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In
theoretical physics Theoretical physics is a branch of physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions of physical objects and systems to rationalize, explain, and predict List of natural phenomena, natural phenomena. This is in contrast to experimental p ...
, an M2-brane, is a spatially extended mathematical object (
brane In string theory and related theories (such as supergravity), a brane is a physical object that generalizes the notion of a zero-dimensional point particle, a one-dimensional string, or a two-dimensional membrane to higher-dimensional objec ...
) that appears in
string theory In physics, string theory is a theoretical framework in which the point-like particles of particle physics are replaced by one-dimensional objects called strings. String theory describes how these strings propagate through space and intera ...
and in related theories (e.g.
M-theory In physics, M-theory is a theory that unifies all Consistency, consistent versions of superstring theory. Edward Witten first conjectured the existence of such a theory at a string theory conference at the University of Southern California in 1 ...
,
F-theory In theoretical physics, F-theory is a branch of string theory developed by Iranian-American physicist Cumrun Vafa. The new vacua described by F-theory were discovered by Vafa and allowed string theorists to construct new realistic vacua — in ...
). In particular, it is a solution of eleven-dimensional supergravity which possesses a three-dimensional world volume.


Description

The M2-brane solution can be found by requiring (Poincare)_\times SO(8) symmetry of the solution and solving the
supergravity In theoretical physics, supergravity (supergravity theory; SUGRA for short) is a modern field theory that combines the principles of supersymmetry and general relativity; this is in contrast to non-gravitational supersymmetric theories such as ...
equations of motion with the
p-brane In string theory and related theories (such as supergravity), a brane is a physical object that generalizes the notion of a zero- dimensional point particle, a one-dimensional string, or a two-dimensional membrane to higher-dimensional obje ...
ansatz. The solution is given by a
metric Metric or metrical may refer to: Measuring * Metric system, an internationally adopted decimal system of measurement * An adjective indicating relation to measurement in general, or a noun describing a specific type of measurement Mathematics ...
and three- form gauge field which, in isotropic coordinates, can be written as : \begin ds^_ &= \left(1+\frac\right)^dx^ dx^\eta_ + \left(1+\frac\right)^dx^dx^\delta_ \\ F_ &= \epsilon_ \partial_\left(1+\frac\right)^, \quad \mu=1,\ldots ,3 \quad i=4,\ldots , 11,\end where \eta is the flat-space metric and the distinction has been made between world volume x^\mu and transverse x^i coordinates. The constant q is proportional to the charge of the brane which is given by the integral of F over the boundary of the transverse space of the brane.A. Miemiec, I. Schnakenburg "Basics of M-theory"
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See also

*
String theory In physics, string theory is a theoretical framework in which the point-like particles of particle physics are replaced by one-dimensional objects called strings. String theory describes how these strings propagate through space and intera ...
*
Membrane (M-theory) In string theory and related theories (such as supergravity), a brane is a physical object that generalizes the notion of a zero-dimensional point particle, a one-dimensional String (physics), string, or a two-dimensional membrane to higher-dim ...
*
M-theory In physics, M-theory is a theory that unifies all Consistency, consistent versions of superstring theory. Edward Witten first conjectured the existence of such a theory at a string theory conference at the University of Southern California in 1 ...


References

String theory Physical cosmology {{string-theory-stub