The WZW term of the M5-brane and differential cohomotopy
Domenico Fiorenza, Hisham Sati, Urs Schreiber
TL;DR
This paper uses advanced mathematical tools to interpret the WZW term in the M5-brane sigma model as a twisted cohomology element, connecting superstring theory with differential cohomotopy.
Contribution
It introduces a novel interpretation of the M5-brane WZW term as a twisted 7-cocycle in rational cohomology, integrating rational homotopy theory with higher Lie theory.
Findings
WZW term viewed as a twisted 7-cocycle in rational cohomology
Interpretation of the WZW term within differential cohomology and cohomotopy
Connection between M2-brane cocycle and M5-brane WZW term
Abstract
We combine rational homotopy theory and higher Lie theory to describe the WZW term in the M5-brane sigma model. We observe that this term admits a natural interpretation as a twisted 7-cocycle on super-Minkowski spacetime with coefficients in the rational 4-sphere. This exhibits the WZW term as an element in twisted cohomology, with the twist given by the cocycle of the M2-brane. We consider integration of this rational situation to differential cohomology and differential cohomotopy.
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