We formulate the Exact Renormalization Group on the string world sheet for closed string backgrounds. The same techniques that were used for open strings is used here. There are some subtleties. One is that holomorphic factorization of the closed string vertex operators does not hold in the presence of a cutoff on the Euclidean world sheet. This introduces extra terms in the Lagrangian at the cutoff scale and they turn out to be crucial for implementing gauge invariance. This naive generalization from open string to closed strings requires a {\em massive} graviton and the gauge symmetry is Abelian, just as in open string theory. Interestingly, it turns out that if one introduces a non dynamical background metric (as in background field formalism) and combines a gauge transformation on the field with a transformation on the coordinates and background metric, the graviton can be massless. Some examples of background coordinate covariant equations are worked out explicitly. A preliminary discussion of massive modes, massive gauge transformations and the role of world sheet regulator terms is given. Some of the gauge transformations can be given a geometric meaning if space time is assumed to be complex at some level.
We derive the effective action for classical strings coupled to dilatonic, gravitational, and axionic fields. We show how to use this effective action for: (i) renormalizing the string tension, (ii) linking ultraviolet divergences to the infrared (long-range) interaction between strings, (iii) bringing additional light on the special cancellations that occur for fundamental strings, and (iv) pointing out the limitations of Dirac's celebrated field-energy approach to renormalization.
In a previous paper we described a procedure for computing the renormalized masses and S-matrix elements in bosonic string theory for a special class of massive states which do not mix with unphysical states under renormalization. In this paper we extend this result to general states in bosonic string theory, and argue that only the squares of renormalized physical masses appear as the locations of the poles of the S-matrix of other physical states. We also discuss generalizations to Neveu-Schwarz sector states in heterotic and superstring theories.
We show that an exact, non-critical-string cosmological configuration of dilaton and graviton backgrounds, found in [1], constitutes an infrared stable fixed point of an exact Wilsonian renormalization group equation.
String vacua for non critical strings satisfying the requirements of Zig-Zag invariance are constructed. The Liouville mode is shown to play the rôle of scale in the Renormalization Group operation. Differences and similarities with the D-brane near horizon approach to non supersymmetric gauge theories are discussed as well.
The renormalization group approach towards the string representation of non abelian gauge theories translates, in terms of the string sigma model beta function equations, the renormalization group evolution of the gauge coupling constant and Zamolodchikov`s $c$ function. Tachyon stability, glueball mass gap, renormalization group evolution of the $c$ function and the area law for the Wilson loop are studied for a critical bosonic string vacuum corresponding to a non abelian gauge theory in four dimensional space-time. We prove that the same intrinsic geometry for the string vacuum is universal…
We study small perturbations around the exactly marginal time-dependent string configuration of [1], and demonstrate the lack of the appropriate linearization. This implies that this configuration is an isolated fixed point of the $α^{'}$ flow in the pertinent space of theories.
We discuss a renormalization procedure for a classical bosonic string coupled to a massless scalar field. The classical equations of motion for this system are non-renormalizable if the number of spacetime dimensions exceeds four. Our analysis indicates that string excitation modes must be included to make the string a finite object.
We study the Casimir effect for a massive bosonic string terminating on D-brains, and living in a flat space with an antisymmetric background B-field. We find the Casimir energy and Casimir force as functions of the mass and length of the string and show the force does not depend on B-field. We also find the divergent part of the vacuum state energy, as a function of the mass and length of the string and offer an idea for renormalization of the mass of the string.
The prescription of Kawai, Lewellen and Tye for writing the closed string tree amplitudes as sums of products of open string tree amplitudes, is applied to the world sheet renormalization group equation. The main point is that regularization of the Minkowski (rather than Euclidean) world sheet theory allows factorization into left-moving and right-moving sectors to be maintained. Explicit calculations are done for the tachyon and the (gauge-fixed) graviton.
The renormalization group flow in the theory space of a BRST invariant string $σ$-model is investigated. For the open bosonic string the non-perturbative off-shell effective action and its gauge symmetry properties are determined from $β$-functions defined by the local Weyl anomaly. The interactions are shown to explicitly break the free theory BRST invariance generating new non-linear gauge symmetries of the type present in Witten's string field theory. In the Feynman-Siegel gauge the $σ$-model is shown to generate Witten's structure of vertex couplings.
A consistent procedure for regularization of divergences and for the subsequent renormalization of the string tension is proposed in the framework of the one-loop calculation of the interquark potential generated by the Polyakov-Kleinert string. In this way, a justification of the formal treatment of divergences by analytic continuation of the Riemann and Epstein-Hurwitz zeta functions is given. A spectral representation for the renormalized string energy at zero temperature is derived, which enables one to find the Casimir energy in this string model at nonzero temperature very easy.
This paper is a self contained review of the Loop Variable approach to string theory. The Exact Renormalization Group is applied to a world sheet theory describing string propagation in a general background involving both massless and massive modes. This gives interacting equations of motion for the modes of the string. Loop variable techniques are used to obtain gauge invariant equations. Since this method is not tied to flat space time or any particular background metric, it is manifestly background independent. The technique can be applied to both open and closed strings. Thus gauge invaria…
Schwarz-Christoffel (SC) mapping plays a crucial role in the calculation of the large-size expansion for polygonal Wilson loops in confining gauge theories using effective string theory (EST). Recently a new analytical regularization based on SC mapping was suggested and successfully applied to the calculation of the two-loop contribution of EST in the case of triangular Wilson loops. We prove that this analytical renormalization produces finite results for arbitrary polygonal Wilson loops and show that the result of the analytical renormalization for a given polygonal contour is independent o…
We construct a covariant closed string field theory by extending recent works on the covariant open string field theory in the proper-time gauge. Rewriting the string scattering amplitudes generated by the closed string field theory in terms of the Polyakov string path integrals, we identify the Fock space representations of the closed string vertices. We show that the Fock space representations of the closed string field theory may be completely factorized into those of the open string field theory. It implies that the well known Kawai-Lewellen-Tye (KLT) relations of the first quantized strin…
We investigate classical bosonic open-string field theory from the perspective of the Wilson renormalization group of world-sheet theory. The microscopic action is identified with Witten's covariant cubic action and the short-distance cut-off scale is introduced by length of open-string strip which appears in the Schwinger representation of open-string propagator. {\it Classical open-string field theory} in the title means open-string field theory governed by a classical part of the low energy action. It is obtained by integrating out suitable tree interactions of open-strings and is of non-po…
Various studies have attempted to extend the Witten's cubic open string field theory to the cubic closed string field theory, which may describe Einstein gravity in the low energy sector consistently. In the present study we propose a cubic closed string field theory, introducing a double layer to describe the closed string world-sheet as an extension of the open string world-sheet of the Witten's cubic open string. We mapped the closed string world-sheet onto the complex plane, of which the lower half plane is completely covered by the extended part of the string world-sheet. Using the Green'…
We analyze the behaviour of heterotic squashed-Wess-Zumino-Witten backgrounds under renormalization-group flow. The flows we consider are driven by perturbation creating extra gauge fluxes. We show how the conformal point acts as an attractor from both the target-space and world-sheet points of view. We also address the question of instabilities created by the presence of closed time-like curves in string backgrounds
In this work we review the application of a functional method, serving as an alternative to the Wilsonian Exact Renormalization approach, to stringy bosonic $σ$-models with metric and dilaton backgrounds on a spherical world sheet [1]. We derive an exact evolution equation for the dilaton with the amplitude of quantum fluctuations, driven by the kinetic term of the two-dimensional world-sheet theory. The linear dilaton conformal field theory, corresponding to a linearly (in cosmic Einstein-frame time) expanding Universe, appears as a trivial fixed point of this equation. With the help of confo…
String theory gives a well defined procedure for computing the S-matrix of BPS or a class of massless states, but similar calculation for general massive states is plagued with difficulties due to mass renormalization effect. In this paper we describe a procedure for computing the renormalized masses and S-matrix elements in bosonic string theory for a special class of massive states which do not mix with unphysical states under renormalization. Even though this requires working with off-shell amplitudes which are ambiguous, we show that the renormalized masses and S-matrix elements are free f…
We perform a holographic renormalization of gravity duals to little string theories. In particular, we construct counterterms which yield a well-defined type II action for NS-sector linear dilaton backgrounds. Our methods are based on a similar recent construction in asymptotically flat spacetimes, and our work demonstrates in detail the parallels between asymptotically flat and linear dilaton boundary conditions. The counterterms guarantee that (i) the on-shell action is finite and (ii) asymptotically linear dilaton solutions are stationary points of the action under all boundary condition pr…
Using methods of microlocal analysis, we prove that the regularization of divergent amplitudes stays a pure ultraviolet problem in string-localized field theories, despite the weaker localization. Thus, power counting does not lose its significance as an indicator for renormalizability. It also follows that standard techniques can be used to regularize divergent amplitudes in string-localized field theories.
The exact renormalization group is applied to the world sheet theory describing bosonic open string backgrounds to obtain the equations of motion for the fields of the open string. Using loop variable techniques the equations can be constructed to be gauge invariant. Furthermore they are valid off the (free) mass shell. This requires keeping a finite cutoff. Thus we have the interesting situation of a scale invariant world sheet theory with a finite world sheet cutoff. This is possible because there are an infinite number of operators whose coefficients can be tuned. This is in the same sense …
We express one-loop string amplitudes involving both open and closed strings as sum over pure open string amplitudes. These findings generalize the analogous tree-level result to higher loops and extend the tree-level observation that in gravitational amplitudes a graviton can be traded for two gluons. Our results are derived from analytic continuation of closed string world-sheet coordinates on the cylinder resulting in pairs of real open string coordinates located at the two cylinder boundaries subject to a one-loop kernel. The latter depends on the loop momentum flowing between the two cyli…
The equivalence between the holographic renormalization group and the soft dilaton theorem is shown for a class of wrapped metrics solutions of the string beta function equations for the bosonic string.
We discuss what information can be safely extracted from background independent off-shell string theory. The major obstacle in doing so is that renormalization conditions of the underlying world-sheet theories are not exactly known. To get some insight, we first consider the tachyon and gauge field backgrounds and carry out computations in different renormalization schemes for both, bosonic string and superstring. Next, we use a principle of universality (renormalization scheme independence) to somehow compensate the missing of the renormalization conditions and get information we are looking …
The entanglement renormalization flow of a (1+1) free boson is formulated as a path integral over some auxiliary scalar fields. The resulting effective theory for these fields amounts to the dilaton term of non-critical string theory in two spacetime dimensions. A connection between the scalar fields in the two theories is provided, allowing to acquire novel insights into how a theory of gravity emerges from the entanglement structure of another one without gravity.
We discuss higher derivative interactions in the type IIB superstring in ten dimensions. From the fundamental string point of view, the non-perturbative corrections are due to D-instantons. We argue that they can alternatively be understood as arising from $(p,q)$-strings. We derive a non-renormalization theorem for eight-derivative bosonic interactions, which states that terms involving either NS-NS or R-R fields occur at tree-level and one-loop only. By using the $SL(2, Z)$ symmetry of M-theory on $T^2$, we show that in order for the possible $R^{3m+1} (m=1,2,...)$ interactions in M-theory t…
Inspired by the tachyon-free non-supersymmetric heterotic SO(16)xSO(16) string we consider a special class of non-supersymmetric field theories: Those that can be obtained from supersymmetric field theories by supersymmetry breaking twists. We argue that such theories, like their supersymmetric counter parts, may still possess some fermionic symmetries as left-overs of the super gauge transformations and have special one-loop non-renormalization properties due to holomorphicity. In addition, we extend the supergraph techniques to these theories to calculate some explicit supersymmetry-breaking…
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 B…
We establish a translation dictionary between open and closed strings, starting from open string field theory. Under this correspondence, (off-shell) level-matched closed string states are represented by star algebra projectors in open string field theory. Particular attention is paid to the zero mode sector, which is indispensable in order to generate closed string states with momentum. As an outcome of our identification, we show that boundary states, which in closed string theory represent D-branes, correspond to the identity string field in the open string side. It is to be remarked that c…
This paper describes my talk given to the 27th Johns Hopkins Workshop: Symmetries and Mysteries of M Theory, Göteborg, Sweden, 24-26 August, 2003. After a brief introduction to the lightcone worldsheet formalism for summing the planar diagrams of field theory, I explain how the {\it uv} divergences of quantum field theory translate to the new language of string. It is shown through one loop that, at least for scalar cubic vertices, the counter-terms necessary for Poincaré invariance in space-time dimensions $D\leq 6$ are indeed local on the worldsheet. The extension to cover the case of gauge …
It has been argued that certain reduced actions play a role in AdS/CFT when comparing fast moving strings to long single trace operators in gauge theories. Such actions arise in two ways: as a limit of the string action and as a description of long single trace field theory operators. They are non-relativistic sigma models with the target space usually being a Kahler manifold. They are non-renormalizable and need a cut-off in the wave-length. If the total spin (or charge) contained in a minimal wavelength is large compared to one, the system behaves approximately classically and an expansion i…
The Casimir energy of a non-uniform string built up from two pieces with different speed of sound is calculated. A standard procedure of subtracting the energy of an infinite uniform string is applied, the subtraction being interpreted as the renormalization of the string tension. It is shown that in the case of a homogeneous string this method is completely equivalent to the zeta renormalization.
Closed string diagrams are derived from cubic open string field theory using a gauge fixed kinetic operator. The basic idea is to use a string propagator that does not generate a boundary to the world sheet. Using this propagator and the closed string vertex, the moduli space of closed string surfaces is covered, so closed string scattering amplitudes should be reproduced. This kinetic operator could be a gauge fixed form of the string field theory action around the closed string vacuum.
We calculate the complete closed string high energy scattering amplitudes (HSA) in the Regge regime for arbitrary mass levels. As an application, we deduce the complete ratios among closed string HSA in the fixed angle regime by using Stirling number identities. These results are in contrast with the incomplete set of closed string HSA in the fixed angle regime calculated previously. The complete forms of the fixed angle amplitudes, and hence the ratios, were not calculable previously without the input of zero-norm state calculation. This is mainly due to the lack of saddle point in the fixed …
We investigate a classical open-closed string field theory whose open string sector is given by boundary string field theory. The open-closed interaction is introduced by the overlap of a boundary state with a closed string field. With the help of the Batalin-Vilkovisky formalism, the closed string sector is determined to be the HIKKO closed string field theory. We also discuss the gauge invariance of this theory in both open and closed string sides.
We consider the tachyon potentials in closed and open-closed string theories. In doing so, we apply technique which proved to be useful in studying the open string tachyon potentials to the problem of interest.
The compactness of the closed string in the classical Type II string theory reveals the duality, whereas the compactness of the open string reveals that the end of the string is on the hypersurface which satisfies the Dirichlet boundary condition.
We address the problem of describing different closed string backgrounds in background independent open string field theory: A shift in the closed string background corresponds to a collective excitation of open strings. As an illustration we apply the formalism to the case where the closed string background is a group manifold.
Recent approaches to quark confinement are reviewed, with an emphasis on their connection to renormalization group methods. Basic concepts related to confinement are introduced: the string tension, Wilson loops and Polyakov lines, string breaking, string tension scaling laws, center symmetry breaking, and the deconfinement transition at non-zero temperature. Current topics discussed include confinement on $R^3\times S^1$, the real-space renormalization group, the functional renormalization group, and the Schwinger-Dyson equation approach to confinement.
The loop variable approach is a proposal for a gauge invariant generalization of the sigma-model renormalization group method of obtaining equations of motion in string theory. The basic guiding principle is space-time gauge invariance rather than world-sheet properties. In essence it is a version of Wilson's exact renormalization group equation for the world sheet theory. It involves all the massive modes and is defined with a finite world-sheet cutoff, which allows one to go off the mass-shell. On shell the tree amplitudes of string theory are reproduced. The equations are gauge invariant of…
We consider the ordinary and noncommutative Dirac-Born-Infeld theories within the open string sigma-model. First, we propose a renormalization scheme, hybrid point splitting regularization, that leads directly to the Seiberg-Witten description including their two-form. We also show how such a form appears within the standard renormalization scheme just by some freedom in changing variables. Second, we propose a Wilson factor which has the noncommutative gauge invariance on the classical level and then compute the sigma-model partition function within one of the known renormalization scheme tha…
The observable parameters of the electron indicate unambiguously that its gravitational background should be the Kerr-Newman solution without horizons. This background is not flat and has a non-trivial topology created by the Kerr singular ring. This ring was identified with a closed gravitational string. We discuss the relation of this string to the closed heterotic string of the low energy string theory and show that traveling waves along the KN string give rise to the Dirac theory of electron. Gravitational strings form a bridge between gravity and quantum theory, indicating a new way to co…
We investigate gauge invariant operators corresponding to on-shell closed string states in open string field theory. Using both oscillator representation and conformal mapping techniques, we calculate a two closed string tachyon amplitude that connects two gauge invariant operators by an open string propagator.We find that this amplitude is in a complete agreement with the usual disc amplitude.
In this short note we apply Schrodinger picture description of the minisuperspace approach to the closed string tachyon condensation. We will calculate the rate of produced closed string and we will show that the density of high massive closed string modes reaches the string density in time of order one in string units.
We show that closed string states in bosonic string field theory are encoded in the cyclic cohomology of cubic open string field theory (OSFT) which, in turn, classifies the deformations of OSFT. This cohomology is then shown to be independent of the open string background. Exact elements correspond to closed string gauge transformations, generic boundary deformations of Witten's 3-vertex and infinitesimal shifts of the open string background. Finally it is argued that the closed string cohomology and the cyclic cohomology of OSFT are isomorphic to each other.
Special kind of closed strings is considered. It is shown that these closed strings behave as two (an even number of) open strings at the classical level and one open string at the quantum level. They contain massless vector field in their spectrum and can lie on D branes. Some properties of closed string field effective action are declared.
We discuss renormalization effects on neutrino masses and mixing angles in a supersymmetric string-inspired SU(4) X SU(2)_L X SU(2)_R X U(1)_X model, with matter in fundamental and antisymmetric tensor representations and singlet Higgs fields charged under the anomalous U(1)_X family symmetry. The quark, lepton and neutrino Yukawa matrices are distinguished by different Clebsch-Gordan coefficients. The presence of a second U(1)_X breaking singlet with fractional charge allows a more realistic, hierarchical light neutrino mass spectrum with bi-large mixing. By numerical investigation we find a …
Although Quantum field theory has been very successful in explaining experiment, there are two aspects of the theory that remain quite troubling. One is the no-interaction result proved in Haag's theorem. The other is the existence of infinite perturbation expansion terms that need to be absorbed into theoretically unknown but experimentally measurable quantities like charge and mass -- i.e. renormalization. Here it will be shown that the two problems may be related. A "natural" method of eliminating the renormalization problem also sidesteps Haag's theorem automatically. Existing renormalizat…
I review the physical properties of different vacua in the background independent open string field theory. Talk presented at Strings 2001, Mumbai, India, http://theory.theory.tifr.res.in/strings/Proceedings/#sha-s.
