Duality Relations Among Topological Effects In String Theory

TL;DR

This paper investigates duality relations between different topological effects in string theory, focusing on p-forms and self-dual (p+1)-forms across various brane and superstring frameworks.

Contribution

It reveals how duality connects topological effects involving p-forms and self-dual (p+1)-forms in string theory, providing a unified understanding of these phenomena.

Findings

Duality relates D4-branes to M5-branes via topological effects.

Comparison of Ramond-Ramond forms in Type IIA and IIB theories.

Topological effects can be derived from quantum mechanics of self-dual forms.

Abstract

We explore two different problems in string theory in which duality relates an ordinary p-form in one theory to a self-dual (p+1)-form in another theory. One problem involves comparing D4-branes to M5-branes, and the other involves comparing the Ramond-Ramond forms in Type IIA and Type IIB superstring theory. In each case, a subtle topological effect involving the p-form can be recovered from a careful analysis of the quantum mechanics of the self-dual (p+1)-form.