Loop variables and gauge invariant exact renormalization group equations for (open) string theory II

In arXiv:1202.4298 gauge invariant interacting equations were written down for the spin 2 and spin 3 massive modes using the exact renormalization group of a world sheet theory. This is generalized to all the higher levels in this paper. An interacting theory of an infinite tower of massive higher spins is obtained. They appear as a compactification of a massless theory in one higher dimension. The compactification and consequent mass is essential for writing the interaction terms. Just as for spin 2 and spin 3, the interactions are in terms of gauge invariant “field strengths” and the gauge transformations are the same as for the free theory. This theory can then be truncated in a gauge invariant way by removing one oscillator of the extra dimension to match the field content of BRST string (field) theory. The truncation has to be done level by level and results are given explicitly for level 4. At least up to level 5, the truncation can be done in a way that preserves the higher-dimensional structure. There is a relatively straightforward generalization of this construction to (arbitrary) curved space–time and this is also outlined.     

Properties of CFTs dual to charged BTZ black hole

We study properties of strongly coupled CFT's with non-zero background electric charge in 1+1$1+1$ dimensions by studying the dual gravity theory—which is a charged BTZ black hole. Correlators of operators dual to scalars, gauge fields and fermions are studied at both T=0$T=0$ and T≠0$T\ne 0$. In the T=0$T=0$ case we are also able to compare with analytical results based on AdS₂${\mathit{AdS}}_2$ and find reasonable agreement. In particular the correlation between log periodicity and the presence of finite spectral density of gapless modes is seen. The real part of the conductivity (given by the current–current correlator) also vanishes as ω→0$\omega \to 0$ as expected. The fermion Green's function shows quasiparticle peaks with approximately linear dispersion but the detailed structure is neither Fermi liquid nor Luttinger liquid and bears some similarity to a “Fermi–Luttinger” liquid. This is expected since there is a background charge and the theory is not Lorentz or scale invariant. A boundary action that produces the observed non-Luttinger liquid like behavior (k  -independent non-analyticity at ω=0$\omega =0$) in the Green's function is discussed.     

Passage from a pure state description to the microcanonical ensemble description for closed quantum systems

We have addressed the foundational issue of how a macroscopic quantum system starting off as a pure state tends towards a mixed state described by the microcanonical ensemble. The earlier works of von Neumann and Van Kampen are also reviewed. A simple criterion is given as to when the above mentioned passage can take place.     

Impossibility of adding gauge couplings to spontaneously broken N = 8 supergravity

When the four mass parameters of spontaneously broken N = 8 supergravity are taken to be equal, the theory possesses at global SU(4) symmetry. Since it contains massless vectors in the adjoint representation, it is tempting to add gauge interactions so as to make the SU(4) symmetry local. In this paper we show that it is impossible to do this in a way that is consistent with the spontaneous character of the symmetry breaking.     

Loop variables and gauge invariant exact renormalization group equations for (open) string theory

An exact renormalization group equation is written down for the world sheet theory describing the bosonic open string in general backgrounds. Loop variable techniques are used to make the equation gauge invariant. This is worked out explicitly up to level 3. The equation is quadratic in the fields and can be viewed as a proposal for a string field theory equation. As in the earlier loop variable approach, the theory has one extra space dimension and mass is obtained by dimensional reduction. Being based on the sigma model RG, it is background independent. It is intriguing that in contrast to BRST string field theory, the gauge transformations are not modified by the interactions up to the level calculated. The interactions can be written in terms of gauge invariant field strengths for the massive higher spin fields and the non-zero mass is essential for this. This is reminiscent of Abelian Born–Infeld action (along with derivative corrections) for the massless vector field, which is also written in terms of the field strength.