Euclidean D-branes and higher-dimensional gauge theory

We consider euclidean D-branes wrapping around manifolds of exceptional holonomy in dimensions seven and eight. The resulting theory on the D-brane-that is, the dimensional reduction of 10-dimensional supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory-is a cohomological field theory which describes the topology of the moduli space of instantons. The 7-dimensional theory is an NT=2 (or balanced) cohomological theory given by an action potential of Chern-Simons type. As a by-product of this method, we construct a related cohomological field theory which describes the monopole moduli space on a 7-manifold of G2 holonomy. (author). 22 refs, 3 tabs