J Madore and L A Saeger 1998 Class. Quantum Grav. 15 811 doi:10.1088/0264-9381/15/4/009
J Madore and L A Saeger
Show affiliationsA basic arbitrariness in the determination of the topology of a manifold at the Planck length is discussed. An explicit example is given of a `smooth' change in topology from the 2-sphere to the 2-torus through a sequence of non-commuting geometries. Applications are considered to the theory of D-branes within the context of the proposed M(atrix) theory.
04.20.Gz Spacetime topology, causal structure, spinor structure
57R19 Algebraic topology on manifolds
81T30 String and superstring theories; other extended objects (e.g., branes) (See also 83E30)
Issue 4 (April 1998)
Received 21 October 1997
J Madore and L A Saeger 1998 Class. Quantum Grav. 15 811
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