2007/05/23 by Hisham Sati · 1 citation
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Algebraic structures and combinatorial models #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Homotopy and Cohomology in Algebraic Topology #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.geomphys.2007.11.010
published as J.Geom.Phys.58:387-401,2008 · 23 pages
arxiv created 2007/05/23 · openalex publication_date 2008/01/03 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/02
The M-theory fieldstrength and its dual, given by the integral lift of the left hand side of the equation of motion, both satisfy certain cohomological properties. We study the combined fields and observe that the multiplicative structure on the product of the corresponding degree four and degree eight cohomology fits into that given by Spin K-theory. This explains some earlier results and leads naturally to the use of Spin characteristic classes. We reinterpret the one-loop term in terms of such classes and we show that it is homotopy invariant. We argue that the various anomalies have natural interpretations within Spin K-theory. In the process, mod 3 reductions play a special role.