S_{2n} and the dimension of the maximal linear subspaces of S_{2n}$ is equal to the Radon-Hurwitz number of linearly independent vector fields on the sphere S^{2n-1}. The relation between the maximal linear subspaces and the representations of Clifford algebras is noted. A general procedure based on this relation for the explicit construction of linearly self-dual 2-forms …
We study the non-perturbative corrections generated by exotic instantons in U(N) gauge theories in eight and four dimensions. As it was shown previously, the eight-dimensional prepotential can be resummed using a plethystic formula showing only a dependence from the center of mass and from a U(1) gauge factor. On the contrary, chiral correlators in eight and four dimensions display a non-trivial dependence from the full gauge group. Furthermore the resolvent, the generating function for the eight and four dimensional correlators, can be written in a compact form both in the eight and four dime…
We construct nearly topological Yang-Mills theories on eight dimensional manifolds with a special holonomy group. These manifolds are the Joyce manifold with $Spin(7)$ holonomy and the Calabi-Yau manifold with SU(4) holonomy. An invariant closed four form $T_{μνρσ}$ on the manifold allows us to define an analogue of the instanton equation, which serves as a topological gauge fixing condition in BRST formalism. The model on the Joyce manifold is related to the eight dimensional supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. Topological dimensional reduction to four dimensions gives non-abelian Seiberg-Witte…
We calculate multi-instanton effects in a three-dimensional gauge theory with N=8 supersymmetry and gauge group SU(2). The k-instanton contribution to an eight-fermion correlator is found to be proportional to the Gauss-Bonnet-Chern integral of the Gaussian curvature over the centered moduli-space of charge-k BPS monopoles, \tilde{M}_{k}. For k=2 the integral can be evaluated using the explicit metric on \tilde{M}_{2} found by Atiyah and Hitchin. In this case the integral is equal to the Euler character of the manifold. More generally the integral is the volume contribution to the index of the…
We discuss higher derivative interactions in the type IIB superstring in ten dimensions. From the fundamental string point of view, the non-perturbative corrections are due to D-instantons. We argue that they can alternatively be understood as arising from $(p,q)$-strings. We derive a non-renormalization theorem for eight-derivative bosonic interactions, which states that terms involving either NS-NS or R-R fields occur at tree-level and one-loop only. By using the $SL(2, Z)$ symmetry of M-theory on $T^2$, we show that in order for the possible $R^{3m+1} (m=1,2,...)$ interactions in M-theory t…
We compute the partition functions of D(-1)D7 systems describing the multi-instanton dynamics of SO(N) gauge theories in eight dimensions. This is the simplest instance of the so called exotic instantons. In analogy with the Seiberg-Witten theory in four space-time dimensions, the prepotential and correlators in the chiral ring are derived via localization formulas and found to satisfy relations of the Matone type. Exotic prepotentials of SO(N) gauge theories with N=2 supersymmetries in four-dimensions are also discussed.
We consider a complex vector bundle E endowed with a connection A over the eight-dimensional manifold R^2 x G/H, where G/H = SU(3)/U(1)xU(1) is a homogeneous space provided with a never integrable almost complex structure and a family of SU(3)-structures. We establish an equivalence between G-invariant solutions A of the Spin(7)-instanton equations on R^2 x G/H and general solutions of non-Abelian coupled vortex equations on R^2. These vortices are BPS solitons in a d=4 gauge theory obtained from N=1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in ten dimensions compactified on the coset space G/H with an…
We construct the dual supergravity description of strongly coupled, large $N$, eight-supercharge gauge theories with fundamental hypermultiplets at points on the mixed Coulomb-Higgs branch. With certain assumptions about unknown couplings of D-branes to supergravity, this construction gives the correct metric on the hypermultiplet (Higgs-branch) component the moduli space, which decouples from the vector multiplet (Coulomb-branch) moduli. Going beyond the geodesic approximation, we find that the dynamics of a hypermultiplet VEV rolling towards a singularity on the Higgs component of the moduli…
We study non-perturbative effects in supersymmetric U(N) gauge theories in eight dimensions realized by means of D(-1)/D7-brane systems with non-trivial world-volume fluxes turned on. Using an explicit string construction in terms of vertex operators, we derive the action for the open strings ending on the D(-1)-branes and exhibit its BRST structure. The space of vacua for these open strings is shown to be in correspondence with the moduli space of generalized ADHM gauge connections which trigger the non-perturbative corrections in the eight-dimensional theory. These corrections are computed v…
We consider the octonionic self-duality equations on eight-dimensional manifolds of the form $M_8=M_4\times \R^4$, where $M_4$ is a hyper-Kähler four-manifold. We construct explicit solutions to these equations and their symmetry reductions to the non-abelian Seiberg-Witten equations on $M_4$ in the case when the gauge group is SU(2). These solutions are singular for flat and Eguchi-Hanson backgrounds. For $M_4=\R\times {\mathcal G}$ with a cohomogeneity one hyper-Kähler metric, where ${\mathcal G}$ is a nilpotent (Bianchi II) Lie group, we find a solution which is singular only on a single-si…
We propose a new prescription for computing the Nekrasov partition functions of five-dimensional theories with eight supercharges realized by gauging non-perturbative flavor symmetries of three five-dimensional superconformal field theories. The topological vertex formalism gives a way to compute the partition functions of the matter theories with flavor instanton backgrounds, and the gauging is achieved by summing over Young diagrams. We apply the prescription to calculate the Nekrasov partition functions of various five-dimensional gauge theories such as $\mathrm{SO}(2N)$ gauge theories with…
Using a geometric realization of the $SU(2)_R$ symmetry and a procedure of factorisation of the gauge and $SU(2)_R$ charges, we study the small instanton singularities of the Higgs branch of supersymmetric $U(1)^r$ gauge theories with eight supercharges. We derive new solutions for the moduli space of vacua preserving manifestly the eight supercharges. In particular, we obtain an extension of the ordinary ADE singularities for hyperKahler manifolds and show that the classical moduli space of vacua is in general given by cotangent bundles of compact weighted projective spaces.
We apply equivariant integration technique, developed in the context of instanton counting, to two dimensional N=2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills models. Twisted superpotential for U(N) model is computed. Connections to the four dimensional case are discussed. Also we make some comments about the eight dimensional model which manifests similar features.
We consider an eight-dimensional Einstein-Yang-Mills theory to explore whether Yang-Mills instantons formed in extra dimensions can induce the dynamical instability of our four-dimensional spacetime. We show that the Yang-Mills instantons in extra dimensions can trigger the expansion of our universe in four-dimensional spacetime as well as the dynamical compactification of extra dimensions. We also discuss a possibility to realize a reheating mechanism via the quantum back-reaction from the contracting tiny internal space with a smeared instanton.
We show that the four derivative terms in the effective action of three-dimensional N=8 Yang-Mills theory are determined by supersymmetry. These terms receive both perturbative and non-perturbative corrections. Using our technique for constraining the effective action, we are able to determine the exact form of the eight fermion terms in the supersymmetric completion of the $F^4$ term, including all instanton corrections. As a consequence, we argue that the integral of the Euler density over $k$ monopole moduli space in SU(2) Yang-Mills is determined by our non-renormalization theorem for all …
We show that the heterotic supersymmetry (Killing spinor equations) and the anomaly cancellation imply the heterotic equations of motion in dimensions five, six, seven, eight if and only if the connection on the tangent bundle is an instanton. For heterotic compactifications in dimension six this reduces the choice of that connection to the unique SU(3) instanton on a manifold with stable tangent bundle of degree zero.
Four-graviton, eight-derivative couplings in the low energy effective action of toroidal type II string compactifications are tightly constrained by U-duality invariance and by supersymmetry. In this note, we revisit earlier proposals for the automorphic form governing these couplings in dimension D=3,4,5,6, and propose that the correct automorphic form is the minimal theta series for the corresponding U-duality group. Evidence for this proposal comes from i) the matching of infinitesimal characters, ii) the fact that the Fourier coefficients have support on 1/2-BPS charges and iii) decompacti…
We study the singularities of the Higgs branch of supersymmetric U(1)^r gauge theories with eight supercharges. We derive new solutions for the moduli space of vacua preserving manifestly the eight supercharges by using a geometric realization of the SU(2)_R symmetry and a separation procedure of the gauge and SU(2)_R charges, which allow us to put the hypermultiplet vacua in a form depending on a parameter $γ$. For $γ=1$, we obtain new models which flow in the infrared to 2d N=(4,4) conformal models and we show that the classical moduli spaces are given by intersecting cotangent weighted comp…
We construct explicit compact solutions with non-zero field strength, non-flat instanton and constant dilaton to the heterotic string equations in dimensions seven and eight. We present a quadratic condition on the curvature which is necessary and sufficient the heterotic supersymmetry and the anomaly cancellation to imply the heterotic equations of motion in dimensions seven and eight. We show that some of our examples are compact supersymmetric solutions of the heterotic equations of motion in dimensions seven and eight.
We show that the exact partition function of U(N) six-dimensional gauge theory with eight supercharges on C^2 x S^2 provides the quantization of the integrable system of hydrodynamic type known as gl(N) periodic Intermediate Long Wave (ILW). We characterize this system as the hydrodynamic limit of elliptic Calogero-Moser integrable system. We compute the Bethe equations from the effective gauged linear sigma model on S^2 with target space the ADHM instanton moduli space, whose mirror computes the Yang-Yang function of gl(N) ILW. The quantum Hamiltonians are given by the local chiral ring obser…
We present a novel formulation of the instanton equations in 8-dimensional Yang-Mills theory. This formulation reveals these equations as the last member of a series of gauge-theoretical equations associated with the real division algebras, including flatness in dimension 2 and (anti-)self-duality in 4. Using this formulation we prove that (in flat space) these equations can be understood in terms of moment maps on the space of connections and the moduli space of solutions is obtained via a generalised symplectic quotient: a Kaehler quotient in dimension 2, a hyperkaehler quotient in dimension…
We consider compactifications of the N=1, d=6, E_8 theory on tori to five, four, and three dimensions and learn about some properties of this theory. As a by-product we derive the SL(2,\IZ) duality of the N=2, d=4, SU(2) theory with N_f=4. Using this theory on a D-brane probe we shed new light on the singularities of F-theory compactifications to eight dimensions. As another application we consider compactifications of F-theory, M-theory and the IIA string on (singular) Calabi-Yau spaces where our theory appears in spacetime. Our viewpoint leads to a new perspective on the nature of the singul…
We study the vibrational modes of Skyrmions with baryon numbers one through eight in the standard Skyrme model. The vibrational modes are found in the harmonic approximation around the classical soliton solution and the real parts of the frequencies of the modes are extracted. We further classify the vibrational modes into representations of the symmetries possessed by the Skyrmion solutions. We find that there are approximately 7B low-lying modes for a Skyrmion with baryon number B, in addition to an infinite continuum of scattering modes. This result suggests that the instanton moduli space,…
We introduce a magnetic analogue of the seven-dimensional nonassociative octonionic R-flux algebra that describes the phase space of M2-branes in four-dimensional locally non-geometric M-theory backgrounds. We show that these two algebras are related by a Spin(7) automorphism of the 3-algebra that provides a covariant description of the eight-dimensional M-theory phase space. We argue that this algebra also underlies the phase space of electrons probing a smeared magnetic monopole in quantum gravity by showing that upon appropriate contractions, the algebra reduces to the noncommutative algebr…
