All the BRST-invariant operators in pure spinor formalism in $d=10$ can be represented as BRST commutators, such as $V=\lbrace{Q_{brst}},{θ_{+}\over{λ_{+}}}V\rbrace$ where $λ_{+}$ is the U(5) component of the pure spinor transforming as $1_{5\over2}$. Therefore, in order to secure non-triviality of BRST cohomology in pure spinor string theory, one has to introduce "small Hilbert space" and "small operator algebra" for pure spinors, analogous to those existing in RNS formalism. As any invariant vertex operator in RNS string theory can also represented as a commutator $V=\lbrace{Q_{brst}},LV\rbrace$ where $L=-4c\partialξξe^{-2ϕ}$, we show that mapping ${θ_{+}\over{λ_{+}}}$ to L leads to identification of the pure spinor variable $λ^α$ in terms of RNS variables without any additional non-minimal fields. We construct the RNS operator satisfying all the properties of $λ^α$ and show that the pure spinor BRST operator $\oint{λ^α{d_α}}$ is mapped (up to similarity transformation) to the BRST operator of RNS theory under such a construction. We also observe that BRST cohomology of pure spinor superstring theory contains vertex operators non-trivially coupled to the pure spinor ghost variable. The physical interpretation of these operators remains unclear.
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.
Using an elementary perturbative open string field theory solution involving a twistor-like parameter, we study the cohomology of new nilpotent BRST charge corresponding to the space-time background defined by this solution. The BRST cohomology of the deformed background automatically cuts off the GSO-odd spectrum in RNS superstring theory and keeps the GSO-even spectrum intact, without a need of GSO-projection. The on-shell constraints in the GSO-even sector get deformed in the new background, corresponding to BRST type transformations of the low-energy effective action with the ghost-like co…
We show that new BRST charges in RNS superstring theory with nonstandard ghost numbers, constructed in our recent work, can be mapped to deformed pure spinor (PS) superstring theories, with the nilpotent pure spinor BRST charge $Q_{PS}=\oint{λ^α}d_α$ still retaining its form but with singular operator products between commuting spinor variables $λ^α$. Despite the OPE singularities, the pure spinor condition $λγ^mλ=0$ is still fulfilled in a weak sense, explained in the paper. The operator product singularities correspond to introducing interactions between the pure spinors. We conjecture that …
An explicit operator mapping in the form of a similarity transformation is constructed between the RNS formalism and an extension of the pure spinor formalism (to be called EPS formalism) recently proposed by the present authors. Due to the enlarged field space of the EPS formalism, where the pure spinor constraints are removed, the mapping is completely well-defined in contrast to the one given previously by Berkovits in the original pure spinor (PS) formalism. This map provides a direct demonstration of the equivalence of the cohomologies of the RNS and the EPS formalisms and is expected to …
Recently, the superstring was covariantly quantized using the BRST-like operator $Q = \oint λ^αd_α$ where $λ^α$ is a pure spinor and $d_α$ are the fermionic Green-Schwarz constraints. By performing a field redefinition and a similarity transformation, this BRST-like operator is mapped to the sum of the Ramond-Neveu-Schwarz BRST operator and $η_0$ ghost. This map is then used to relate physical vertex operators and tree amplitudes in the two formalisms. Furthermore, the map implies the existence of a $b$ ghost in the pure spinor formalism which might be useful for loop amplitude computations.
The physical states of D=5 holomorphic Chern-Simons theory correspond to on-shell D=10 open superstring states in the cohomology of $q_+$, where $q_+$ is one of the 16 spacetime supersymmetry generators. Scattering amplitudes of these states can be computed either using the usual Ramond-Neveu-Schwarz (RNS) superstring prescription with N=1 worldsheet supersymmetry, or using a topological $\hat c$=5 string theory with twisted N=2 worldsheet supersymmetry. It will be argued that the relation between D=5 holomophic Chern-Simons and the RNS superstring is identical to the relation between the the …
A covariant map between the Ramond-Neveu-Schwarz (RNS) and pure spinor formalisms for the superstring is found which transforms the RNS and pure spinor BRST operators into each other. The key ingredient is a dynamical twisting of the ten spin-half RNS fermions into five spin-one and five spin-zero fermions using bosonic pure spinors that parameterize an SO(10)/U(5) coset. The map relates massless vertex operators in the two formalisms, and gives a new description of Ramond states which does not require spin fields. An argument is proposed for relating the amplitude prescriptions in the two for…
Same amplitudes evaluated independently using RNS and pure spinor formalism are expected to agree. While for massless states, this fact has been firmly established, for massive states such an explicit check has been lacking so far. We compute all massless-massless-massive 3-point functions in open supertrings in pure spinor formalism for the first massive states and compare them with the corresponding RNS results. We fix the normalization of the vertex operators of the massive states by comparing same set of 3-point functions for a fixed ordering in the two formalisms. Once fixed, the subseque…
The pure spinor formalism for the superstring can be formulated as a twisted N=2 worldsheet theory with fermionic generators $j_{BRST}$ and composite $b$ ghost. After untwisting the formalism to an N=1 worldsheet theory with fermionic stress tensor $j_{BRST}+b$, the worldsheet variables combine into N=1 worldsheet superfields $X^m$ and $Θ^α$ together with a superfield constraint relating $DX^m$ and $DΘ^α$. The constraint implies that the worldsheet superpartner of $θ^α$ is a bosonic twistor variable, and different solutions of the constraint give rise to the pure spinor or extended RNS formali…
After adding a pair of non-minimal fields and performing a similarity transformation, the BRST operator in the pure spinor formalism is expressed as a conventional-looking BRST operator involving the Virasoro constraint and (b,c) ghosts, together with 12 fermionic constraints. This BRST operator can be obtained by gauge-fixing the Green-Schwarz superstring where the 8 first-class and 8 second-class Green-Schwarz constraints are combined into 12 first-class constraints. Alternatively, the pure spinor BRST operator can be obtained from the RNS formalism by twisting the ten spin-half RNS fermions…
We construct non-critical pure spinor superstrings in two, four and six dimensions. We find explicitly the map between the RNS variables and the pure spinor ones in the linear dilaton background. The RNS variables map onto a patch of the pure spinor space and the holomorphic top form on the pure spinor space is an essential ingredient of the mapping. A basic feature of the map is the requirement of doubling the superspace, which we analyze in detail. We study the structure of the non-critical pure spinor space, which is different from the ten-dimensional one, and its quantum anomalies. We comp…
After adding an RNS-like fermionic vector ψ^m to the pure spinor formalism, the non-minimal b ghost takes a simple form similar to the pure spinor BRST operator. The N=2 superconformal field theory generated by the b ghost and the BRST current can be interpreted as a "dynamical twisting" of the RNS formalism where the choice of which spin half ψ^m variables are twisted into spin 0 and spin 1 variables is determined by the pure spinor variables that parameterize the coset SO(10)/U(5).
Bosonic and RNS chiral strings have been defined from a singular gauge fixing of the respective Polyakov and spinning string actions, enforcing, among other things, the finite nature of their physical spectra. Except for the heterotic case, the tensionless limits of such chiral models have been shown to describe the same field theories predicted by their ambitwistor analogues. In this paper, we study the Green-Schwarz formulation for Type II and heterotic superstrings in a singular gauge. After performing a light-cone gauge analysis, their physical spectra are shown to match those of RNS chira…
As a check of the first massive integrated vertex operator in the pure spinor formalism constructed in arXiv:1802.04486, we compute the one loop 2-point function of the stable non-BPS massive states in SO(32) heterotic string theory. This allows us to compute the one loop renormalized mass of these states using the pure spinor formalism. Our results are in agreement with the corresponding results obtained by Sen using the RNS formalism. This provides an instance of the equivalence between the RNS and the pure spinor formalism for the massive states at loop level.
The SO(32) heterotic superstring on a Calabi-Yau manifold can spontaneously break supersymmetry at one-loop order even when it is unbroken at tree-level. It is known that calculating the supersymmetry-breaking effects in this model gives a relatively accessible test case of the subtleties of superstring perturbation theory in the RNS formalism. In the present paper, we calculate the relevant amplitudes in the pure spinor approach to superstring perturbation theory, and show that the regulator used in computing loop amplitudes in the pure spinor formalism leads to subtleties somewhat analogous …
In this paper we give a proof of the equivalence between the RNS and Pure Spinor formalism for Type I tree level amplitudes involving up to four fermions. This result have been obtained previously for amplitudes involving only closed or open amplitudes and here we extend it to include Type I amplitudes. For this we first prove the cyclic symmetry of Type I superstring in a way that it is also valid for the Pure Spinor formalism. The technique used is applied to simplify the calculation of the tree level three point amplitude previously computed. As a byproduct, we are able to calculate the gau…
Using the RNS-like fermionic vector variables introduced in arXiv:1305.0693, the pure spinor $b$ ghost in a curved heterotic superstring background is easily constructed. This construction simplifies and completes the $b$ ghost construction in a curved background of arXiv:1311.7012.
We study the construction of D-brane boundary states in the pure spinor formalism for the quantisation of the superstring. This is achieved both via a direct analysis of the definition of D-brane boundary states in the pure spinor conformal field theory, as well as via comparison between standard RNS and pure spinor descriptions of the superstring. Regarding the map between RNS and pure spinor formulations of the superstring, we shed new light on the tree level zero mode saturation rule. Within the pure spinor formalism we propose an explicit expression for the D-brane boundary state in a flat…
We examine the possibility of constructing analytical solutions describing marginal deformations in the open superstring field theory that is based on the non-minimal pure-spinor formalism. It is found out that some methods used for constructing solutions of bosonic and RNS string field theories do not seem to generalize to the pure-spinor case, while other methods do lead to reliable analytical solutions.
We observe and study new non-linear global space-time symmetries of the full ghost+matter action of RNS superstring theory. We show that these surprising new symmetries are generated by the special worldsheet currents (vertex operators) of RNS superstring theory, violating the equivalence of superconformal ghost pictures. We review the questions of BRST invariance and non-triviality of picture-dependent vertex operators and show their relation to hidden space-time symmetries and hidden space-time dimensions. In particular, we relate the space-time transformations, induced by the picture-depend…
Using the results recently obtained for computing integrals over (non-minimal) pure spinor superspace, we compute the coefficient of the massless two-loop four-point amplitude from first principles. Contrasting with the mathematical difficulties in the RNS formalism where unknown normalizations of chiral determinant formulae force the two-loop coefficient to be determined only indirectly through factorization, the computation in the pure spinor formalism can be smoothly carried out.
Using the pure spinor formalism we prove identities which relate the tree-level, one-loop and two-loop kinematic factors for massless four-point amplitudes. From these identities it follows that the complete supersymmetric one- and two-loop amplitudes are immediately known once the tree-level kinematic factor is evaluated. In particular, the two-loop equivalence with the RNS formalism (up to an overall coefficient) is obtained as a corollary.
We evaluate closed string disk amplitudes in the pure spinor formalism. We focus on low point functions (two- and one-point functions) but our analysis is also relevant for higher n-point functions. Amongst others we discuss issues arising due to the gauge fixing of the conformal Killing group of the disk and due to the zero mode prescription in the pure spinor formalism. As expected, in the end we find agreement with the known results from the RNS formalism.
We continue the study of the d=2,4,6 pure-spinor superstring models introduced in [1]. By explicitly solving the pure-spinor constraint we show that these theories have vanishing central charge and work out the (covariant) current algebra for the Lorentz currents. We argue that these super-Poincare covariant models may be thought of as compactifications of the superstring on CY_{4,3,2}, and take some steps toward making this precise by constructing a map to the RNS superstring variables. We also discuss the relation to the so called hybrid superstrings, which describe the same type of compacti…
In this paper we revisit Berkovits' pure spinor formalism in lower dimensions. We are particularly interested in relating a six-dimensional pure spinor action previously constructed in the literature to other superstring formalisms. In order to gain some insight into six-dimensional pure spinors, we first derive their action by gauge-fixing the classical six-dimensional Green-Schwarz action. We then consider a hybrid pure spinor construction in which the spacetime symmetries of six of the ten dimensions are described in pure spinor variables, while the remaining four dimensions are parameteriz…
We provide the covariant superspace equations that are sufficient to determine the complete $θ$ expansion of the vertex operator of the open string massive states with $(mass)^2=1/α'$ in pure spinor formalism of superstring theory. These equations get rid of the redundant degrees of freedom in superfields and are consistent with the BRST conditions derived in [1]. Further, we give the explicit $θ$ expansion of the superfields appearing in the unintegrated vertex to $O(θ^3)$. Finally, we compute the contribution to a 3-point tree amplitude with the resulting vertex operator upto $O(θ^3)$ and fi…
A ten-dimensional super-Poincare covariant formalism for the superstring was recently developed which involves a BRST operator constructed from superspace matter variables and a pure spinor ghost variable. A super-Poincare covariant prescription was defined for computing tree amplitudes and was shown to coincide with the standard RNS prescription. In this paper, picture-changing operators are used to define functional integration over the pure spinor ghosts and to construct a suitable $b$ ghost. A super-Poincare covariant prescription is then given for the computation of N-point multiloop ampl…
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 …
It was earlier shown that an SO(9,1) $θ^\a$ spinor variable can be constructed from RNS matter and ghost fields. $θ^\a$ has a bosonic worldsheet super-partner $λ^\a$ which plays the role of a twistor variable, satisfying $λΓ^μλ= \partial x^μ+iθΓ^μ\partialθ$. For Type IIA superstrings, the left-moving $[θ_L^\a,λ_L^\a]$ and right-moving $[θ_{R\a},λ_{R\a}]$ can be combined into 32-component SO(10,1) spinors $[θ^A,λ^A]$. This suggests that $λ^A Γ^{11}_{AB}λ^B= 2λ_L^\a λ_{R\a}$ can be interpreted as momentum in the eleventh direction. Evidence for this interpretation comes from the zero-momentum ve…
