SOLITON-SOLUTIONS OF M-THEORY ON AN ORBIFOLD

We explicitly construct soliton solutions in the low energy descriptio n of M-theory on S-1/Z(2). It is shown that the ii-dimensional membran e is a BPS solution of this theory if stretched between the Z(2) hyper planes. A similar statement holds for the Ii-dimensional 5-brane orien ted parallel to the hyperplanes. The parallel membrane and the orthogo nal 5-brane, though solutions, break all supersymmetries. Furthermore, we construct the analog of the gauge 5-brane with gauge instantons on the hyperplanes. This solution varies nontrivially along the orbifold direction due to the gauge anomalies located on the orbifold hyperpla nes. Its zero mode part is identical to the weakly coupled 10-dimensio nal gauge 5-brane. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.