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Topological Defects in Gauge Theories of Open p-branes

M. C. Diamantini
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Abstract

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.

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M. C. Diamantini. 1996-07-11. Topological Defects in Gauge Theories of Open p-branes. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0370-2693(96)01167-7

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