arXiv subjects

Adel Bilal

Publications and source records attributed to Adel Bilal.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2003

Anomaly cancellation in M-theory: a critical review

We carefully review the basic examples of anomaly cancellation in M-theory: the 5-brane anomalies and the anomalies on S^1/Z_2. This involves cancellation between quantum anomalies and classical inflow from topological terms. To correctly fix all coefficients and signs, proper attention is paid to issues of orientation, chirality and the Euclidean continuation. Independent of the conventions chosen, the Chern-Simons and Green-Schwarz terms must always have the same sign. The reanalysis of the reduction to the heterotic string on S^1/Z_2 yields a surprise: a previously neglected factor forces us to slightly modify the Chern-Simons term, similar to what is needed for cancelling the normal bundle anomaly of the 5-brane. This modification leads to a local cancellation of the anomaly, while maintaining the periodicity on S^1.

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arXiv2003

Compact weak G_2-manifolds with conical singularities

We construct 7-dimensional compact Einstein spaces with conical singularities that preserve 1/8 of the supersymmetries of M-theory. Mathematically they have weak G_2-holonomy. We show that for every non-compact G_2-holonomy manifold which is asymptotic to a cone on a 6-manifold Y, there is a corresponding weak G_2-manifold with two conical singularities which, close to the singularities, looks like a cone on Y. Our construction provides explicit metrics on these weak G_2-manifolds. We completely determine the cohomology of these manifolds in terms of the cohomology of Y.

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arXiv2002

Supermatrix models for M-theory based on osp(1|32,R)

Taking seriously the hypothesis that the full symmetry algebra of M-theory is osp(1|32,R), we derive the supersymmetry transformations for all fields that appear in 11- and 12-dimensional realizations and give the associated SUSY algebras. We study the background-independent osp(1|32,R) cubic matrix model action expressed in terms of representations of the Lorentz groups SO(10,2) and SO(10,1). We explore further the 11-dimensional case and compute an effective action for the BFSS-like degrees of freedom. We find the usual BFSS action with additional terms incorporating couplings to transverse 5-branes, as well as a mass-term and an infinite tower of higher-order interactions.

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arXiv2001

Duality in N=2 SUSY Gauge Theories: low-energy effective action and BPS spectra

After an introduction to N=2 susy Yang-Mills theories, I review in some detail, for the SU(2) gauge group, how the low-energy effective action is obtained using duality and the constraints arising from the supersymmetry. Then I discuss how knowledge of this action, duality and certain discrete symmetries allow us to determine the spectra of stable BPS states at any point in moduli space. This is done for gauge group SU(2), without and with fundamental matter hypermultiplets which may have non-vanishing bare masses. In the latter case non-trivial four-dimensional CFTs arise at Argyres-Douglas type points.

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arXiv2001

Higher-Derivative Corrections to the Non-Abelian Born-Infeld Action

We determine higher-derivative terms in the open superstring effective action with U(N) gauge group up to and including order alpha'^4 as can be extracted from 4 boson, 2 boson - 2 fermion and 4 fermion string scattering amplitudes. This yields corrections to the non-abelian Born-Infeld action involving higher derivatives as is relevant for studying D-branes beyond the slowly varying field approximation. While at order alpha'^2 the action has recently been shown to be a symmetrised trace, this no longer is true at order alpha'^3 or alpha'^4. We argue that these terms including higher derivatives are as important in a low-energy expansion as e.g. the much-discussed alpha'^4 F^6 terms. In particular a computation of the fluctuation spectra at order alpha'^4 has to take into account these non-symmetrised trace higher-derivative terms computed here.

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arXiv2001

Introduction to Supersymmetry

These are expanded notes of lectures given at the summer school "Gif 2000" in Paris. They constitute the first part of an "Introduction to supersymmetry and supergravity" with the second part on supergravity by J.-P. Derendinger to appear soon. The present introduction is elementary and pragmatic. I discuss: spinors and the Poincaré group, the susy algebra and susy multiplets, superfields and susy lagrangians, susy gauge theories, spontaneously broken susy, the non-linear sigma model, N=2 susy gauge theories, and finally Seiberg-Witten duality.

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arXiv2000

String Theory and Noncommutative Field Theories at One Loop

By exploiting the boundary state formalism we obtain the string correlator between two internal points on the one loop open string world-sheet in the presence of a constant background $B$-field. From this derivation it is clear that there is an ambiguity when one tries to restrict the Green function to the boundary of the surface. We fix this ambiguity by showing that there is a {\em unique} form for the correlator between two points on the boundary which reproduces the one loop field theory results of different noncommutative field theories. In particular, we present the derivation of one loop diagrams for $ϕ^3_6$ and $ϕ^4_4$ scalar interactions and for Yang--Mills theory. From the 2-point function we are able to derive the one loop $β$-function for noncommutative gauge theory.

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arXiv2000

M-Theory on S^1/Z_2 : New Facts from a Careful Analysis

We carefully re-examine the issues of solving the modified Bianchi identity, anomaly cancellations and flux quantization in the S^1/Z_2 orbifold of M-theory using the boundary-free "upstairs" formalism, avoiding several misconceptions present in earlier literature. While the solution for the four-form G to the modified Bianchi identity appears to depend on an arbitrary parameter b, we show that requiring G to be globally well-defined, i.e. invariant under small and large gauge and local Lorentz transformations, fixes b=1. This value also is necessary for a consistent reduction to the heterotic string in the small-radius limit. Insisting on properly defining all fields on the circle, we find that there is a previously unnoticed additional contribution to the anomaly inflow from the eleven-dimensional topological term. Anomaly cancellation then requires a quadratic relation between b and the combination lambda^6/kappa^4 of the gauge and gravitational coupling constants lambda and kappa. This contrasts with previous beliefs that anomaly cancellation would give a cubic equation for b. We observe that our solution for G automatically satisfies integer or half-integer flux quantization for the appropriate cycles. We explicitly write out the anomaly cancelling terms of the heterotic string as inherited from the M-theory approach. They differ from the usual ones by the addition of a well-defined local counterterm. We also show how five-branes enter our analysis.

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arXiv2000

Testing the AdS/CFT correspondence beyond large N

According to the AdS/CFT correspondence, the maximally supersymmetric SU(N) Yang-Mills theory in 4 dimensions is dual to the type IIB string theory compactified on AdS_5 x S^5. Most of the tests performed so far are confined to the leading order at large N or equivalently string tree-level. To probe the correspondence beyond this leading order and obtain 1/N^2 corrections is difficult since string one-loop computations on an AdS_5 x S^5 background generally are beyond feasibility. However, we will show that the chiral SU(4)_R anomaly of the super YM theory provides an ideal testing ground to go beyond leading order in N. We review and develop further our previous results that the 1/N^2 corrections to the chiral anomaly on the super YM side can be exactly accounted for by the supergravity/string effective action induced at one loop.

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arXiv1999

A Note on the Chiral Anomaly in the AdS/CFT Correspondence and 1/N^2 Correction

According to the AdS/CFT correspondence,the d=4, N=4 SU(N) SYM is dual to the Type IIB string theory compactified on AdS_5xS^5. A mechanism was proposed previously that the chiral anomaly of the gauge theory is accounted for to the leading order in N by the Chern-Simons action in the AdS_5 SUGRA. In this paper, we consider the SUGRA\string action at one loop and determine the quantum corrections to the Chern-Simons action. While gluon loops do not modify the coefficient of the Chern-Simons action, spinor loops shift the coefficient by an integer. We find that for finite N, the quantum corrections from the complete tower of Kaluza-Klein states reproduce exactly the desired shift N^2 ---> N^2- 1 of the Chern-Simons coefficient, suggesting that this coefficient does not receive corrections from the other states of the string theory. We discuss why this is plausible.

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arXiv1999

Remarks on Defining the DLCQ of Quantum Field Theory as a Light-Like Limit

The issue of defining discrete light-cone quantization (DLCQ) in field theory as a light-like limit is investigated. This amounts to studying quantum field theory compactified on a space-like circle of vanishing radius in an appropriate kinematical setting. While this limit is unproblematic at the tree-level, it is non-trivial for loop amplitudes. In one-loop amplitudes, when the propagators are written using standard Feynman $α$-parameters we show that, generically, in the limit of vanishing radius, one of the $α$-integrals is replaced by a discrete sum and the (UV renormalized) one-loop amplitude has a finite light-like limit. This is analogous to what happens in string theory. There are however exceptions and the limit may diverge in certain theories or at higher loop order. We give a rather detailed analysis of the problems one might encounter. We show that quantum electrodynamics at one loop has a well-defined light-like limit.

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arXiv1998

D3 Brane(s) in AdS_5 x S^5 and N =4,2,1 SYM

Recently, Douglas and Taylor proposed to identify the Higgs vev of the Coulomb branch of the 4 dimensional N=4 super Yang-Mills theory with the positions of D3 branes in the AdS_5 x S^5 string theory. We extend this identification to more general configurations that preserve less supersymmetry. We show that a single D3 brane in AdS_5 x S^5 string theory can break the spacetime supersymmetry to 1/4 or even 1/8. Such configurations, interpretated as backgrounds of the SYM, also break the N=4 superconformal symmetry of SYM to 1/4 or 1/8, giving N=2 or N=1. We discuss the implications of this correspondence. We also present other BPS D3-brane configurations that preserve 1/8 supersymmetry corresponding to N=1 on the SYM side.

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arXiv1998

Duality, Superstrings and M-theory

In these notes, based on a talk given at the Rencontres de Moriond, I give a simple introduction to the tremendous progress that has been made during the last few years towards the understanding of strong-coupling phenomena in quantum gauge theories and superstring theories.

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arXiv1998

DLCQ of M-Theory as the Light-Like Limit

We investigate whether DLCQ of M-theory can be defined as a limit of M-theory compactified on an almost light-like circle. This is of particular interest since the proofs of the matrix description of M-theory by Seiberg and Sen rely on this assumption. By the standard relation between M-theory on $S^1$ and IIA string theory, we translate this question into the corresponding one about the existence of the light-like limit of IIA superstring theory for any string coupling $g_s$. We argue that perturbative string loop amplitudes should have a finite and well-defined light-like limit provided the external momenta are chosen to correspond to a well-defined DLCQ set-up. On the non-perturbative side we consider states and amplitudes. We show that an appropriate class of non-perturbative states (wrapped D-branes) precisely have the right light-like limit. We give some indications that non-perturbative corrections to string amplitudes, too, may behave as required in the light-like limit. Having perturbative and non-perturbative evidence, this suggests that type IIA superstring theory as a whole has a well-defined light-like limit (for any string coupling $g_s$) and hence that the same is true for M-theory.

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arXiv1998

A Comment on Compactification of M-Theory on an (Almost) Light-Like Circle

In perturbative quantum field theory the limit of compactification on an almost light-like circle has recently been shown to be plagued by divergences. We argue that the light-like limit for M-theory probably is free of such divergences due to, among others, the existence of the wrapping modes of the membranes. To illustrate this, we consider superstring theory compactified on an almost light-like circle. Specifically, we compute a one-loop four-point amplitude in type II theory. As is well known, if the external states have vanishing momenta in the compact dimension, the divergence in the light-like limit is even stronger than in field theory. However, in the case of present interest, where these external momenta are non-vanishing, there is a subtle compensation and the resulting amplitude has a well-defined and finite light-like limit. The net effect of taking the light-like limit is to replace the integration over one of the moduli of the 4-punctured torus by a sum over a discrete modulus taking values in a finite lattice on the torus. The same result can also be obtained from a suitably "Wick rotated" amplitude computed directly with a compact light-like circle.

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arXiv1997

The BPS Spectra and Superconformal Points in Massive N=2 Supersymmetric QCD

We present a detailed study of the analytic structure, BPS spectra and superconformal points of the $ N=2 $ susy $ SU(2) $ gauge theories with $ N_f=1,2,3 $ massive quark hypermultiplets. We compute the curves of marginal stability with the help of the explicit solutions for the low energy effective actions in terms of standard elliptic functions. We show that only a few of these curves are relevant. As a generic example, the case of $ N_f=2 $ with two equal bare masses is studied in depth. We determine the precise existence domains for each BPS state, and show how they are compatible with the RG flows. At the superconformal point, where two singularities coincide, we prove that (for $ N_f=2 $) the massless spectrum consists of four distinct BPS states and is S-invariant. This is due to the monodromy around the superconformal point being S, providing strong evidence for exact S-duality of the SCFT. For all $ N_f $, we compute the slopes $ ω$ of the $ β$-functions at the fixed point couplings and show that they are related to the anomalous dimensions $ α$ of $ u= < tr ϕ^2 > $ by $ ω= 2 (α-1) $.

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arXiv1997

M(atrix) Theory : a Pedagogical Introduction

I attempt to give a pedagogical introduction to the matrix model of M-theory as developed by Banks, Fischler, Shenker and Susskind (BFSS). In the first lecture, I introduce and review the relevant aspects of D-branes with the emergence of the matrix model action. The second lecture deals with the appearance of eleven-dimensional supergravity and M-theory in strongly coupled type IIA superstring theory. The third lecture combines the material of the two previous ones to arrive at the BFSS conjecture and explains the evidence presented by these authors. The emphasis is not on most recent developments but on a hopefully pedagogical presentation.

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arXiv1996

Curves of Marginal Stability and Weak and Strong-Coupling BPS Spectra in $N=2$ Supersymmetric QCD

We explicitly determine the global structure of the $SL(2,Z)$ bundle over the Coulomb branch of the moduli space of asymptotically free $N=2$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories with gauge group $SU(2)$ when massless hypermultiplets are present. For each relevant number of flavours, we show that there is a curve of marginal stability on the Coulomb branch, diffeomorphic to a circle, across which the BPS spectrum is discontinuous. We determine rigorously and completely the BPS spectra inside and outside the curve. In all cases, the spectrum inside the curve consists of only those BPS states that are responsible for the singularities of the low energy effective action (in addition to the massless abelian gauge multiplet which is always present). The predicted decay patterns across the curve of marginal stability are perfectly consistent with all quantum numbers carried by the BPS states. As a byproduct, we also show that the electric and magnetic quantum numbers of the massless states at the singularities proposed by Seiberg and Witten are the only possible ones.

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