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arXiv · hep-th/0212151

Brane Gas Cosmology, M-theory and Little String Theory

Stephon H. S. Alexander
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Abstract

We generalize the Brane Gas Cosmological Scenario to M-theory degrees of freedom, namely $M5$ and $M2$ branes. Without brane intersections, the Brandenberger Vafa(BV) arguments applied to M-theory degrees of freedom generically predict a large 6 dimensional spacetime. We show that intersections of $M5$ and $M2$ branes can instead lead to a large 4 dimensional spacetime. One dimensional intersections in 11D is related to (2,0) little strings (LST) on NS5 branes in type IIA. The gas regime of membranes in M-theory corresponds to the thermodynamics of LST obtained from holography. We propose a mechanism whereby LST living on the worldvolume of NS5 (M5)-branes wrapping a five dimensional torus, annihilate most efficiently in 3+1 dimensions leading to a large 3+1 dimensional spacetime. We also show that this picture is consistent with the gas approximation in M-theory.

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Stephon H. S. Alexander. 2002-12-13. Brane Gas Cosmology, M-theory and Little String Theory. https://doi.org/10.1088/1126-6708%2F2003%2F10%2F013

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