Paolo Aschieri

A gravity theory on noncommutative spaces

A deformation of the algebra of diffeomorphisms is constructed for canonically deformed spaces with constant deformation parameter ?. The algebraic relations remain the same, whereas the comultiplication rule (Leibniz rule) is different from the undeformed one. Based on this deformed algebra, a covariant tensor calculus is constructed and all the concepts such as metric, covariant derivatives, curvature and torsion can be defined on the deformed space as well. The construction of these geometric quantities is presented in detail. This leads to an action invariant under the deformed diffeomorphism algebra and can be interpreted as a ?-deformed Einstein?Hilbert action. The metric or the vierbein field will be the dynamical variable as they are in the undeformed theory. The action and all relevant quantities are expanded up to second order in ?.

Noncommutative geometry and gravity

We study a deformation of infinitesimal diffeomorphisms of a smooth manifold. The deformation is based on a general twist. This leads to a differential geometry on a noncommutative algebra of functions whose product is a star product. The class of noncommutative spaces studied is very rich. Non-anticommutative superspaces are also briefly considered. The differential geometry developed is covariant under deformed diffeomorphisms and is coordinate independent. The main target of this work is the construction of Einsteins equations for gravity on noncommutative manifolds.

Twisted Gauge Theories

Gauge theories on a space-time that is deformed by the Moyal–Weyl product are constructed by twisting the coproduct for gauge transformations. This way a deformed Leibniz rule is obtained, which is used to construct gauge invariant quantities. The connection will be enveloping algebra valued in a particular representation of the Lie algebra. This gives rise to additional fields, which couple only weakly via the deformation parameter θ and reduce in the commutative limit to free fields. Consistent field equations that lead to conservation laws are derived and some properties of such theories are discussed.

Dynamical generation of fuzzy extra dimensions, dimensional reduction and symmetry breaking

We present a renormalizable 4-dimensional SU(N) gauge theory with a suitable multiplet of scalar fields, which dynamically develops extra dimensions in the form of a fuzzy sphere S 2 N . We explicitly find the tower of massive KaluzaKlein modes consistent with an interpretation as gauge theory on M 4 × S 2 , the scalars being interpreted as gauge fields on S 2 . The gauge group is broken dynamically, and the low-energy content of the model is determined. Depending on the parameters of the model the low-energy gauge group can be SU(n), or broken further to SU(n1) × SU(n2) × U(1), with mass scale determined by the size of the extra dimension.

Nonabelian Bundle Gerbes, Their Differential Geometry and Gauge Theory

Bundle gerbes are a higher version of line bundles, we present nonabelian bundle gerbes as a higher version of principal bundles. Connection, curving, curvature and gauge transformations are studied both in a global coordinate independent formalism and in local coordinates. These are the gauge fields needed for the construction of Yang-Mills theories with 2-form gauge potential.

Duality Rotations in Nonlinear Electrodynamics and in Extended Supergravity

We review the general theory of duality rotations which, in four dimensions, exchange electric with magnetic fields. Necessary and sufficient conditions in order for a theory to have duality symmetry are established. A nontrivial example is Born-Infeld theory with n abelian gauge fields and with Sp(2n,R) self-duality. We then review duality symmetry in supergravity theories. In the case of N=2 supergravity duality rotations are in general not a symmetry of the theory but a key ingredient in order to formulate the theory itself. This is due to the beautiful relation between the geometry of special Kaehler manifolds and duality rotations.

Noncommutative D = 4 gravity coupled to fermions

We present a noncommutative extension of Einstein-Hilbert gravity in the context of twist-deformed space-time, with a -product associated to a quite general triangular Drinfeld twist. In particular the -product can be chosen to be the usual Groenewald-Moyal product. The action is geometric, invariant under diffeomorphisms and centrally extended Lorentz -gauge transformations. In the commutative limit it reduces to ordinary gravity, with local Lorentz invariance and usual real vielbein. This we achieve by imposing a charge conjugation condition on the noncommutative vielbein. The theory is coupled to fermions, by adding the analog of the Dirac action in curved space. A noncommutative Majorana condition can be imposed, consistent with the -gauge transformations. Finally, we discuss the noncommutative version of the Mac-Dowell Mansouri action, quadratic in curvatures.

Dimensional reduction over fuzzy coset spaces

We examine gauge theories on Minkowski space-time times fuzzy coset spaces. This means that the extra space dimensions instead of being a continuous coset space S/R are a corresponding finite matrix approximation. The gauge theory defined on this non-commutative setup is reduced to four dimensions and the rules of the corresponding dimensional reduction are established. We investigate in particular the case of the fuzzy sphere including the dimensional reduction of fermion fields.

Gerbes, M5-Brane Anomalies and E 8 Gauge Theory

Abelian gerbes and twisted bundles describe the topology of the NS 3-form gauge field strength H. We review how they have been usefully applied to study and resolve global anomalies in open string theory. Abelian 2-gerbes and twisted nonabelian gerbes describe the topology of the 4-form field strength G of M-theory. We show that twisted nonabelian gerbes are relevant in the study and resolution of global anomalies of multiple coinciding M5-branes. Global anomalies for one M5-brane have been studied by Witten and by Diaconescu, Freed and Moore. The structure and the differential geometry of twisted nonabelian gerbes (i.e. modules for 2-gerbes) is defined and studied. The nonabelian 2-form gauge potential living on multiple coinciding M5-branes arises as curving (curvature) of twisted nonabelian gerbes. The nonabelian group is in general E8, the central extension of the E8 loop group. The twist is in general necessary to cancel global anomalies due to the nontriviality of the 11-dimensional 4-form field strength G and due to the possible torsion present in the cycles the M5-branes wrap. Our description of M5-branes global anomalies leads to the D4-branes one upon compactification of M-theory to Type IIA theory.

Nonlinear self-duality in even dimensions

We show that the Born-Infeld theory with n complex abelian gauge fields written in an auxiliary field formulation has a U(n,n) duality group. We conjecture the form of the Lagrangian obtained by eliminating the auxiliary fields and then introduce a new reality structure leading to a Born-Infeld theory with n real gauge fields and an Sp(2n,IR) duality symmetry. The real and complex constructions are extended to arbitrary even dimensions. The maximal noncompact duality group is U(n,n) for complex fields. For real fields the duality group is Sp(2n,IR) if half of the dimension of space-time is even and O(n,n) if it is odd. We also discuss duality under the maximal compact subgroup, which is the self-duality group of the theory obtained by fixing the expectation value of a scalar field. Supersymmetric versions of self-dual theories in four dimensions are also discussed.