Exotic branes and mixed-symmetry potentials I: predictions from $E_{11}$ symmetry

Abstract

Type II string theory or M-theory contains a broad spectrum of gauge potentials. In addition to the standard $p$-form potentials, various mixed-symmetry potentials have been predicted, which may couple to exotic branes with non-standard tensions. Together with $p$-forms, mixed-symmetry potentials turn out to be essential to build the multiplets of the U-duality symmetry in each dimension. In this paper, we systematically determine the set of mixed-symmetry potentials and exotic branes on the basis of the $E_{11}$ conjecture. We also study the decompositions of U-duality multiplets into T-duality multiplets and determine which mixed-symmetry tensors are contained in each of the U-/T-duality multiplets.