Extended Field Theories as higher Kaluza-Klein theories

Research output: ThesisDoctoral Thesis

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Abstract

Extended Field Theories include Double Field Theory (DFT) and Exceptional Field Theory, which are respectively the T- and U-duality covariant formulations of the supergravity limit of String Theory and M-theory. Extended Field Theories do not live on spacetime, but on an extended spacetime, locally modelled on the space underlying the fundamental representation of the duality group. Despite its importance in M-theory, however, the global understanding of Extended Field Theories is still an open problem. In this thesis we propose a global geometric formulation of Extended Field Theory. Recall that ordinary Kaluza-Klein theory unifies a metric with a gauge field on a principal bundle. We propose a generalisation of the Kaluza-Klein principle which unifies a metric and a higher gauge field on a principal infinity-bundle. This is achieved by introducing an atlas for the principal infinity-bundle, whose local charts can be naturally identified with the ones of Extended Field Theory. Thus, DFT is interpreted as a higher Kaluza-Klein theory set on the total space of a bundle gerbe underlying Kalb-Ramond field. As first application, we define the higher Kaluza-Klein monopole by naturally generalising the ordinary Gross-Perry monopole. Then we show that this monopole is exactly the NS5-brane of String Theory. Secondly, we show that our higher geometric formulation gives automatically rise to global abelian T-duality and global Poisson-Lie T-duality. In particular, we globally recover the abelian T-fold and we define the notion of Poisson-Lie T-fold. Crucially, we will investigate the global geometric formulation of tensor hierarchies and gauged supergravity. In particular, we will provide a global formulation of generalised Scherk-Schwarz reductions and we will discuss their global non-geometric properties. Finally, we explore the T-duality covariant geometric quantisation of DFT.
Original languageEnglish
QualificationPhD
Awarding Institution
  • HEI: Queen Mary University of London
Supervisors/Advisors
  • Berman, David, Supervisor, External person
Award date31 Oct 2021
Publication statusPublished - 23 Aug 2021

Keywords

  • hep-th
  • math-ph
  • math.DG
  • math.MP
  • math.QA
  • 53C08, 53D18, 83E30

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