Ghost D-branes

Abstract

We define a ghost D-brane in superstring theories as an object that cancels the effects of an ordinary D-brane. The supergroups U(N|M) and OSp(N|M) arise as gauge symmetries in the supersymmetric world-volume theory of D-branes and ghost D-branes. A system with a pair of D-brane and ghost D-brane located at the same location is physically equivalent to the closed string vacuum. When they are separated, the system becomes a new brane configuration. We generalize the type I/heterotic duality by including n ghost D9-branes on the type I side and by considering the heterotic string whose gauge group is OSp(32+2n|2n). Motivated by the type IIB S-duality applied to D9- and ghost D9-branes, we also find type II-like closed superstrings with U(n|n) gauge symmetry.

49 pages, 6 figures, harvmac. v2: references and acknowledgements added

References in corpus (6)

• N=2 strings and the twistorial Calabi-Yau
• N=1 Supersymmetry, Deconstruction, and Bosonic Gauge Theories
• Mirror Symmetry and Supermanifolds
• Phantom Matter and the Cosmological Constant
• String Theories on Flat Supermanifolds
• Gauged Linear Sigma Model on Supermanifold

Cited by in corpus (9)

• Disordered Systems and the Replica Method in AdS/CFT
• Crystal Melting and Black Holes
• Quintessence and phantom dark energy from ghost D-branes
• Hairpin Branes and D-Branes Behind the Horizon
• D-branes and Closed String Field Theory
• Ghost D-brane, Supersymmetry and Matrix Model
• Topological String on OSP(1|2)/U(1)
• D-brane States and Annulus Amplitudes in OSp Invariant Closed String Field Theory
• D-branes and Closed String Field Theory