Conformal field theory and the symmetries of string field theory

The two-dimensional conformal field theory representation of Witten's bosonic string field theory is discussed. The basic overlap equations, K_n symmetry and BRST invariance are proved directly, without the usual expansion in oscillators. The conformal field theory approach naturally provides local overlap identities which (when integrated over half the string) can be used to verify properties of the cubic action. In particular, a recently proposed diffeomorphism invariance is shown to be free of anomalies. Finally, a new class of symmetries, including generalizations of the K_n symmetries which are local in spacetime, are presented.     

Two-dimensional Lorentz-Weyl anomaly and gravitational Chern-Simons theory

Two-dimensional chiral fermions and bosons, more generally conformal blocks of two-dimensional conformal field theories, exhibit Weyl-, Lorentz- and mixed Lorentz-Weyl anomalies. A novel way of computing these anomalies for a system of chiral bosons of arbitrary conformal spinj is sketched. It is shown that the Lorentz- and mixed Lorentz-Weyl anomalies of these theories can be cancelled by the anomalies of a three-dimensional classical Chern-Simons action for the spin connection, expressed in terms of the dreibein field. Some tentative applications of this result to string theory are indicated.     

Building string field theory around non-conformal backgrounds

The main limitations of string field theory arise because its present formulation requires a background representing a classical solution, a background defined by a strictly conformally invariant theory. Here we sketch a construction for a gauge-invariant string field action around non-conformal backgrounds. The construction makes no reference to any conformal theory. Its two-dimensional field-theoretic aspect is based on a generalized BRST operator satisfying a set of Weyl descent equations. Its geometric aspect uses a complex of moduli spaces of two-dimensional Riemannian manifolds having ordinary punctures, and organized by the number of special punctures which goes from zero to infinity. In this complex there is a Batalin-Vilkovisky algebra that includes naturally the operator which adds one special puncture. We obtain a classical field equation that appears to relax the condition of conformal invariance usually taken to define classical string backgrounds.     

On second-quantized open superstring theory

The SO(32) theory, in the limit where it is an open superstring theory, is completely specified in the light-cone gauge as a second-quantized string theory in terms of a “matrix string” model. The theory is defined by the neighborhood of a 1 + 1-dimensional fixed point theory, characterized by an Abelian gauge theory with type IB Green-Schwarz form. Non-orientability and SO(32) gauge symmetry arise naturally, and the theory effectively constructs an orientifold projection of the (weakly coupled) matrix type IIB theory (also discussed herein). The fixed point theory is a conformal field theory with boundary, defining the free string theory. Interactions involving the interior of open and closed strings are governed by a twist operator in the bulk, while string endpoints are created and destroyed by a boundary twist operator.     

Gauge fields and interactions in matrix string theory

It is shown that all possible N sheeted coverings of the cylinder are contained in type IIA matrix string theory as non-trivial gauge field configurations. Using these gauge field configurations as backgrounds the large N limit is shown to lead to the type IIA conformal field theory defined on the corresponding Riemann surfaces. The sum over string diagrams is identified as the sum over non-trivial gauge backgrounds of the SYM theory.     

Conformal field theory representation and background-independent action for superstring field theory

The two-dimensional conformal field theory representation of Witten's open superstring field theory is discussed. We argue that the previously suggested cubic action for the superstring is actually dependent on the spacetime background, and suggest a modification which formally removes this dependence. The transformation from the new version of the superstring cubic action to Witten's action for open string states is discussed. A class of linearized solutions to the equations of motion of the open superstring cubic action are exhibited. These solutions are in one-to-one correspondence with the physical excitations (both massless and massive) of the open and closed type I superstrings.     

Off-shell effective actions in string theory

A new, “off-shell”, approach to conformal invariance, β-functions and field equations in first quantized string theory is presented. The method, valid to all orders in the weak-field expansion and non-perturbatively in α′, is illustrated for a tachyon background at genus zero and one level. For a particular choice, we derive a Zamolodchikov-type equation for the effective action.     

Cardy states as idempotents of fusion ring in string field theory

With some assumptions, the algebra between Ishibashi states in string field theory can be reduced to a commutative ring. From this viewpoint, Cardy states can be identified with its idempotents. The algebra is identified with the fusion ring for the rational conformal field theory and the group ring for the orbifold. This observation supports our previous observation that the boundary states satisfy a universal idempotency relation under the closed string star product.     

On operad structures of moduli spaces and string theory

We construct a real compactification of the moduli space of punctured rational algebraic curves and show how its geometry yields operads governing homotopy Lie algebras, gravity algebras and Batalin-Vilkovisky algebras. These algebras appeared recently in the context of string theory, and we give a simple deduction of these algebraic structures from the formal axioms of conformal field theory and string theory.To the memory of Ansgar SchnizerResearch supported by an NSF Postdoctoral Research FellowshipResearch supported in part by NSF grant DMS-9206929 and a Research and Study Leave from the University of North Carolina-Chapel HillResearch supported in part by NSF grant DMS-9108269.A03     

On the algebraic structure ofN=2 string theory

InN=2 string theory the chiral algebra expresses the generations and anti-generations of the theory and the Yukawa couplings among them and is thus crucial to the phenomenological properties of the theory. Also the connection with complex geometry is largely through the algebras. These algebras are systematically investigated in this paper. A solution for the algebras is found in the context of rational conformal field theory based on Lie algebras. A statistical mechanics interpretation for the chiral algebra is given for a large family of theories and is used to derive a rich structure of equivalences among the theories (dihedralities). The Poincaré polynomials are shown to obey a resolution series which cast these in a form which is a sum of complete intersection Poincaré polynomials. It is suggested that the resolution series is the proper tool for studying allN=2 string theories and, in particular, exposing their geometrical nature.     

Small instantons in string theory

A long-standing puzzle about the heterotic string has been what happens when an instanton shrinks to zero size. It is argued here that the answer at the quantum level is that an extra SU(2) gauge symmetry appears that is supported in the core of the instanton. Thus in particular the quantum heterotic string has vacua with higher rank than is possible in conformal field theory. When k instantons collapse at the same point, the enhanced gauge symmetry is Sp(k). These results, which can be tested by comparison to Dirichlet five-branes of Type I superstrings and to the ADHM construction of instantons, give the first example for the heterotic string of a non-perturbative phenomenon that cannot be turned off by making the coupling smaller. They have applications to several interesting puzzles about string duality.     

Scattering amplitudes in open superstring theory

This review is concerned with scattering amplitudes in open superstring theories. In particular, we introduce two different formalisms to compute tree level amplitudes – the Ramond Neveu Schwarz‐ (RNS‐) and the Pure Spinor (PS‐) formalism. The RNS approach proves to be flexible in describing compactifications from ten to four flat spacetime dimensions. We solve the technical problems due to the underlying interacting conformal field theory on the worldsheet. This is exploited to extract phenomenologically relevant scattering amplitudes of gluons and quarks as well as production‐ and decay rates of massive vibration modes which have already been identified as virtual exchange particles at the massless level. In case of a TeV string scale, string specific signatures in parton collisions might be observed at the LHC experiment in the near future and constitute the first experimental evidence for string theory. These statements apply to a wide class of string vacua and therefore bypass the so‐called landscape problem of string theory. The PS formalism allows for a manifestly supersymmetric treatment of scattering amplitudes in ten spacetime dimensions with sixteen supercharges. We introduce a family of superfields which arises in tree amplitudes of massless open string states and can be naturally identified with diagrams made of cubic vertices. We firstly achieve a compact superspace representation of multiparticle field theory amplitudes and moreover express the complete n point superstring amplitude as a minimal linear combination of partial field theory amplitudes and hypergeometric functions. The latter carry the stringy effects and are analyzed from different perspectives.     

Factorization of bosonic string amplitudes

We consider the bosonic string path integral over degenerating Riemann surfaces. We first review the factorization of conformal field theory on a degenerating surface. A careful treatment of the degeneration of the measure for moduli leads to a modification of the usual ghost insertions so as to assure covariance under a change of conformal frame. More generally, amplitudes with BRST invariant but conformally non-invariant operators are well defined with the covariant ghost insertions. As a detailed application we study the string modifications to the background field equations. We find to first order in the tadpole and all orders in string coupling that the ratio of the graviton source, dilaton source, and zero-point amplitude agrees with that found from general covariance and the soft-dilaton theorem in the low-energy field theory. We also discuss the unitarity of the bosonic string theory,     

Four-dimensional heterotic strings and conformal field theory

The techniques of (super) conformal field theory are applied to 4-dimensional heterotic string theories. We discuss certain aspects of 4-dimensional strings in the framework of the bosonic lattice approach such as the realization of superconformal symmetry, character valued partition functions, construction of vertex operators and ghost picture changing. As an application we compute all possible 3- and 4-point tree amplitudes of the massless fields and derive from them the low energy effective action of the massless modes. Some effects for the massless spectrum due to one-loop string effects are also mentioned.     

Nonperturbative deformation of conformal field theory and spontaneously broken inter mass level symmetries in string thery

We study the deformation of conformal field theory without leaving the fixed points. It is found that an infinite number of higher spin background fields are needed to cancel theq-number anomalies when one goes beyond first order weak field calculation. This phenomenon can be interpreted in string theory as spontaneously broken symmetries between particles with different masses.     

The string spectrum on the horizon of a non-extremal black hole

We investigate the conformal string σ-model corresponding to a general five-dimensional non-extremal black hole solution. In the horizon region the theory reduces to an exactly solvable conformal field theory. We determine the modular invariant spectrum of physical string states, which expresses the Rindler momentum operator in terms of three charges and string oscillators. For black holes with winding and Kaluza-Klein charges, we find that states made with only right-moving excitations have ADM mass equal to the black hole ADM mass, and thus they can be used as sources of the gravitational field. A discussion on statistical entropy is included.     

Quantum field theory,Grassmannians, and algebraic curves

This paper is devoted in part to clarifying some aspects of the relation between quantum field theory and infinite Grassmannians, and in part to pointing out the existence of a close analogy between conformal field theory on Riemann surfaces and the modern theory of automorphic representations. Along the way we develop a multiplicative analog of the usual additive Ward identities of current algebra. We also reformulate the additive Ward identities in a way which may be useful, in terms of the residues of operator-valued differential forms. A concluding section is devoted to some remarks on string field theory. In an appendix, we attempt to clarify the recent construction by Beilinson, Manin, and Schechtman of what might be called global Virasoro algebras.Supported in part by NSF Grants PHY80-19754 and 86-16129     

Two-dimensional percolation and classical string theory

Both two-dimensional percolation and classical string theory are shown to correspond toc=0 in the 2d conformal algebra. Therefore, despite being different theories, they have the same underlying conformal structure.