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4 votes
0 answers
238 views

What is known about the cohomology of the U-duality group?

$\newcommand{\Es}{E_{7(7)}}\newcommand{\Z}{\mathbb Z}$Let $\Es$ denote the split form of $E_7$, which is a real Lie group. It can be characterized as the subgroup of $\mathrm{Sp}_{56}(\mathbb R)$ ...
Arun Debray's user avatar
  • 6,881
34 votes
4 answers
5k views

Mathematical uses of string theory

It is widely believed that correctness of string theory as a physical theory will not be decided in the near future. Regardless whether this will turn out to be correct or not, mathematical concepts ...
8 votes
2 answers
2k views

What does it mean to take the diagonal of the group $SU(2) \times SU(2) $?

I am reading Witten's paper on topological field theories, in specific the topological twist in page 359. In order to perform the twist he takes the diagonal subgroup of $K = SU(2)_{\text{Right}} \...
Marion's user avatar
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