2001/07/15 by Graeme Segal · 7 citations
Physics and Astronomy · Mathematics · #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories #Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies #Noncommutative geometry #Physics #String field theory #Topological string theory #Theoretical physics #String theory #Field (mathematics) #Brane cosmology #Space (punctuation) #Gauge theory #String (physics) #Topology (electrical circuits) #Brane #Relationship between string theory and quantum field theory #Pure mathematics #Mathematics #Mathematical physics #Quantum mechanics #Computer science #Quantum gravity
paper · doi:10.1098/rsta.2001.0841
openalex publication_date 2001/07/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
In string theory space–time comes equipped with an additional geometric structure called a B–field or ‘gerbe’. I describe this structure, mention its relationship with noncommutative geometry, and explain how to use the B–field to define a twisted version of the K–theory of space–time. String–theoretical space–time can contain topologically non–trivial dynamical structures called D–branes. These are simply accounted for in the framework of conformal field theory. In a highly simplified limiting casetopological field theory with a finite gauge group—the D–branes naturally represent elements of the twisted K–theory of space–time: the K–theory class is the ‘charge’ of the D–brane.