Abstract
The full U-duality symmetry of toroidally compactified M-theory can only be displayed by allowing non-rectangular tori with expectation values of the gauge fields. We construct an Ed(ℤ) U-duality invariant mass formula incorporating non-vanishing gauge backgrounds of the M-theory three-form C. We interpret this mass formula from the point of view of the Matrix gauge theory, and identify the coupling of the three-form to the gauge theory as a topological theta term, in agreement with earlier conjectures. We give a derivation of this fact from D-brane analysis, and obtain the Matrix gauge theory description of other gauge backgrounds allowed by the Discrete Light-Cone Quantization. We further show that the conjectured extended U-duality symmetry of Matrix theory on Td in the Discrete Light-Cone Quantization has an implementation as an action of Ed+l(ℤ) on the BPS spectrum. Some implications for the proper interpretation of the rank N of the Matrix gauge theory are discussed.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 163-181 |
Number of pages | 19 |
Journal | Nuclear Physics B |
Volume | 525 |
Issue number | 1-2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 10 Aug 1998 |
Keywords
- BPS spectrum
- M-theory
- Matrix theory
- String theory
- T-duality
- U-duality