Noncommutative Geometry and Matrix Theory: Compactification on Tori

Abstract

We study toroidal compactification of Matrix theory, using ideas and results of non-commutative geometry. We generalize this to compactification on the noncommutative torus, explain the classification of these backgrounds, and argue that they correspond in supergravity to tori with constant background three-form tensor field. The paper includes an introduction for mathematicians to the IKKT formulation of Matrix theory and its relation to the BFSS Matrix theory.