Higher derivative terms from threebranes in F theory

The computation of higher derivative corrections to the low energy effectiv e actions of N = 2 gauge theories is considered. In particular, higher deri vative corrections are computed for four dimensional N = 2 super Yang-Mills theory with gauge group SU(2) and N-f = 4 hypermultiplets in the fundament al representation. The four derivative terms computed in an approach which realizes the gauge theory as the world volume theory of three branes in F t heory are in agreement with the field theory result. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.