Noncommutative geometry and D-branes

We apply noncommutative geometry to a system of N parallel D-branes, which is interpreted as a quantum space. The Dirac operator defining the quantum differential calculus is identified to be the zero-momentum mode of the supercharge for strings connecting D-branes. As a result of the calculus, Connes' Yang-Mills action functional on the quantum space reproduces the dimensionally reduced U(N) super Yang-Mills action as the low energy effective action for D-brane dynamics. Several features that may look ad hoc in a noncommutative geometric construction are shown to have very natural physical or geometric origin in the D-brane picture in superstring theory. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.