COMMENTS ON THE M-THEORY APPROACH TO N=1 SQCD AND BRANE DYNAMICS

We use the M theory approach of Witten to investigate N = 1 SU(N-c) SQ CD with N-f flavors. We reproduce the field theoretical results and id entify in M theory the gluino condensate and the eigenvalues of the me son matrix, This approach allows us to identify the constant piece of the effective field theory coupling from which the coefficient of the one-loop beta-function can be identified, By studying the area of the M-theory five-brane we investigate the stability of type IIA brane con figurations. We prove that in a supersymmetric setup there is no force between static D4-branes that end on NS five-branes, The force in the case that there is a relative velocity between the branes is computed . We show that at the regions of intersecting IIA branes the curvature of the M theory five-brane is singular in the type IIA limit. (C) 199 7 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.