Zero-Mode Dynamics of String Webs

TL;DR

This paper investigates the low-energy zero-mode dynamics of string webs, revealing the structure of their moduli space, its boundaries, curvature, and extension to M-theory where the moduli space becomes complex and Kaehler.

Contribution

It characterizes the moduli space of string webs, including boundaries and curvature, and extends the analysis to M-theory where the space is complex and Kaehler.

Findings

Moduli space dimension equals the number of internal faces.

Web moduli space has boundaries and multiple branches.

In M-theory, the moduli space is complex and Kaehler.

Abstract

At sufficiently low energy the dynamics of a string web is dominated by zero modes involving rigid motion of the internal strings. The dimension of the associated moduli space equals the maximal number of internal faces in the web. The generic web moduli space has boundaries and multiple branches, and for webs with three or more faces the geometry is curved. Webs can also be studied in a lift to M-theory, where a string web is replaced by a membrane wrapped on a holomorphic curve in spacetime. In this case the moduli space is complexified and admits a Kaehler metric.