2004/09/20 by Paolo Aschieri, Branislav Jurčo, Branislav Jurco · 1 citation
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies #Quantum Chromodynamics and Particle Interactions #hep-th #math.DG
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/1126-6708/2004/10/068
published as JHEP0410:068,2004 · 19 pages
arxiv created 2004/09/20 · openalex publication_date 2004/10/29 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Abelian gerbes and twisted bundles describe the topology of the NS-NS 3-form gauge field strength H. We review how they have been usefully applied to study and resolve global anomalies in open string theory. Abelian 2-gerbes and twisted nonabelian gerbes describe the topology of the 4-form field strength G of M-theory. We show that twisted nonabelian gerbes are relevant in the study and resolution of global anomalies of multiple coinciding M5-branes. Global anomalies for one M5-brane have been studied by Witten and by Diaconescu, Freed and Moore. The structure and the differential geometry of twisted nonabelian gerbes (i.e. modules for 2-gerbes) is defined and studied. The nonabelian 2-form gauge potential living on multiple coinciding M5-branes arises as curving (curvature) of twisted nonabelian gerbes. The nonabelian group is in general ΩE8, the central extension of the E8 loop group. The twist is in general necessary to cancel global anomalies due to the nontriviality of the 11-dimensional 4-form G field strength and due to the possible torsion present in the cycles the M5-branes wrap. Our description of M5-branes global anomalies leads to the D4-branes one upon compactification of M-theory to Type IIA theory.