Topological Defects in Gauge Theories of Open p-branes

Abstract

We study phase transitions induced by topological defects in Abelian gauge theories of open p-branes in (d+1) space-time dimensions. Starting from a massive antisymmetric tensor theory for open p-branes we show how the condensation of topological defects can lead to a decoupled phase with a massless tensor coupled to closed (p-1)-branes and a massive tensor coupled to open (p+1)-branes. We also consider the case, relevant in string theory, in which the boundaries of the p-branes are constrained to live on a Dirichlet n-branes.

16 pages, harvmac tex

References in corpus (2)

• String Theory Dynamics In Various Dimensions
• Unity of Superstring Dualities

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Topological tensor current of $\tilde{p}$-branes in the $\varphi$-mapping theory
• The Dual Phases of Massless/Massive Kalb-Ramond Fields
• Quantum effects of a massive 3-form coupled to a Dirac field
• Duality and Confinement in Massive Antisymmetric Tensor Gauge Theories