Counting supersymmetric branes

Abstract

Maximal supergravity solutions are revisited and classified, with particular emphasis on objects of co-dimension at most two. This class of solutions includes branes whose tension scales with g_s^{-σ} for σ>2. We present a group theory derivation of the counting of these objects based on the corresponding tensor hierarchies derived from E11 and discrete T- and U-duality transformations. This provides a rationale for the wrapping rules that were recently discussed for σ<4 in the literature and extends them. Explicit supergravity solutions that give rise to co-dimension two branes are constructed and analysed.

1+33 pages. To the memory of Laurent Houart. v2: Published version with added references