arXiv subjects

Paul Townsend

Publications and source records attributed to Paul Townsend.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

On-shell versus Off-shell Equivalence in 3D Gravity

A given field theory action determines a set of field equations but other actions may yield equivalent field equations; if so they are on-shell equivalent. They may also be off-shell equivalent, being related by the elimination of auxiliary fields or by local field redefinitions, but this is not guaranteed, as we demonstrate by consideration of the linearized limit of 3D massive gravity models. Failure to appreciate this subtlety has led to incorrect conclusions in recent studies of the "Minimal Massive Gravity" model.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

On massive gravitons in 2+1 dimensions

The Fierz-Pauli (FP) free field theory for massive spin 2 particles can be extended, in a spacetime of (1+2) dimensions (3D), to a generally covariant parity-preserving interacting field theory, in at least two ways. One is "new massive gravity" (NMG), with an action that involves curvature-squared terms. Another is 3D "bigravity", which involves non-linear couplings of the FP tensor field to 3D Einstein-Hilbert gravity. We review the proof of the linearized equivalence of both "massive 3D gravity" theories to FP theory, and we comment on their similarities and differences.

hep-th↗

arXiv2001

Supergravity Supertubes

We find the supergravity solution sourced by a supertube: a (1/4)-supersymmetric D0-charged IIA superstring that has been blown up to a cylindrical D2-brane by angular momentum. The supergravity solution captures all essential features of the supertube, including the D2-dipole moment and an upper bound on the angular momentum: violation of this bound implies the existence of closed timelike curves, with a consequent ghost-induced instability of supertube probes.

hep-th↗

arXiv1999

Supersymmetric Baryonic Branes

We derive an energy bound for a `baryonic' D5-brane probe in the $adS_5\times S^5$ background near the horizon of $N$ D3-branes. Configurations saturating the bound are shown to be 1/4 supersymmetric $S^5$-wrapped D5-branes, with a total Born-Infeld charge $N$. Previous results are recovered as a special case. We derive a similar energy bound for a `baryonic' M5-brane probe in the background of $N$ M5-branes. Configurations saturating the bound are again 1/4 supersymmetric and, in the $adS_7\times S^4$ near-horizon limit, provide a worldvolume realization of the `baryon string' vertex of the (2,0)-supersymmetric six-dimensional conformal field theory on coincident M5-branes. For the full M5-background we find a worldvolume realization of the Hanany-Witten effect in M-theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv1999

Finite energy Dirac-Born-Infeld monopoles and string junctions

It is shown that the worldvolume field theory of a single D3-brane in a supergravity D3-brane background admits finite energy, and non-singular, abelian monopoles and dyons preserving 1/2 or 1/4 of the ${\cal N}=4$ supersymmetry and saturating a Bogomol'nyi-type bound. The 1/4 supersymmetric solitons provide a worldvolume realisation of string-junction dyons. We also discuss the dual M-theory realisation of the 1/2 supersymmetric dyons as finite tension self-dual strings on the M5-brane, and of the 1/4 supersymmetric dyons as their intersections.

hep-th↗