The Mathematics of M-Theory: Robbert Dijkgraaf

The Mathematics of M-Theory
Robbert Dijkgraaf
Abstract. String theory, on its modern incarnation M-theory, gives a huge

generalization of classical geometry. I indicate how it can be considered as a
two-parameter deformation, where one parameter controls the generalization
from points to loops, and the other parameter controls the sum over topologies
of Riemann surfaces. The final mathematical formulation of M-theory will
have to make contact with the theory of vector bundles, K-theory and non-
commutative geometry.
1. Introduction
Over the years there have been many fruitful interactions between string theory [14]
and various fields of mathematics. Subjects like algebraic geometry and represen-
tation theory have been stimulated by new concepts such as mirror symmetry [3],
quantum cohomology [12] and conformal field theory [4]. But most of these devel-
opments have been based on the perturbative formulation of string theory, either
in the Lagrangian formalism in terms of maps of Riemann surfaces into mani-
folds or the quantization of loop spaces. This perturbative approach is however
only an approximate description that appears for small values of the quantization
parameter.
Recently there has been much progress in understanding a more fundamental
description of the theory that has become known as M-theory. M-theory seems to
be the most complex and richest mathematical object so far in physics. It seems
to unify three great ideas of twentieth century theoretical physics:
(1) General relativity - the idea that gravity can be described by the Rie-
mannian geometry of space-time.
(2) Gauge theory - the description of forces between elementary particles us-
ing connections on vector bundles. In mathematics this involves K-theory
and index theorems.
(3) Strings, or more generally extended objects, as a natural generalization of
point particles. Mathematically this means that we study spaces primarily
through their (quantized) loop spaces.
At present it seems that these three independent ideas are closely related,
and perhaps essentially equivalent. To some extent physics is trying to build a
dictionary between geometry, gauge theory and strings.
C. Casacuberta et al. (eds.), European Congress of Mathematics
© Springer Basel AG 2001
2 R. Dijkgraaf
It must be said that in all developments there have been two further ingredi-
ents that are absolutely crucial. The first is quantum mechanics - the description of
physical reality in terms of operator algebras acting on Hilbert spaces. In most at-
tempts to understand string theory, quantum mechanics has been the foundation,
and there is little indication that this is going to change.
The second ingredient is supersymmetry - the unification of matter and
forces. In mathematical terms supersymmetry is closely related to de Rham com-
plexes and algebraic topology. In some way many of the miraculous interconnec-
tions in string theory only work if supersymmetry is present. Since we are essen-
tially working with a complex, it should not come as a surprise to mathematicians
that there are various 'topological' indices that are stable under perturbation and
can be computed exactly in an appropriate limit. From a physical perspective
supersymmetry is perhaps the most robust prediction of string theory.
1.1. A two-parameter deformation of classical geometry

For pedagogical purposes in this lecture, M-theory will be considered as a two
parameter family of deformations of "classical" Riemannian geometry. Let us in-
troduce these two parameters heuristically. (We will give a more precise definition
later.)
First, in perturbative string theory we study the loops in a space-time mani-
fold. These loops can be thought to have an intrinsic length is, the string length. At
least at a heuristic level it is clear that in the limit £s - t 0 the string degenerates
to a point, a constant loop. The parameter £s controls the "stringyness" of the
model. We will see how the quantity £~ = a' plays the role of Planck's constant
on the world-sheet of the string. That is, it controls the quantum correction of
the two-dimensional field theory on the world-sheet of the string. An important
example of a stringy deformation is quantum cohomology [12].
Secondly, strings can split and join, sweeping out a surface E of general
topology in space-time. According to the general rules of quantum mechanics we
have to include a sum over all topologies. Such a sum over topologies can be
regulated if we can introduce a formal parameter >. E IR+, the string coupling,
such that a surface of genus g gets weighted by a factor >. 2g-2. Higher genus
topologies can be interpreted as virtual processes wherein strings split and join
- a typical quantum phenomenon. Therefore the parameter>' controls the quantum
corrections. In fact we can equate >.2 with Planck's constant in space-time. Only
for small values of >. can string theory be described in terms of loop spaces and
sums over surfaces.
In fact, in the case of particles we know that for large values of>. it is better
to think in terms of waves, or more precisely quantum fields. So we expect that
for large >. and a' the right framework is string field theory [21]. This is partly
true, but it is in general difficult to analyze this string field theory directly. In
particular the occurrence of branes, higher-dimensional extended objects that will
play an important role in the subsequent, is often obscure. (See however the recent
work [17].)

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The Mathematics of M-Theory

Abstract. String theory, on its modern incarnation M-theory, gives a huge

1.1. A two-parameter deformation of classical geometry

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