Resolving the singularity of the Hawking-Turok type instanton

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that Hawking-Turok type singular instantons can originate from regular p-brane solutions in string or M-theory when compactified to four dimensions, linking singular instantons to higher-dimensional regular solutions.

Contribution

It reveals a novel connection between singular instantons and regular higher-dimensional p-brane solutions in string and M-theory.

Findings

Singular instantons can be derived from regular p-brane solutions.

The divergence of a massless scalar field causes the singularity.

Compactification relates higher-dimensional solutions to four-dimensional instantons.

Abstract

We point out that the singular instanton of Hawking-Turok type, in which the singularity occurs due to the divergence of a massless scalar field, can be generated by Euclideanized regular $p$-brane solutions in string (or M-) theory upon compactification to four dimensions.