Type II p-branes: the brane-scan revisited

TL;DR

This paper revisits the classification of supersymmetric p-branes in string theory, revealing new possible branes in ten dimensions for specific p-values, expanding the brane-scan.

Contribution

It identifies new points on the brane-scan in D=10 for p=3,4,5,6, and clarifies the status of the D=10, p=2 case, refining the understanding of supersymmetric extended objects.

Findings

New supersymmetric p-branes in D=10 for p=3,4,5,6

D=10, p=2 brane is equivalent to the D=11 supermembrane

Expanded the brane-scan with previously unclassified cases

Abstract

We re-examine the classification of supersymmetric extended objects in the light of the recently discovered Type II p-branes, previously thought not to exist for p> 1. We find new points on the brane-scan only in D = 10 and then only for p = 3(Type IIB), p = 4 (Type IIA), p = 5 (Type IIA and IIB) and p = 6 (Type IIA). The case D = 10, p = 2 (Type IIA) also exists but is equivalent to the previously classified D = 11 supermembrane.