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Title: The large-N limit of superconformal field theories and supergravity

Journal Article · · International Journal of Theoretical Physics
 [1]
  1. Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States). Lyman Lab. of Physics

The author shows that the large-N limits of certain conformal field theories in various dimensions include in their Hilbert space a sector describing supergravity on the product of anti-de Sitter spacetimes, spheres, and other compact manifolds. This is shown by taking some branes in the full M/string theory and then taking a low-energy limit where the field theory on the brane decouples from the bulk. He observes that, in this limit, he can still trust the near-horizon geometry for large N. The enhanced supersymmetries of the near-horizon geometry correspond to the extra supersymmetry generators present in the superconformal group (as opposed to just the super-Poincare group). The `t Hooft limit of 3 + 1 N = 4 super-Yang-Mills at the conformal point is shown to contain strings: they are IIB strings. He conjectures that compactifications of M/string theory on various anti-de Sitter spacetimes is dual to various conformal field theories. This leads to a new proposal for a definition of M-theory which could be extended to include five noncompact dimensions.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI ID:
361743
Journal Information:
International Journal of Theoretical Physics, Vol. 38, Issue 4; Other Information: PBD: Apr 1999
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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