Orientifolds: The Unique Personality Of Each Spacetime Dimension
Abstract
Description
I review some recent developments in our understanding of the dynamics of Z_2 orientifolds of type IIA and IIB strings and M-theory. Interesting physical phenomena that occur in each spacetime dimension from 10 to 1 are summarized, along with some relationships to nonperturbative effects and to M- and F-theory. The conceptual aspects that are highlighted are: (i) orientifolds of M-theory, (ii) exceptional gauge symmetry from open strings, (iii) certain similarities between branes and orientifold planes. Some comments are also made on disconnected components of orientifold moduli space.
harvmac, 15 pages (b), one eps figure; Review based on talks given at Puri (Dec 1996) and Paris (Aug 1997)
harvmac, 15 pages (b), one eps figure; Review based on talks given at Puri (Dec 1996) and Paris (Aug 1997)