M-brane Models from Non-Abelian Gerbes

Understand

We make the observation that M-brane models defined in terms of 3-algebras can be interpreted as higher gauge theories involving Lie 2-groups.

• Such gauge theories arise in particular in the description of non-abelian gerbes.
• This observation allows us to put M2- and M5-brane models on equal footing, at least as far as the gauge structure is concerned.
• Furthermore, it provides a useful framework for various generalizations; in particular, it leads to a fully supersymmetric generalization of a previously proposed set of tensor multiplet equations.