Twisted K-Theory from Monodromies

Abstract

RR fluxes representing different cohomology classes may correspond to the same twisted K-theory class. We argue that such fluxes are related by monodromies, generalizing and sometimes T-dual to the familiar monodromies of a D7-brane. A generalized theta angle is also transformed, but changes by a multiple of 2pi. As an application, NS5-brane monodromies modify the twisted K-theory classification of fluxes. Furthermore, in the noncompact case K-theory does not distinguish flux configurations in which dG is nontrivial in compactly supported cohomology. Such fluxes are realized as the decay products of unstable D-branes that wrapped nontrivial cycles. This is interpreted using the E8 bundle formalism.