Is M-Theory the only possible UV completion of Supergravity?

[twistor]

Is M-Theory the only possible UV completion of Supergravity?

 

[mathman]

"uv" ?

 

[twistor]

"uv" ?

UltraViolet. The term has generalized in beyond-the -Standard-model-physics and now all high-energy-related-phenomena are called u(ltra)v(iolet)

 

[andrien]

Is M-Theory the only possible UV completion of Supergravity?

Seems true to me,after all the strong coupling limit of Type IIA and E₈×E₈ heterotic string theory is an 11-dimensional theory,whose low energy part is 11 dimensional supergravity.I have not seen any other one whose low energy part is 11 dimensional supergravity.

 

[Ben Niehoff]

Given some low-energy effective theory, I don't think its UV completion is necessarily unique. Just because we haven't seen any alternative to M theory doesn't mean there isn't one.

At the same time, I don't think we really have such a great idea what M theory is, exactly, yet. The worldvolume theory of M2 and M5 branes is still a bit mysterious. And if M theory is supposed to be a strong-coupling limit of IIA, then where does the Romans mass go? There are many questions to be answered.

 

[andrien]

Yeah,that may turn out to be true also.

 

[twistor]

1)I´ve heard that M-theory, if it exist, should be background-independent. Is that true?
2)And, does Ads/CFT provide that?
3)Is twistor theory background independent? If so, string theory in twistor space may be also Background Idependent (wouldn´t it?)

 

[twistor]

LQG, SuGra, String Theory, Twistor Theory, SuSy and the Amplituhedron

http://arxiv.org/abs/1006.0199
http://arxiv.org/abs/1105.3480
http://arxiv.org/abs/1203.6164
http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0406051
http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0406051
http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0312171
http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0109082
http://arxiv.org/abs/1106.1103
http://arxiv.org/abs/1105.3710
something interesting is going on here, I think. I hope something interesting emerges in the future.