On the M-theory description of supersymmetric gluodynamics

TL;DR

This paper explores the M-theory description of N=1 supersymmetric SU(N) gauge theory on a compactified space, revealing new non-perturbative effects from BPS M-branes that could impact cosmological models.

Contribution

It extends known string theory solutions to include a compact dimension, leading to the discovery of BPS M-branes and their role in generating a superpotential.

Findings

Identification of extra BPS M-branes in the M-theory uplift.

Explicit computation of a non-perturbative superpotential.

Insights into gauge-string duality with compactified dimensions.

Abstract

We study the stringy description of N=1 supersymmetric SU(N) gauge theory on R^{1,2} X S^1. Our description is based on the known Klebanov-Strassler and Maldacena-Nunez solutions, properly modified to account for the compact dimension. The presence of this circle turns out to be a non trivial modification and it leads us to consider the up-lifted eleven dimensional solution. We discuss some of its properties. Perhaps the most interesting one is that extra BPS M-branes are present. These generate a non-perturbative superpotential that we explicitly compute. Our findings, besides their interest in the gauge-string correspondence, may also have applications in the cosmological KKLT and KKLMMT scenarios.