M-theory on Manifolds of G(sub 2) Holonomy and Type IIA Orientifolds

摘要

We demonstrate that M-theory compactifications on 7-manifolds of G2 holonomy,which yield 4d N-1 supersymmetric systems, often admit at special loci in their moduli space a description as type IIA orientifolds. In this way, we are able to find new dualities of special IIA orientifolds including dualities which relate orientifolds of IIA strings on manifolds of different topology with different numbers of wrapped D-branes. We also discuss models which incorporate, in a natural way, compact embeddings of gauge theory/gravity dualities similar to those studied in the recent work of Atiyah, Maldacena and Vafa.