A new look at anomaly cancellation in heterotic $M$-theory

TL;DR

This paper re-examines anomaly cancellation in heterotic M-theory, demonstrating a supersymmetric low-energy action to all orders without using distributions, and emphasizing the role of supersymmetry anomalies.

Contribution

It presents a novel approach to anomaly cancellation in heterotic M-theory, avoiding distributions and confirming supersymmetry to all orders in gravitational coupling.

Findings

Green-Schwarz mechanism implemented without distributions

The proposed action is supersymmetric to all orders in 

Highlights the significance of supersymmetry anomalies in low-energy theory

Abstract

This paper considers anomaly cancellation for eleven-dimensional supergravity on a manifold with boundary and theories related to heterotic $M$-theory. The Green-Schwarz mechanism is implemented without introducing distributions. The importance of the supersymmetry anomaly in constructing the low energy action is discussed and it is argued that a recently proposed action for heterotic $M$-theory gives a supersymmetric theory to all orders in the gravitational coupling $\kappa$.