Wed, 21 Jan 2004
12:00
12:00
NAPL
Symmetries of M-theory
(Dennis Sciama Lecture Theatre)
Peter West
(King's College London)
Abstract
After a review of the symmetries of supergravity theories and Kac-Moody
algebras, we explain show that M theory is likely to possess a very large
Kac-Moody symmetry of rank eleven, denoted by E_{11}. We also provide
evidence that even pure gravity and the closed bosonic string possess
analogous Kac-Moody symmetries.
Finally, we explain how the central charges of the maximal supergravity
theories arise naturally in E_{11}.