Ramond-Ramond flux stabilization of D-branes

In AdS(n) x S-m threaded by N-units of Ramond-Ramond flux, the dynamics of a Dm-brane wrapped partially on Sm-1 subset of S-m is investigated. Under t he condition that flux of the dual gauge field on the D-brane world-volume is quantized integrally, it is found that the wrapped D-brane is stable bot h locally and globally and, on AdS(n), behaves effectively as a fundamental string. It is also claimed that the semi-infinite, partially wrapped Dm-br ane can 'lasso' around the S-m. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights r eserved.