GAUGINO CONDENSATION, MODULI POTENTIAL AND SUPERSYMMETRY BREAKING IN M-THEORY MODELS

We derive the explicit form, and discuss some properties of the moduli -dependent effective potential arising from M-theory compactified on M -4 x X x S-1/Z(2), when one of the boundaries supports a strongly inte racting gauge sector and induces gaugino condensation. We discuss the relation between the explicit gaugino condensate and effective superpo tential formulations and find interesting differences with respect to the situation known from the weakly coupled heterotic string case. The moduli dependence of the effective potential turns out to be more com plicated than expected, and perhaps offers new clues to the stabilizat ion problem. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.