Holographic partition function of democratic M-theory (2512.21741v1)

Abstract: We study the partition function associated with the democratic formulation of M-theory, focusing on its global definition and quantization properties. Using a path integral representation that makes manifest the underlying cohomological structure, we analyze the coupled system of form fields $C_4$ and $C_7$ and its associated gauge transformations. We show that the resulting description is naturally captured by a non-linear differential cocycle, reflecting the presence of a quadratic coupling between electric and magnetic degrees of freedom. This framework provides a transparent characterization of the global structure of the theory, clarifies the role of higher-form gauge symmetry, and allows for a consistent definition of the partition function in terms of higher-dimensional auxiliary manifolds.