Related papers: The perturbative vacua in string geometry theory
We argue that a generic instability afflicts vacua that arise in theories whose moduli space has large dimension. Specifically, by studying theories with multiple scalar fields we provide numerical evidence that for a generic local minimum…
The behaviour of matrix string theory in the background of a type IIA pp wave at small string coupling, g_s << 1, is determined by the combination M g_s where M is a dimensionless parameter proportional to the strength of the Ramond-Ramond…
The bosonic membrane in a partial gauge, where one space dimension is eliminated, is formulated as a perturbation theory around an exact free string-like solution. This perturbative regime corresponds to a situation where one of the…
I summarize some of the ideas and motivations behind a recently performed conformal field theory analysis of closed strings in both geometric and nongeometric three-form flux backgrounds. This suggests an underlying nonassociative structure…
Superstring theories are very promising theoretically, but the enormous landscape of string vacua and the (likely) very large underlying string scale imply that they may never be tested directly. Nevertheless, concrete constructions…
We study bosonic string theory in a gravitational background. We show that either left-movers or right-movers are the only background independent non-perturbative solutions of the field equations for an arbitrary static metric. They are…
Recently, it has become clear that neighboring multiple vacua might have interesting consequences for the physics of the early universe. In this paper we investigate the topography of the string landscape corresponding to complex structure…
The perturbative modes propagating along an infinite string are investigated within the framework of the gauge invariant perturbation formalism on a spacetime containing a self-gravitating straight string with a finite thickness. These…
The $\mathbf{O}(D,D)$ covariant generalized metric, postulated as a truly fundamental variable, can describe novel geometries where the notion of Riemannian metric ceases to exist. Here we quantize a closed string upon such backgrounds and…
We argue that the study of the statistics of the landscape of string vacua provides the first potentially predictive -- and also falsifiable -- framework for string theory. The question of whether the theory does or does not predict low…
This review provides an introduction to non-geometric backgrounds in string theory. Starting from a discussion of T-duality, geometric and non-geometric torus-fibrations are reviewed, generalised geometry and its relation to non-geometric…
We uncover a remarkable role that an infinite hierarchy of non-linear differential equations plays in organizing and connecting certain {hat c}<1 string theories non-perturbatively. We are able to embed the type 0A and 0B (A,A) minimal…
In this Thesis we investigate properties of stability, rigidity and unitarity of the string landscape in ten and lower dimensions. The dissertation explores these aspects by intertwining a detailed analysis of string vacua, with and without…
The central theme of this thesis is noncommutativity in string theory. We explore in detail how noncommutative structures can emerge in case of the interacting bosonic string and even in the fermionic sector of superstring theory. We have…
Implications of string-string dualities to cosmological string vacua are discussed. Cosmological vacua of classical string theories comprise of disjoint classses mapped one another by scale-factor T-duality. Each classes are, however,…
The main limitations of string field theory arise because its present formulation requires a background representing a classical solution, a background defined by a strictly conformally invariant theory. Here we sketch a construction for a…
A brief review of the status of duality symmetries in string theory is presented. The evidence is accumulating rapidly that an enormous group of duality symmetries, including perturbative T dualities and non-perturbative S-dualities,…
A method of constructing a canonical gauge invariant quantum formulation for a non-gauge classical theory depending on a set of parameters is advanced and then applied to the theory of closed bosonic string interacting with massive…
After briefly reviewing basic concepts of perturbative string theory, we explain in simple terms some of the new findings that created excitement among the string physicists. These developments include non-perturbative dualities and a…
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…