arXiv subjects

Paul K. Townsend

Publications and source records attributed to Paul K. Townsend.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2002

The `s-rule' exclusion principle and vacuum interpolation in worldvolume dynamics

We show how the worldvolume realization of the Hanany-Witten effect for a supersymmetric D5-brane in a D3 background also provides a classical realization of the `s-rule' exclusion principle. Despite the supersymmetry, the force on the D5-brane vanishes only in the D5 `ground state', which is shown to interpolate between 6-dimensional Minkowski space and an $OSp(4^*|4)$-invariant $adS_2\times S^4$ geometry. The M-theory analogue of these results is briefly discussed.

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arXiv2002

Supersymmetric Defect Expansion in CFT from AdS Supertubes

The AdS/dCFT correspondence is used to show that a planar q-dimensional superconformal CFT defect expands, under the addition of electric charge and angular momentum, to a supersymmetric higher-dimensional defect of geometry R^q x C, where C is an arbitrary curve. The dual string theory process is the expansion of D-branes and fundamental strings into a supertube in an AdS background.

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arXiv2002

The Story of M

The origins of the 11-dimensional supermembrane are recalled, and a curious property is discussed: the field theory limit of a supermembrane in a hyper-Kähler background is a 3-dimensional sigma-model with N=4 supersymmetry, but the higher-order fermion interactions of the supermembrane generically break this to N=3.

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arXiv2002

Supercurves

The TST-dual of the general 1/4-supersymmetric D2-brane supertube is identified as a 1/4-supersymmetric IIA `supercurve': a string with arbitrary transverse displacement travelling at the speed of light. A simple proof is given of the classical upper bound on the angular momentum, which is also recovered as the semi-classical limit of a quantum bound. The classical bound is saturated by a `superhelix', while the quantum bound is saturated by a bosonic oscillator state in a unique SO(8) representation.

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arXiv2002

Intersoliton forces in the Wess-Zumino model

The spectrum of supersymmetric domain wall solitons of the Wess-Zumino model is known to be discontinuous across a curve (of marginal stability) in the moduli space of quartic superpotentials. Here we show how this phenomenon can be understood from the behavior of the long-range inter-soliton force, which we compute by a method due to Manton.

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arXiv2002

Tachyons, Supertubes and Brane/Anti-Brane Systems

We find supertubes with arbitrary (and not necessarily planar) cross section; the stability against the D2-brane tension is due to a compensation by the local momentum generated by Born-Infeld fields. Stability against long-range supergravity forces is also established. We find the corresponding solutions of the infinite-N M(atrix) model. The supersymmetric D2/anti-D2 system is a special case of the general supertube, and we show that there are no open-string tachyons in this system via a computation of the open-string one-loop vacuum energy.

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arXiv2001

The first law of black brane mechanics

We obtain ADM and Komar surface integrals for the energy density, tension and angular momentum density of stationary $p$-brane solutions of Einstein's equations. We use them to derive a Smarr-type formula for the energy density and thence a first law of black brane mechanics. The intensive variable conjugate to the worldspace p-volume is an `effective' tension that equals the ADM tension for uncharged branes, but vanishes for isotropic boost-invariant charged branes.

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arXiv2001

Multi-Domain Walls in Massive Supersymmetric Sigma-Models

Massive maximally-supersymmetric sigma models are shown to exhibit multiple static kink-domain wall solutions that preserve 1/2 of the supersymmetry. The kink moduli space admits a natural Kahler metric. We examine in some detail the case when the target of the sigma model is given by the co-tangent bundle of CP^n equipped with the Calabi metric, and we show that there exist BPS solutions corresponding to n kinks at arbitrary separation. We also describe how 1/4-BPS charged and intersecting domain walls are described in the low-energy dynamics on the kink moduli space. We comment on the similarity of these results to monopole dynamics.

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arXiv2000

Supersymmetric Intersecting Domain Walls in Massive Hyper-Kahler Sigma Models

The general scalar potential of D-dimensional massive sigma-models with eight supersymmetries is found for $D=3,4$. These sigma models typically admit 1/2 supersymmetric domain wall solutions and we find, for a particular hyper-Kähler target, exact 1/4 supersymmetric static solutions representing a non-trivial intersection of two domain walls. We also show that the intersecting domain walls can carry Noether charge while preserving 1/4 supersymmetry. We briefly discuss an application to the D1-D5 brane system.

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arXiv2000

D-brane Solitons in Supersymmetric Sigma-Models

Massive D=4 N=2 supersymmetric sigma models typically admit domain wall (Q-kink) solutions and string (Q-lump) solutions, both preserving 1/2 supersymmetry. We exhibit a new static 1/4 supersymmetric `kink-lump' solution in which a string ends on a wall, and show that it has an effective realization as a BIon of the D=4 super DBI-action. It is also shown to have a time-dependent Q-kink-lump generalization which reduces to the Q-lump in a limit corresponding to infinite BI magnetic field. All these 1/4 supersymmetric sigma-model solitons are shown to be realized in M-theory as calibrated, or `Q-calibrated', M5-branes in an M-monopole background.

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arXiv2000

Intersecting domain walls in MQCD

We argue that MQCD admits intersecting domain walls that are realized as Cayley calibrations of the MQCD M5-brane. We discuss various dual realizations and comment on how branes can realise domain walls in N=1 supersymmetric theories in D=3.

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arXiv2000

BPS states of D=4 N=1 supersymmetry

We find the combinations of momentum and domain-wall charges corresponding to BPS states preserving 1/4, 1/2 or 3/4 of D=4 N=1 supersymmetry, and we show how the supersymmetry algebra implies their stability. These states form the boundary of the convex cone associated with the Jordan algebra of $4\times 4$ real symmetric matrices, and we explore some implications of the associated geometry. For the Wess-Zumino model we derive the conditions for preservation of 1/4 supersymmetry when one of two parallel domain-walls is rotated and in addition show that this model does not admit any classical configurations with 3/4 supersymmetry. Our analysis also provides information about BPS states of N=1 D=4 anti-de Sitter supersymmetry.

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arXiv1999

Gravitational Stability and Renormalization-Group Flow

First-order `Bogomol'nyi' equations are found for dilaton domain walls of D-dimensional gravity with the general dilaton potential admitting a stable anti-de Sitter vacuum. Implications for renormalization group flow in the holographically dual field theory are discussed.

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arXiv1998

Supersymmetry of Rotating Branes

We present a new 1/8 supersymmetric intersecting M-brane solution of D=11 supergravity with two independent rotation parameters. The metric has a non-singular event horizon and the near-horizon geometry is $adS_3\times S^3\times S^3\times\bE^2$ (just as in the non-rotating case). We also present a method of determining the isometry supergroup of supergravity solutions from the Killing spinors and use it to show that for the near horizon solution it is $D(2|1,α)\times D(2|1,α)$ where $α$ is the ratio of the two 3-sphere radii. We also consider various dimensional reductions of our solution, and the corresponding effect of these reductions on the Killing spinors and the isometry supergroups.

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arXiv1998

Brane-Intersection Dynamics from Branes in Brane Backgrounds

We derive the dynamics of M-brane intersections from the worldvolume action of one brane in the background supergravity solution of another one. In this way we obtain an effective action for the self-dual string boundary of an M2-brane in an M5-brane, and show that the dynamics of the 3-brane intersection of two M5-branes is described by a Dirac-Born-Infeld action.

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arXiv1998

M-brane intersections from worldvolume superalgebras

It is known that the M-branes of M-theory correspond to p-form charges in the D=11 spacetime supersymmetry algebra. Here we show that their intersections are encoded in the p-form charges of their worldvolume supersymmetry algebras. Triple intersections are encoded in double intersection worldvolume algebras with eight supercharges.

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arXiv1997

BPS Bounds for Worldvolume Branes

The worldvolume field equations of M-branes and D-branes are known to admit p-brane soliton solutions. These solitons are shown to saturate a BPS-type bound on their p-volume tensions, which are expressed in terms of central charges that are expected to appear in the worldvolume supertranslation algebra. The cases we consider include vortices, `BIons', instantons and dyons (both abelian and non-abelian), and the string boundaries of M-2-branes in the M-5-brane.

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arXiv1997

Supersymmetry of M-Branes at Angles

We determine the possible fractions of supersymmetry preserved by two intersecting M-5-branes. These include the fractions 3/32 and 5/32 which have not occurred previously in intersecting brane configurations. Both occur in non-orthogonal pointlike intersections of M-5-branes but 5/32 supersymmetry is possible only for specific fixed angles.

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