DUALITY-SYMMETRICAL 11-DIMENSIONAL SUPERGRAVITY AND ITS COUPLING TO M-BRANES

The standard eleven-dimensional supergravity action depends on a three -form gauge field and does not allow direct coupling to five-branes. U sing previously developed methods, we construct a covariant eleven-dim ensional supergravity action depending on a three-form and six-form ga uge field in a duality-symmetric manner. This action is coupled to bot h the M-theory two-brane and five-brane, and corresponding equations o f motion are obtained. Consistent coupling relates D = 11 duality prop erties with self-duality properties of the M5-brane. From this duality -symmetric formulation, one derives an action describing coupling of t he M-branes to standard D = 11 supergravity. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.