Boundaries of 11-Dimensional Membranes

TL;DR

This paper explores the boundary dynamics of 11-dimensional supermembranes, showing how gauge invariance and kappa-symmetry determine the boundary string theory involving E8 super-Yang-Mills on a 9-brane.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the boundary string theory of an 11D supermembrane is uniquely determined by gauge invariance and kappa-symmetry, linking it to E8 super-Yang-Mills theory.

Findings

Boundary string theory is dictated by gauge invariance.

Kappa-symmetry constrains the boundary dynamics.

Coupling to E8 super-Yang-Mills on the 9-brane is established.

Abstract

The action for an 11-dimensional supermembrane contains a chiral Wess-Zumino-Witten model coupling to the E8 super-Yang-Mills theory on the end-of-the-world 9-brane. It is demonstrated that this boundary string theory is dictated both by gauge invariance and by kappa-symmetry.