Super D-Helix

TL;DR

This paper studies the realization of the Myers effect in a IIB setup by showing that a vertically threaded $Dp$-brane array blows up to a $D(p+2)$-brane, and, in the axial direction, to a $D$-helix carrying axial momentum. The analysis, via T-duality and the DBI action, yields a stabilized radius $R=\sqrt{|\Pi B|}$ and tilt $\tan\theta = B/R$, with the axial velocity $E=\pm1$, so the Hamiltonian saturates ${\cal H}=|\Pi|+|B|$. Supersymmetry is shown to be reduced to $1/4$ of the IIB vacuum by a Killing spinor/kappa-symmetry analysis. The results connect the $D$-helix to the IIA supertube under U-duality and suggest extensions to related bound states and KK-monopole-like configurations.

Abstract

We study `Myers effect' for a bunch of $D1$-branes with $IIB$ superstrings moving in one direction along the branes. We show that the `blown-up' configuration is the helical $D1$-brane, which is self-supported from collapse by the axial momentum flow. The tilting angle of the helix is determined by the number of $D1$-branes. The radius of the helix is stabilized to a certain value depending on the number of $D1$-branes and the momentum carried by $IIB$ superstrings. This is actually T-dual version of the supertube recently found as the `blown-up' configuration of a bunch of $IIA$ superstrings carrying $D0$-brane charge. It is found that the helical $D1$ configuration preserves one quarter of the supersymmetry of $IIB$ vacuum.