arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Jan Plefka.
We construct the supermembrane action in an AdS_4 x S^7 and AdS_7 x S^4 background to all orders in anticommuting coordinates. The result is compared to and agrees completely with results obtained earlier for generic supergravity backgrounds through gauge completion at low orders in θ.
We construct part of the superspace vielbein and tensor gauge field in terms of the component fields of 11-dimensional on-shell supergravity. The result can be utilized to describe supermembranes and corresponding matrix models for Dirichlet particles in nontrivial supergravity backgrounds to second order in anticommuting coordinates. We exhibit the kappa-invariance of the corresponding supermembrane action, which at this order holds for unrestricted supergravity backgrounds, the supersymmetry covariance and the resulting surface terms in the action.
We study the Matrix theory from a purely canonical viewpoint. In particular, we identify free particle asymptotic states of the model corresponding to the 11D supergraviton multiplet along with the split of the matrix model Hamiltonian into a free and an interacting part. Elementary quantum mechanical perturbation theory then yields an effective potential for these particles as an expansion in their inverse separation. We discuss how our scheme can be used to compute the Matrix theory result for the 11D supergraviton S matrix and briefly comment on non-eikonal and longitudinal momentum exchange processes.
Motivated by manifest Lorentz symmetry and a well-defined large-N limit prescription, we study the supersymmetric quantum mechanics proposed as a model for the collective dynamics of D0-branes from the point of view of the 11-dimensional supermembrane. We argue that the continuity of the spectrum persists irrespective of the presence of winding around compact target-space directions and discuss the central charges in the superalgebra arising from winding membrane configurations. Along the way we comment on the structure of open supermembranes.
We present a study of M(atrix) theory from a purely canonical viewpoint. In particular, we identify free particle asymptotic states of the model corresponding to the supergraviton multiplet of eleven dimensional supergravity. These states have a natural interpretation as excitations in the flat directions of the matrix model potential. Furthermore, we provide the split of the matrix model Hamiltonian into a free part describing the free propagation of these particle states along with the interaction Hamiltonian describing their interactions. Elementary quantum mechanical perturbation theory then yields an effective potential for these particles as an expansion in their inverse separation. Remarkably we find that the leading velocity independent terms of the effective potential cancel in agreement with the fact that there is no force between stationary D0 branes. The scheme we present provides a framework in which one can perturbatively compute the M(atrix) theory result for the eleven dimensional supergraviton S matrix.
We study supermembranes in the light-cone gauge in eleven flat dimensions with compact directions. The membrane states are subject to only the central charges associated with closed two-branes, which, in this case, are generated by the winding itself. We present arguments why this winding leaves the mass spectrum continuous. The lower bound on the mass spectrum is set by the winding number and corresponds to a BPS state.
A $θ$ term, which couples to topological charge, is added to the lattice $CP^{N-1}$ model. The strong-coupling character expansion is developed. The series for the free energy and mass gap are respectively computed to tenth order and fourth order. Several features of the strong-coupling analysis emerge. One is the loss of superconfinement. Another is that in the intermediate coupling constant region, there are indications of a transition to a deconfining phase when $θ$ is sufficiently large. The transition is like the one which has been observed in Monte Carlo simulations of a similar lattice $CP^{N-1}$ action.