Orientifolds and slumps in \(G_{2}\) and \(\text{Spin}(7)\) metrics (Q1826747)

The authors discuss two new special holonomy metrics which have special significance in string theory and \(M\)-theory. The first example is a family of 8-dimensional metrics of cohomogeneity 1 and Spin(7) holonomy which is defined on a certain complex line bundle over \(\mathbb CP^3\). The principal orbits in these metrics are \(S^7\) viewed as a triaxially-squashed \(S^3\) bundle over \(S^4\). The second example is concerned with 7-dimensional metrics of cohomogeneity 1 and \(G_2\) holonomy which includes a class of solutions in which the principal \(S^3\times S^3\) orbits degenerate to a bolt with the topology of the 5-dimensional space \(T^{1,1}\). The remainder of their discussion is devoted to some new hyper-Kähler metrics which have recently been proposed in periodic monopole theory. Contents include: an introduction; \(C_8\) metrics of Spin(7) holonomy, and orbifold planes; new \(G_2\) metrics \(C_7\) with \(S^3\times S^3\) principal orbits; ALG gravitational instantons and periodic monopoles; the Toda equation; conclusions; an appendix on the Atiyah-Hitchen metric; and a list of forty-four references.