Let G be a (real or complex) semisimple Lie group, whose Lie algebra g is endowed with a so called jkj{grading, i.e. a grading of the form g = g ?k g k , such that no simple factor of G is of type A 1. Let P be the subgroup corresponding to the subalgebra p = g 0 g k. The aim of this paper is to clarify the geometrical meaning of Cartan connections corresponding to the pair (G; P) and to study ...

We discuss the relation between the Ramond-Ramond charges of D-branes and the topology of Chan-Paton vector bundles. We show that a topologically nontrivial normal bundle induces RR charge and that the result fits in perfectly with the proposal that D-brane charge is the topology of the Chan-Paton bundle, regarded as an element of K