P. K. Townsend — Page 5

arXiv1992

$U(1)$--Extended Gauge Algebras in $p$-Loop Space

We consider, for $p$ odd, a $p$--brane coupled to a $(p+1)$th rank background antisymmetric tensor field and to background Yang-Mills (YM) fields {\it via} a Wess-Zumino term. We obtain the generators of antisymmetric tensor and Yang-Mills gauge transformations acting on $p$--brane wavefunctionals (functions on `$p$-loop space'). The Yang-Mills generators do not form a closed algebra by themselves; instead, the algebra of Yang-Mills and antisymmetric tensor generators is a $U(1)$ extension of the usual algebra of Yang-Mills gauge transformations. We construct the $p$-brane's Hamiltonian and thereby find gauge-covariant functional derivatives acting on $p$--brane wavefunctionals that commute with the YM and $U(1)$ generators.

hep-th↗

arXiv1992

Spacetime Scale-Invariance and the Super p-Brane

We generalize to p-dimensional extended objects and type II superstrings a recently proposed Green-Schwarz type I superstring action in which the tension $T$ emerges as an integration constant of the equations of motion. The action is spacetime scale-invariant but its equations of motion are equivalent to those of the standard super p-brane for $T\ne 0$ and the null super p-brane for $T=0$. We also show that for $p=1$ the action can be written in ``Born-Infeld'' form.

hep-th↗