On M-Theory

Abstract

This contribution gives a personal view on recent attempts to find a unified framework for non-perturbative string theories, with special emphasis on the hidden symmetries of supergravity and their possible role in this endeavor. A reformulation of $d=11$ supergravity with enlarged tangent space symmetry SO(1,2) $\times$ SO(16) is discussed from this perspective, as well as an ansatz to construct yet further versions with SO(1,1) $\times$ SO(16)${}^{\infty }$ and possibly even SO(1,1)${}_{+}$ $\times$ ISO(16)${}^{\infty }$ tangent space symmetry. It is suggested that upon ``third quantization'', dimensionally reduced maximal supergravity may have an equally important role to play in this unification as the dimensionally reduced maximally supersymmetric $SU(\infty )$ Yang Mills theory.

16 pages (Latex), contribution to the 31st Ahrenshoop International Symposium on the Theory of Elementary Particles, Buckow, Germany, 2-6 September 1997, and the Discussion Meeting on Black Holes, Bangalore, India, 8-10 December 1997. Changes in section 4, minor corrections in previous sections

References in corpus (3)

• M-Theory (the Theory Formerly Known as Strings)
• Conformal internal symmetry of $2d$ $\sigma$-models coupled to gravity and a dilaton
• Canonical quantization of cylindrical gravitational waves with two polarizations

Cited by in corpus (6)

• The Symmetry of M-Theories
• The Superspace of Geometrodynamics
• E_{11}, ten forms and supergravity
• Two Conjectures on Gauge Theories, Gravity, and Infinite Dimensional Kac-Moody Groups
• Hidden Borcherds symmetries in Z_n orbifolds of M-theory and magnetized D-branes in type 0' orientifolds
• The M-algebra completes the hierarchy of Super-Exceptional Tangent Spaces