Compactification (physics)

In theoretical physics, compactification means changing a theory with respect to one of its space-time dimensions.

For this purpose it is assumed the extra dimensions are "wrapped" up on themselves, or "curled" up on Calabi–Yau spaces, or on orbifolds.

In this way, the ten-dimensional type IIA string theory can be described as the compactification of M-theory in eleven dimensions.

The formulation of more precise versions of the meaning of compactification in this context has been promoted by discoveries such as the mysterious duality.

A flux compactification is a particular way to deal with additional dimensions required by string theory.

The space M × C is compactified over the compact C and after Kaluza–Klein decomposition, we have an effective field theory over M .