M-Theory Dynamics On A Manifold Of G_2 Holonomy

TL;DR

This paper investigates M-theory dynamics on G_2 holonomy manifolds with conical singularities, revealing phase transitions and symmetry restoration among different classical spacetime branches, extending previous gauge theory relations.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the phase structure and symmetry behavior of M-theory on singular G_2 manifolds, including extensions of known results.

Findings

Identification of phase transitions among three classical spacetime branches

Restoration of global SU(3)/U(1)^2 symmetry during dynamics

Extension of smooth continuation results between different spacetimes

Abstract

We analyze the dynamics of M-theory on a manifold of G_2 holonomy that is developing a conical singularity. The known cases involve a cone on CP^3, where we argue that the dynamics involves restoration of a global symmetry, SU(3)/U(1)^2, where we argue that there are phase transitions among three possible branches corresponding to three classical spacetimes, and S^3 x S^3 and its quotients, where we recover and extend previous results about smooth continuations between different spacetimes and relations to four-dimensional gauge theory.