Non-SUSY $p$-branes, bubbles and tubular branes

Abstract

We consider non-supersymmetric $p$-brane solutions of type II string theories characterized by three parameters. When the charge parameter vanishes and one of the other two takes a specific value, the corresponding chargeless solutions can be regular and describe ``bubbles'' in static (unstable) equilibrium when lifted to $d = 11$. In appropriate coordinates, they represent D6 branes with a tubular topology R$^{1,p}$ $\times$ S$^{6-p}$ when reduced to $d=10$, called the tubular D6 branes, held in static equilibrium by a fixed magnetic flux (fluxbrane). Moreover, a `rotation parameter' can be introduced to either of the above two eleven dimensional configurations, giving rise to a generalized configuration labelling by the parameter. As such, it brings out the relations among non-supersymmetric $p$-branes, bubbles and tubular D6 branes. Given our understanding on tubular D6 branes, we are able to reinforce the interpretation of the chargeless non-supersymmetric $p$-branes as representing $p$-brane-anti$p$-brane (or non-BPS $p$-brane) systems, and understand the static nature and various singularities of these systems in a classical supergravity approximation.