A main issue in superstring theory are the superstring measures. D'Hoker and Phong showed that for genus two these reduce to measures on the moduli space of curves which are determined by modular forms of weight eight and the bosonic measure. They also suggested a generalisation to higher genus. We showed that their approach works, with a minor modification, in genus three and we announced a positive result also in genus four. Here we give the modular form in genus four explicitly. Recently S. Grushevsky published this result as part of a more general approach.
It has long been known that in principle, the genus g vacuum amplitude for bosonic strings or superstrings in 26 or 10 dimensions can be entirely determined from conditions of holomorphy. Moreover, this has been done in practice for bosonic strings of low genus. Here we describe in a unified way how to determine the bosonic string and superstring vacuum amplitude in genus 1 and 2 via holomorphy. The main novelty is the superstring analysis in genus 2, where we use holomorphy to get a new understanding of some of the results that previously have been obtained by more explicit calculations.
Very recently, Grushevsky continued D'Hoker and Phong's program of finding the chiral superstring measure from first principles by constructing modular forms satisfying certain factorization constraints. He has proposed an ansatz in genus 4 and conjectured a possible formula for the superstring measure in any genus, subject to the condition that certain modular forms admit holomorphic roots. In this note we want to give some evidence that Grushevsky's approach seems to be very fruitful.
In the previous paper, the authors pointed out correspondence between a supersymmetric double-well matrix model and two-dimensional type IIA superstring theory on a Ramond-Ramond background from the viewpoint of symmetry and spectrum. This was confirmed by agreement between planar correlation functions in the matrix model and tree-level amplitudes in the superstring theory. In order to investigate the correspondence further, in this paper we compute correlation functions to all order of genus expansion in the double scaling limit of the matrix model. One-point functions of operators protected …
We reexamine genus one super-Green functions with general boundary conditions twisted by $(α, β)$ for $(σ, τ)$ directions in the eigenmode expansion and derive expressions as infinite series of hypergeometric functions. Using these, we compute one-loop superstring amplitudes with non-maximal supersymmetry, taking an example of massless vector emissions of open string type I ${\cal Z}_2$ orbifold.
We show that the higher genus 4-point superstring amplitude is strongly constrained by the geometry of moduli space of Riemann surfaces. A detailed analysis leads to a natural proposal which satisfies several conditions. The result is based on the recently derived Siegel induced metric on the moduli space of Riemann surfaces and on combinatorial products of determinants of holomorphic abelian differentials.
In this paper we continue the program pioneered by D'Hoker and Phong, and recently advanced by Cacciatori, Dalla Piazza, and van Geemen, of finding the chiral superstring measure by constructing modular forms satisfying certain factorization constraints. We give new expressions for their proposed ansätze in genera 2 and 3, respectively, which admit a straightforward generalization. We then propose an ansatz in genus 4 and verify that it satisfies the factorization constraints and gives a vanishing cosmological constant. We further conjecture a possible formula for the superstring amplitudes in…
Currently there are two proposed ansatze for NSR superstring measures: the Grushevsky ansatz and the OPSMY ansatz, which for genera g<=4 are known to coincide. However, neither the Grushevsky nor the OPSMY ansatz leads to a vanishing two point function in genus four, which can be constructed from the genus five expressions for the respective ansatze. This is inconsistent with the known properties of superstring amplitudes. In the present paper we show that the Grushevsky and OPSMY ansatze do not coincide in genus five. Then, by combining these ansatze, we propose a new ansatz for genus five, w…
A diagrammatic expansion of coefficients in the low-momentum expansion of the genus-one four-particle amplitude in type II superstring theory is developed. This is applied to determine coefficients up to order s^6R^4 (where s is a Mandelstam invariant and R^4 the linearized super-curvature), and partial results are obtained beyond that order. This involves integrating powers of the scalar propagator on a toroidal world-sheet, as well as integrating over the modulus of the torus. At any given order in s the coefficients of these terms are given by rational numbers multiplying multiple zeta valu…
We study the modular graph functions introduced by Green, Russo, Vanhove in the context of type II superstring scattering amplitudes of 4 gravitons on a torus. In particular we describe a method to algorithmically compute the coefficients in their expansion at the cusp in terms of conical sums. We perform explicit computations for 3-graviton functions, which naturally suggest to conjecture that only single-valued multiple zeta values appear.
We explicitly show how the chiral superstring amplitudes can be obtained through factorisation of the higher genus chiral measure induced by suitable degenerations of Riemann surfaces. This powerful tool also allows to derive, at any genera, consistency relations involving the amplitudes and the measure. A key point concerns the choice of the local coordinate at the node on degenerate Riemann surfaces that greatly simplifies the computations. As a first application, starting from recent ansaetze for the chiral measure up to genus five, we compute the chiral two-point function for massless Neve…
We consider double-scaling limits of multicut solutions of certain one matrix models that are related to Calabi-Yau singularities of type A and the respective topological B model via the Dijkgraaf-Vafa correspondence. These double-scaling limits naturally lead to a bosonic string with c $\leq$ 1. We argue that this non-critical string is given by the topologically twisted non-critical superstring background which provides the dual description of the double-scaled little string theory at the Calabi-Yau singularity. The algorithms developed recently to solve a generic multicut matrix model by me…
In this PhD thesis we study holomorphic and non-holomorphic elliptic analogues of multiple zeta values, namely elliptic multiple zeta values and modular graph functions. Both classes of functions have been discovered very recently, and are involved in the computation of genus one superstring amplitudes. In particular, we obtain new results on the asymptotic expansion of these functions that allow us to perform explicit computations and point out analogies between genus zero and genus one amplitudes.
Combining certain identities for modular forms due to Igusa with Schottky-Jung relations, we study the cosmological constant for the recently proposed ansatz for the chiral superstring measure in genus 5. The vanishing of this cosmological constant turns out to be equivalent to the long-conjectured vanishing of a certain explicit modular form of genus 5 on the moduli of curves M_5, and we disprove this conjecture, thus showing that the cosmological constant for the proposed ansatz does not vanish identically. We exhibit an easy modification of the genus 5 ansatz satisfying factorization constr…
Superstring amplitudes of an arbitrary genus are calculated through super-Schottky parameters by a summation over the fermion strings. For a calculation of divergent multi-loop fermion string amplitudes a supermodular invariant regularization procedure is used. A cancellation of divergences in the superstring amplitudes is established. Grassmann variables are integrated, the superstring amplitudes are obtained to be explicitly finite and modular invariant.
We study a proposal of D'Hoker and Phong for the chiral superstring measure for genus three. A minor modification of the constraints they impose on certain Siegel modular forms leads to a unique solution. We reduce the problem of finding these modular forms, which depend on an even spin structure, to finding a modular form of weight 8 on a certain subgroup of the modular group. An explicit formula for this form, as a polynomial in the even theta constants, is given. We checked that our result is consistent with the vanishing of the cosmological constant. We also verified a conjecture of D'Hoke…
In the previous papers, it is pointed out that a supersymmetric double-well matrix model corresponds to a two-dimensional type IIA superstring theory on a Ramond-Ramond background at the level of correlation functions. This was confirmed by agreement between their planar correlation functions. The supersymmetry in the matrix model corresponds to the target space supersymmetry and it is shown to be spontaneously broken by nonperturbative effect. Furthermore, in the matrix model we computed one-point functions of single-trace operators to all order of genus expansion in its double scaling limit.…
The contribution from even spin structures to the genus-two amplitude for five massless external NS states in Type II and Heterotic superstrings is evaluated from first principles in the RNS formulation. Using chiral splitting with the help of loop momenta this problem reduces to the evaluation of the corresponding chiral amplitude, which is carried out using the same techniques that were used for the genus-two amplitude with four external NS states. The results agree with the parity-even NS components of a construction using chiral splitting and pure spinors given in earlier companion papers …
The full two-loop amplitudes for five massless states in Type~II and Heterotic superstrings are constructed in terms of convergent integrals over the genus-two moduli space of compact Riemann surfaces and integrals of Green functions and Abelian differentials on the surface. The construction combines elements from the BRST cohomology of the pure spinor formulation and from chiral splitting with the help of loop momenta and homology invariance. The $α' \to 0$ limit of the resulting superstring amplitude is shown to be in perfect agreement with the previously known amplitude computed in Type~II …
The genus-dependence of multi-loop superstring amplitudes is bounded at large orders in perturbation theory using the super-Schottky group parametrization of supermoduli space. Partial estimates of supermoduli space integrals suggest an exponential dependence on the genus when the integration region is restricted to a single fundamental domain of the super-modular group in the super-Schottky parameter space. Bounds for N-point superstring scattering amplitudes are obtained for arbitrary N and are shown to be consistent with exact results recently obtained for special type II string amplitudes …
S and U-duality dictate that graviton scattering amplitudes in IIB superstring theory be automorphic functions on the appropriate fundamental domain which describe the inequivalent vacua of (compactified) theories. A constrained functional form of graviton scattering is proposed using Eisenstein series and their generalizations compatible with: a) two-loop supergravity, b) genus one superstring theory, c) the perturbative coupling dependence of the superstring, and d) with the unitarity structure of the massless modes. The form has a perturbative truncation in the genus expansion at a given or…
The modular transformations of the $(1|1)$ complex supermanifolds in the like-Schottky modular parameterization are discussed. It is shown that these "supermodular" transformations depend on the spinor structure of the supermanifold by terms proportional to the odd modular parameters. The above terms are calculated in the explicit form. They are urgent for the divergency problem in the Ramond-Neveu-Schwarz superstring theory and for calculating the fundamental domain in the modular space. The supermodular transformations of the multi-loop superstring partition functions calculated by the solut…
We suggest a method to compute leading contribution at Planckian energies for superstring scattering amplitudes of any genus. In particular we test the method at one-loop level by comparison with previous result for the Regge trajectory renormalization. Modular invariance of these asymptotic terms are also discussed.
In this paper we describe how representation theory of groups can be used to shorten the derivation of two loop partition functions in string theory, giving an intrinsic description of modular forms appearing in the results of D'Hoker and Phong [1]. Our method has the advantage of using only algebraic properties of modular functions and it can be extended to any genus g.
The analytic contribution to the low energy expansion of Type II string amplitudes at genus-one is a power series in space-time derivatives with coefficients that are determined by integrals of modular functions over the complex structure modulus of the world-sheet torus. These modular functions are associated with world-sheet vacuum Feynman diagrams and given by multiple sums over the discrete momenta on the torus. In this paper we exhibit exact differential and algebraic relations for a certain infinite class of such modular functions by showing that they satisfy Laplace eigenvalue equations…
We construct new four-dimensional superstring vacua with extended superconformal symmetries. A non-trivial dilaton background implies the existence of Abelian killing symmetries. These are used to construct dual equivalent backgrounds in a way preserving the N=2 superconformal invariance.
The string corrections of tree-level open-string amplitudes can be described by Selberg integrals satisfying a Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov (KZ) equation. This allows for a recursion of the $α'$-expansion of tree-level string corrections in the number of external states using the Drinfeld associator. While the feasibility of this recursion is well-known, we provide a mathematical description in terms of twisted de Rham theory and intersection numbers of twisted forms. In particular, this leads to purely combinatorial expressions for the matrix representation of the Lie algebra generators appearing i…
Starting from the Nambu-Goto bosonic string, a four dimensional superstring model is constructed using the equivalence of one boson to two Majorana-Weyl fermions. The conditions of anomaly cancellation in a 'heterotic' string theory lead to the correct result and is found to be consistent with the requirements of the standard model.
It is shown that the four-particle amplitude of superstring theory at two loops obtained in [1,2] is equivalent to the previously obtained results in [3,4,5]. Here the ${\bf Z}_2$ symmetry in hyperelliptic Riemann surface plays an important role in the proof.
We study in detail the factorization of the newly obtained two-loop four-particle amplitude in superstring theory. In particular some missing factors from the scalar correlators are obtained correctly, in comparing with a previous study of the factorization in two-loop superstring theory. Some details for the calculation of the factorization of the kinematic factor are also presented.
An open superstring field theory action has been proposed which does not suffer from contact term divergences. In this paper, we compute the on-shell four-point tree amplitude from this action using the Giddings map. After including contributions from the quartic term in the action, the resulting amplitude agrees with the first-quantized prescription.
The relation between superholomorphicity and holomorphicity of chiral superstring N-point amplitudes for NS bosons on a genus 2 Riemann surface is shown to be encoded in a hybrid cohomology theory, incorporating elements of both de Rham and Dolbeault cohomologies. A constructive algorithm is provided which shows that, for arbitrary N and for each fixed even spin structure, the hybrid cohomology classes of the chiral amplitudes of the N-point function on a surface of genus 2 always admit a holomorphic representative. Three key ingredients in the derivation are a classification of all kinematic …
We investigate a Gepner-like superstring model described by a combination of multiple minimal models and an N=2 Liouville theory. This model is thought to be equivalent to the superstring theory on a singular noncompact Calabi-Yau manifold. We construct the modular invariant partition function of this model, and confirm the validity of an appropriate GSO projection. We also calculate the elliptic genus and Witten index of the model. We find that the elliptic genus factorises into a rather trivial factor and a non-trivial one, and the non-trivial one has the information on the positively curved…
We study open and closed string amplitudes at tree-level in string perturbation theory using the methods of single-valued integration which were developed in the prequel to this paper. Using dihedral coordinates on the moduli spaces of curves of genus zero with marked points, we define a canonical regularisation of both open and closed string perturbation amplitudes at tree level, and deduce that they admit a Laurent expansion in Mandelstam variables whose coefficients are multiple zeta values (resp. single-valued multiple zeta values). Furthermore, we prove the existence of a motivic Laurent …
We extend the discussion of arXiv:1007.5254 on massive Regge excitations on the first mass level of four-dimensional superstring theory. For the lightest massive modes of the open string sector, universal supermultiplets common to all four-dimensional compactifications with N = 1, 2 and N = 4 spacetime supersymmetry are constructed respectively -- both their vertex operators and their supersymmetry variations. Massive spinor helicity methods shed light on the interplay between individual polarization states.
The goal of this paper and of a subsequent continuation is to find some viable ansatze for the three-loop superstring chiral measure. For this, two alternative formulas are derived for the two-loop superstring chiral measure. Unlike the original formula, both alternates admit modular covariant generalizations to higher genus. One of these two generalizations is analyzed in detail in the present paper, with the analysis of the other left to the next paper of the series.
The sigma model action described in this paper differs in four important features from the usual sigma model action for the four-dimensional Green-Schwarz heterotic superstring in a massless background. Firstly, the action is constructed on an N=(2,0) super-worldsheet using a Kahler potential and an Ogievetsky-Sokatchev constraint; secondly, the target-space background fields are unconstrained; thirdly, the target-space dilaton couples to the two-dimensional curvature; and fourthly, the action reduces in a flat background to a free-field action. A conjecture is made for generalizing this N=(2,…
We compute explicitly the four-particle amplitude in superstring theories by using the hyperelliptic language and the newly obtained chiral measure of D'Hoker and Phong. Although the algebra of the intermediate steps is a little bit involved, we obtain a quite simple expression for the four-particle amplitude. As expected, the integrand is independent of all the insertion points. As an application of the obtained result, we show that the perturbative correction to the $R^4$ term in type II superstring theories is vanishing point-wise in (even) moduli space at two loops.
We study the compactification of the pure spinor superstring down to four dimensions. We find that the compactified string is described by a conformal invariant system for both the four dimensional and for the compact six dimensional variables. The four dimensional sector is found to be invariant under a non-critical N=2 superconformal transformations.
In this paper we study the expressions of the superstring chiral measures for $g\leq 5$. We obtain certain new expressions which are functions of higher powers of theta constants. For $g=3$ we show that the measures can be written in terms of fourth power of theta constants and for $g=4$ in terms of squares of theta constants. In both cases the forms $Ξ_8^{(g)}[0^{(g)}]$ appearing in the expression of the measures are defined on the whole Siegel upper half space. Instead, for $g=5$ we find a form $Ξ_8^{(5)}[0^{(5)}]$ which is a polynomial in the classical theta constants, well defined on the S…
A superstring action is quantised with Neveu Schwarz(NS) and Ramond(R) boundary conditions. The zero mass states of the NS sector are classified as the vector gluons, W-mesons, $B_μ$-mesons and scalars containing Higgs. The fifteen zero mass fermions are obtained from the Ramond sector. A space time supersymmetric Hamiltonian of the Standard Model is presented without any conventional SUSY particles.
Following the new gauging fixing method of D'Hoker and Phong, we study two-loop superstrings in hyperelliptic language. By using hyperelliptic representation of genus 2 Riemann surface we derive a set of identities involving the Szegö kernel. These identities are used to prove the vanishing of the cosmological constant and the non-renormalization theorem point-wise in moduli space by doing the summation over all the 10 even spin structures. Modular invariance is maintained at every stage of the computation explicitly. The 4-particle amplitude is also computed and an explicit expression for the…
In this note we investigate the generalised critical $N=2$ superstrings in $(1,2p)$ spacetime signature. We calculate the four-point functions for the tachyon operators of these theories. In contrast to the usual $N=2$ superstring in $(2,2)$ spacetime, the four-point functions do not vanish. The exchanged particles of the four-point function are included in the physical spectrum of the corresponding theory and have vanishing fermion charge.
We discuss relations between two different representations of hypothetical holomorphic NSR measures, based on two different ways of constructing the semi-modular forms of weight 8. One of these ways is to build forms from the ordinary Riemann theta constants and another -- from the lattice theta constants. We discuss unexpectedly elegant relations between lattice theta constants, corresponding to 16-dimensional self-dual lattices, and Riemann theta constants and present explicit formulae expressing the former ones through the latter. Starting from genus 5 the modular-form approach to construct…
A bosonic string in twenty six dimensions is effectively reduced to four dimensions by eleven Majorana fermions which are vectors in the bosonic represetation SO(d-1,1). By dividing the fermions in two groups, actions can be written down which are world sheet supersymmetric, 2-d local and local 4-d supersymmetric. The novel string is anomally free, free of ghosts and the partition function is modular invariant.
Fractional superstrings are non-trivial generalizations of ordinary superstrings and heterotic strings, and have critical spacetime dimensions which are less than ten by virtue of a worldsheet fractional supersymmetry relating worldsheet bosons to worldsheet parafermions. In this paper, I provide a short non-technical survey of the fundamental issues involved in these recently-proposed theories. After introducing the basic ideas which underlie these new string theories, I review their early successes and outline some related outstanding questions. ( Talk given at the Internal Workshop on Strin…
A new type of superstring in four dimension is proposed which has the central charge 26. The Neveu Schwarz and the Ramond vacua are both tachyonic. The self energy of the scalar tachyon cancels from the contribution of the fermionic loop of the Ramond sector. The NS tachyonic vacuum is used to construct a massless graviton. Coulombic vector excitations of zero mass, referred as a `Newtonian' graviton are also shown to exist. The propagators are explicitly evaluated. Following the method of Weinberg, we deduce the Einstein's field equation of general relativity.
We examine the dual correspondence between holographic IIB superstring theory and N=4 super Yang-Mills theory at finite values of the coupling constants. In particular we analyze a field theory strong-coupling expansion which is the S-dual of the planar expansion. This expansion arises naturally as the AdS/CFT dual of the IIB superstring scattering amplitudes given a genus truncation property due to modular invariance. The space-time structure of the contributions to the field theory four-point correlation functions obtained from the IIB scattering elements is investigated in the example of th…
A natural SL(2,Z) invariant generalization of the Veneziano amplitude in type IIB superstring theory is investigated. It includes certain perturbative and non-perturbative (D-instanton) contributions, and it reduces to the correct expressions in different limits. The singularities are poles in the $s$-$t$-$u$ channels, corresponding to the exchange of particles with a mass spectrum coinciding with that of $(p,q)$ string states. We describe the general structure of the associated perturbative corrections to the effective action.
We study one-loop, moduli-dependent corrections to gauge and gravitational couplings in supersymmetric vacua of the heterotic string. By exploiting their relation to the integrability condition for the associated CP-odd couplings, we derive general expressions for them, both for $(2,2)$ and $(2,0)$ models, in terms of tree level four-point functions in the internal $N=2$ superconformal theory. The $(2,2)$ case, in particular symmetric orbifolds, is discussed in detail.
The 26 dimensional bosonic string, first suggested by Nambu and Goto, is reduced to a four dimensional superstring by using two species of 6 and 5 Majorana fermions as proposed by Deo. These two species of fermions differ in their 'neutrino-like' phase, and are vectors in the bosonic representation SO(d-1,1).Using Polchinski's equivalence between operators and states, we can write the Virasoro generators for 4 dimensional string theory. The theory is shown to give the same results as given by other superstrings and also reveals the well known aspects of four dimensional string theory.The boson…
Open superstring field theory admits a "hybrid" formulation where N = 1 D = 4 supersymmetry is manifest for Calabi-Yau compactifications to four dimensions. Using this formulation, the half-BPS instanton solution of four-dimensional super-Yang-Mills can be easily generalized to the full open superstring field theory. In this paper, we compute the first stringy correction to the super-Yang-Mills instanton solution which involves turning on certain fields at the first massive level.
We give brief ideas on building gauge models in superstring theory, especially the four-dimensional models obtained from the compactification of F-theory. According to Vafa, we discuss the construction of F-theory to approach non-perturbative aspects of type IIB superstring. Then, we present local models of F-theory, which can generate new four-dimensional gauge models with applications to phenomenology.
The pure spinor formalism for the superstring has recently been used to compute massless four-point two-loop amplitudes in a manifestly super-Poincare covariant manner. In this paper, we show that when all four external states are Neveu-Schwarz, the two-loop amplitude coincides with the RNS result.
A string in four dimensions is constructed by supplementing it with forty four Majorana fermions. The central charge is 26. The fermions are grouped in such a way that the resulting action is supersymmetric. The super-Virasoro algebra is constructed and closed by the use of Jacobi identity. The tachyonic ground state decouples from the physical states. GSO projections are necessary for proving modular invariance and space-time supersymmetry is shown to exist for modes of zero mass. The symmetry group of the model desends to the low energy group SU(3)x SU(2)x U(1)x U(1).
