On flux quantization in \(M\)-theory and the effective action (Q1357174)

The field strength \(G\) of \(11D\) supergravity (where \(G=dC\)) has usually been quantized by a so-called flux quantization law, i.e., periods of appropriately normalized \(G\) are of the form \(k\cdot\pi\), \(k\)-integer. The author shows that such an approach is not quite correct. The object which in fact must have integral periods is \((2\pi)^{-1} G-1/2\lambda\) with \(\lambda\) being one half of the first Pontryagin class of the manifold. This shift turns out to be essential. In the paper we find two ways of derivation of the shift. The first one is obtained using the relation of \(M\)-theory to the \(E_8\times E_8\) heterotic string. The analysis of membrane world-volume anomalies yields the second derivation. Most of the paper is devoted to applications of the shift effect: (a) orbifold integrality of the number of branes, (b) Chern-Simons couplings (the author shows that the Chern-Simons couplings are completely well-defined modulo a term that is independent of \(G\)), (c) Rarita-Schwinger path integral (there is no parity violation in \(11D\) supergravity of \(M\)-theory and the fermion path integral can be consistently defined).