Related papers: Path integrals of perturbative strings on curved b…
We consider massless string scattering amplitudes in a limit where the number of external particles becomes very large, while the energy of each particle remains small. Using the growth of the volume of the relevant moduli space, and by…
We complete the set of string vertices of non-negative dimension by introducing in a consistent manner those moduli spaces which had previously been excluded. As a consequence we obtain a `geometrised' string action taking the simple form…
We consider the instabilities of field perturbations around a homogeneous background color-electric and/or -magnetic field in SU(2) pure gauge theory. We investigate a number of distinct cases of background magnetic and electric fields, and…
We study string propagation in an exact, four-dimensional dyonic black hole background. The general solutions describing string configurations are obtained by solving the string equations of motion and constraints. By using the covariant…
String theory one-loop threshold corrections are studied in a background field approach due to Kiritsis and Kounnas which uses space-time curvature as an infrared regulator. We review the conformal field theory aspects using the…
In this paper we prove that a graph is a string graph (the intersection graph of curves in the plane) if and only if it admits a drawing in the plane with certain properties. This also allows us to define an algebraic obstruction, similar…
It has recently been shown that the Nambu-Goto equation for a string emerges from the junction conditions in three-dimensional gravity. Holographically, gravitational junctions are dual to interfaces in conformal field theory. We…
This is mainly a brief review of some key achievements in a `hot'' area of theoretical and mathematical physics. The principal aim is to outline the basic structures underlying {\em integrable} quantum field theory models with {\em…
Fluxbrane-like backgrounds obtained from flat space by a sequence of T-dualities and shifts of polar coordinates (beta deformations) provide an interesting class of exactly solvable string theories. We compute the one-loop partition…
In these introductory notes I explain some basic ideas in string field theory. These include: the concept of a string field, the issue of background independence, the reason why minimal area metrics solve the problem of generating all…
We consider strings with the Nambu action as extremal surfaces in a given space-time, thus, we ignore their back reaction. Especially, we look for strings sharing one symmetry with the underlying space-time. If this is a non-null symmetry,…
The first part is an introduction to conformal field theory and string perturbation theory. The second part deals with the search for a deeper answer to the question posed in the title. Contents: 1. Conformal Field Theory 2. String Theory…
Using the pure spinor formalism on the world-sheet, we derive the T-duality rules for all target space couplings in an efficient manner. The world-sheet path integral derivation is a proof of the equivalence of the T-dual Ramond-Ramond…
Perturbation theory for a class of topological field theories containing antisymmetric tensor fields is considered. These models are characterized by a supersymmetric structure which allows to establish their perturbative finiteness.
We report the existence of unstable, s-wave modes, for black strings in Gauss-Bonnet theory (which is quadratic in the curvature) in seven dimensions. This theory admits analytic uniform black strings that in the transverse section are…
We discuss a covariant functional integral approach to the quantization of the bosonic string. In contrast to approaches relying on non-covariant operator regularizations, interesting operators here are true tensor objects with classical…
The role of general two-impurity multi-trace operators in the BMN correspondence is explored. Surprisingly, the anomalous dimensions of all two-impurity multi-trace BMN operators to order g_2^2\lambda' are completely determined in terms of…
A geometric string solution has background fields in overlapping coordinate patches related by diffeomorphisms and gauge transformations, while for a non-geometric background this is generalised to allow transition functions involving…
In this letter we use a perturbative approach to find the spectrum of non-relativistic strings in the String Newton-Cartan (SNC) AdS$_5\times$S$^5$ spacetime. We perturb the bosonic sector of the action around a BMN-like folded string…
We formulate matrix string models on a class of exact string backgrounds with non constant RR-flux parameterized by a holomorphic prepotential function and with manifest (2,2) supersymmetry. This lifts these string theories to M-theory…