Abstract:

I will discuss some aspects of multiple open M2-branes. One motivation is to study multiple self-dual strings within the M5-brane worldvolume, which arise as the boundary of M2-branes ending on an M5-brane. The BLG and ABJM models for multiple M2-branes are Chern-Simons matter theories. As such they need to be modified in the presence of a boundary to preserve gauge invariance. I will first review how a pure Chern-Simons theory can be suitably modified by adding boundary degrees of freedom, resulting in a WZW model. I will then describe recent work (in progress) to construct the boundary action which also preserves (some) supersymmetry.