On the universal exceptional structure of world-volume theories in string and M-theory

TL;DR

This paper reveals a universal exceptional geometric structure underlying world-volume theories of half-BPS branes in string and M-theory, extending previous models to full spacetime and higher symmetry groups.

Contribution

It extends the exceptional geometric framework from internal spaces to entire spacetimes and from lower to higher exceptional groups, clarifying the role of the tensor hierarchy in brane theories.

Findings

Unified exceptional structure for brane world-volume theories.

Extension to full 11- and 10-dimensional spacetimes.

New example with gauged sigma-model of Kaluza-Klein monopole.

Abstract

A universal structure of world-volume theories of half-BPS branes in string and M-theory in terms of exceptional generalised geometry is observed. Previous constructions are extended in two ways: from internal $d$-dimensional space to full 11- or 10-dimensional spacetimes, by coupling to the tensor hierarchy gauge fields, and from $E_{d(d)}$ with $d\leq 6$ to $E_{7(7)}$ and $E_{8(8)}$. This is done by a clarification of the role of the tensor hierarchy and its end in the context of brane world-volume theories. The exceptional structure of the gauged $\sigma$-model of the Kaluza-Klein monopole is provided as a new example.