Fixing an ambiguity in two dimensional string theory using string field theory

Recent investigations involving the decay of unstable D-branes in string theory suggest that the tree level open string theory which describes the dynamics of the D-brane already knows about the closed string states produced in the decay of the brane. We propose a specific conjecture involving quantum open string field theory to explain this classical result, and show that the recent results in two-dimensional string theory are in exact accordance with this conjecture.

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D-instantons, string field theory and two dimensional string theory

Journal of High Energy Physics ◽

10.1007/jhep11(2021)061 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 (11) ◽

Author(s):

Ashoke Sen

Keyword(s):

Field Theory ◽

String Theory ◽

Matrix Model ◽

String Field Theory ◽

Scattering Amplitude ◽

Two Dimensional ◽

World Sheet ◽

Numerical Result ◽

Instanton Contribution ◽

The Matrix

Abstract In [4] Balthazar, Rodriguez and Yin (BRY) computed the one instanton contribution to the two point scattering amplitude in two dimensional string theory to first subleading order in the string coupling. Their analysis left undetermined two constants due to divergences in the integration over world-sheet variables, but they were fixed by numerically comparing the result with that of the dual matrix model. If we consider n-point scattering amplitudes to the same order, there are actually four undetermined constants in the world-sheet approach. We show that using string field theory we can get finite unambiguous values of all of these constants, and we explicitly compute three of these four constants. Two of the three constants determined this way agree with the numerical result of BRY within the accuracy of numerical analysis, but the third constant seems to differ by 1/2. We also discuss a shortcut to determining the fourth constant if we assume the equality of the quantum corrected D-instanton action and the action of the matrix model instanton. This also agrees with the numerical result of BRY.

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TACHYON DYNAMICS IN OPEN STRING THEORY

International Journal of Modern Physics A ◽

10.1142/s0217751x0502519x ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 20 (24) ◽

pp. 5513-5656 ◽

Cited By ~ 290

Author(s):

ASHOKE SEN

Keyword(s):

Field Theory ◽

String Theory ◽

String Field Theory ◽

Quantum Dynamics ◽

Open String ◽

Closed String ◽

Two Dimensional ◽

Potential Models ◽

Conformal Field ◽

String Background

In this review we describe our current understanding of the properties of open string tachyons on an unstable D-brane or brane–antibrane system in string theory. The various string theoretic methods used for this study include techniques of two-dimensional conformal field theory, open string field theory, boundary string field theory, noncommutative solitons, etc. We also describe various attempts to understand these results using field theoretic methods. These field theory models include toy models like singular potential models and p-adic string theory, as well as more realistic version of the tachyon effective action based on Dirac–Born–Infeld type action. Finally we study closed string background produced by the "decaying" unstable D-branes, both in the critical string theory and in the two-dimensional string theory, and describe the open string completeness conjecture that emerges out of this study. According to this conjecture the quantum dynamics of an unstable D-brane system is described by an internally consistent quantum open string field theory without any need to couple the system to closed strings. Each such system can be regarded as a part of the "hologram" describing the full string theory.

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Excited D-brane decay in cubic string field theory and in bosonic string theory

Nuclear Physics B ◽

10.1016/s0550-3213(02)01128-8 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 651 (1-2) ◽

pp. 26-44 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

M.R. Garousi ◽

G.R. Maktabdaran

Keyword(s):

Field Theory ◽

String Theory ◽

String Field Theory ◽

Bosonic String ◽

Bosonic String Theory

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ARITHMETIC SPACE–TIME GEOMETRY FROM STRING THEORY

International Journal of Modern Physics A ◽

10.1142/s0217751x06034343 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 21 (31) ◽

pp. 6323-6350 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

ROLF SCHIMMRIGK

Keyword(s):

Field Theory ◽

String Theory ◽

Modular Forms ◽

Complex Multiplication ◽

Space Time ◽

Two Dimensional ◽

Conformal Field ◽

Exactly Solvable

An arithmetic framework for string compactification is described. The approach is exemplified by formulating a strategy that allows to construct geometric compactifications from exactly solvable theories at c = 3. It is shown that the conformal field theoretic characters can be derived from the geometry of space–time, and that the geometry is uniquely determined by the two-dimensional field theory on the worldsheet. The modular forms that appear in these constructions admit complex multiplication, and allow an interpretation as generalized McKay–Thompson series associated to the Mathieu and Conway groups. This leads to a string motivated notion of arithmetic moonshine.

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Equations of motion in non-polynomial closed string field theory and conformal invariance of two dimensional field theories

Physics Letters B ◽

10.1016/0370-2693(90)91655-u ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 241 (3) ◽

pp. 350-356 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Ashoke Sen

Keyword(s):

Field Theory ◽

String Field Theory ◽

Conformal Invariance ◽

Equations Of Motion ◽

Closed String ◽

Field Theories ◽

Two Dimensional

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NONCOMMUTATIVE EXTENDED WAVES AND SOLITON-LIKE CONFIGURATIONS IN N = 2 STRING THEORY

International Journal of Modern Physics A ◽

10.1142/s0217751x03016446 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 18 (26) ◽

pp. 4889-4931 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

MATTHIAS IHL ◽

SEBASTIAN UHLMANN

Keyword(s):

Field Theory ◽

String Theory ◽

String Field Theory ◽

Plane Waves ◽

Equation Of Motion ◽

Lax Pair ◽

The Self ◽

Yang Mills ◽

Self Duality ◽

Wave Solutions

The Seiberg–Witten limit of fermionic N = 2 string theory with nonvanishing B-field is governed by noncommutative self-dual Yang–Mills theory (ncSDYM) in 2+2 dimensions. Conversely, the self-duality equations are contained in the equation of motion of N = 2 string field theory in a B-field background. Therefore finding solutions to noncommutative self-dual Yang–Mills theory on ℝ2,2 might help to improve our understanding of nonperturbative properties of string (field) theory. In this paper, we construct nonlinear soliton-like and multi-plane wave solutions of the ncSDYM equations corresponding to certain D-brane configurations by employing a solution generating technique, an extension of the so-called dressing approach. The underlying Lax pair is discussed in two different gauges, the unitary and the Hermitian gauge. Several examples and applications for both situations are considered, including Abelian solutions constructed from GMS-like projectors, noncommutative U(2) soliton-like configurations and interacting plane waves. We display a correspondence to earlier work on string field theory and argue that the solutions found here can serve as a guideline in the search for nonperturbative solutions of nonpolynomial string field theory.

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