OVERLAPPING BRANES IN M-THEORY

We construct new supersymmetric solutions of D = Ii supergravity descr ibing n orthogonally ''overlapping'' membranes and fivebranes for n = 2,...,8, Overlapping branes arise after separating intersecting branes in a direction transverse to all of the branes. The solutions, which generalize known intersecting brane solutions, preserve at least 2(-n) of the supersymmetry. Each pairwise overlap involves a membrane overl apping a membrane in a O-brane, a fivebrane overlapping a fivebrane in a 3-brane or a membrane overlapping a fivebrane in a string. After re ducing n overlapping membranes to obtain n overlapping D-2-branes in D = IO, T-duality generates new overlapping D-brane solutions in type I IA and type IIB string theory, Uplifting certain type IIA solutions le ads to the D = Ii solutions, Some of the new solutions reduce to dilat on black holes in D = 4. Additionally, we present a D = IO solution th at describes two D-5-branes overlapping in a string, T-duality then ge nerates further D = 10 solutions and uplifting one of the type IIA sol utions gives a new D = 11 solution describing two fivebranes overlappi ng in a string.