Heterotic M-theory: a fundamental brane universe theory of

particle physics and cosmology


January 12 -16 2001


Institut Henri Poincare


Burt Ovrut (UPenn/IHP)


Presently only copies of transparancies exist as IHP Lecture notes 53


Part 1


A brief review of Horava-Witten theory.


Part 2


The compactification of Horava-Witten theory on a Calabi-Yau threefold with non-vanishing G-flux. The result of this compatification is the five-dimensional action of heterotic M-theory.


Part 3


Heterotic M-theory admits wrapped BPS five-brane solutions. These are derived and the static vacua of heterotic M-theory discussed. It is shown how a fundamental "brane universe" theory of particle physics arises in this context.


Part 4


The "non-standard" embeddings of the E8 vacuum on the observable brane are discussed and related to G-instantons.


Part 5


The construction of G-instantons on elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds via holomorphic vector bundles are discussed in detail. This will proceed in two steps, a) a disssion of elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds and b) a detailed construction of holomorphic vector bundles via the method of Freedman, Morgan and Witten and Donagi.


Part 6

The theory of holomorphic vector bundles will be applied to creating realistic theories of particle physics in the context of heterotic M-theory.


Part 7


Bulk space five-branes can collide with the observable brane which then undergoes a phase transition. These transitions, which can change both the number of families and/or gauge group will be discussed in detail.


Part 8


If time permits, it will be shown how to compute the non-perturbative contributions to the superpotential of heterotic M-theory generated by open supermembranes.