Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
In 1998/99, Merab Gogberashvili published on arXiv a number of articles where he showed that if the Universe is considered as a thin shell (a mathematical synonym for "brane") expanding in 5-dimensional space then there is a possibility to obtain one scale for particle theory corresponding to the 5-dimensional cosmological constant and Universe ...
In the absence of an understanding of the true meaning and structure of M-theory, Witten has suggested that the M should stand for "magic", "mystery", or "membrane" according to taste, and the true meaning of the title should be decided when a more fundamental formulation of the theory is known. [1]
It did this by asserting that strings are an approximation of curled-up two-dimensional membranes vibrating in an 11-dimensional spacetime. According to Witten, the M could stand for "magic", "mystery", or "membrane" according to taste, and the true meaning of the title should be decided when a better understanding of the theory is discovered. [5]
Membrane Theory may refer to: M-theory, a theory in physics that unifies all of the consistent versions of superstring theory; Membrane theory of shells, describes the mechanical properties of shells; Membrane potential, a theory that explained the resting potential of nerve and muscle as a diffusion potential
In string theory and related theories (such as supergravity theories), a brane is a physical object that generalizes the notion of a zero-dimensional point particle, a one-dimensional string, or a two-dimensional membrane to higher-dimensional objects.
Traditionally, in theoretical physics, the Planck scale is the highest energy scale and all dimensionful parameters are measured in terms of the Planck scale. There is a great hierarchy between the weak scale and the Planck scale, and explaining the ratio of strength of weak force and gravity / = is the focus of much of beyond-Standard-Model physics.
Hence, the idea of 'membrane-number' has no meaning. A second consequence is that unlike strings a supermembrane's vibrations can represent several particles at once. In technical terms this means it is already 'second-quantized'. All the particles in the Universe can be thought to arise as vibrations of a single membrane.
Edward Witten has popularised the concept of a theory in 11 dimensions, called M-theory, involving membranes interpolating from the known symmetries of superstring theory. It may turn out that there exist membrane models or other non-membrane models in higher dimensions—which may become acceptable when we find new unknown symmetries of nature ...