Tachyon Condensation in Noncommutative Gauge Theory

TL;DR

This paper models the decay of D2-ar{D2} brane systems with magnetic fields using noncommutative gauge theory, showing how tachyon condensation leads to D0-branes and clarifying previous results.

Contribution

It provides a detailed noncommutative gauge theory description of tachyon condensation and D-brane decay, extending understanding of nonabelian flux decay into vortices.

Findings

Decay process described by noncommutative gauge theory

Tachyon condensation results in D0-brane formation

Clarifies earlier theoretical results on brane decay

Abstract

We show that the decay of the D2-\bar{D2} system with large worldvolume magnetic fields can be described in noncommutative gauge theory. Tachyon condensation in this system describes the annihilation of D2-\bar{D2} into $D0$-branes. From the 2+1 dimensional point of view, this is the decay of a nonabelian magnetic flux into vortices. The semiclassical approximation is valid over a long period of the decay. Our analysis allows us to clarify earlier results in the literature related to tachyon condensation and noncommutative gauge theory.