An approach to anomalies in M-theory via KSpin

Abstract

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.

arXiv comment23 pages

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Cited by in corpus (14)

• Fivebrane Structures
• Framed M-branes, corners, and topological invariants
• M/F-Theory as Mf-Theory
• Lie n-algebras of BPS charges
• The character map in (twisted differential) non-abelian cohomology
• Twisted topological structures related to M-branes
• Ramond-Ramond fields and twisted differential K-theory
• Differential cohomotopy versus differential cohomology for M-theory and differential lifts of Postnikov towers
• Ninebrane structures
• M-Theory with Framed Corners and Tertiary Index Invariants
• M-theory, the signature theorem, and geometric invariants
• On the geometry of the supermultiplet in M-theory
• Topological aspects of the NS5-brane
• OP2 bundles in M-theory