Related papers: Unconventional string-like singularities in flat s…
We explore bosonic strings and Type II superstrings in the simplest time dependent backgrounds, namely orbifolds of Minkowski space by time reversal and some spatial reflections. We show that there are no negative norm physical excitations.…
Cosmic strings are one-dimensional topological defects which could have been formed in the early stages of our Universe. They triggered a lot of interest, mainly for their cosmological implications: they could offer an alternative to…
The exact general solution of circular strings in $2+1$ dimensional de Sitter spacetime is described completely in terms of elliptic functions. The novel feature here is that one single world-sheet generically describes {\it infinitely…
Perturbations of a class of semiclassical strings known today as spiky strings, are studied using the well-known Jacobi equations for small normal deformations of an embedded timelike surface. It is shown that there exists finite normal…
We study string theory on a non-singular time-dependent orbifold of flat space, known as the `null-brane'. The orbifold group, which involves only space-like identifications, is obtained by a combined action of a null Lorentz transformation…
T-duality of string theory suggests nonlocality manifested as the shortest possible distance. As an alternative, we suggest a nonlocal formulation of string theory that breaks T-duality at the fundamental level and does not require the…
We study the spectrum of loops as a part of a complete network of cosmic strings in flat spacetime. After a long transient regime, characterized by production of small loops at the scale of the initial conditions, it appears that a true…
The strong coupling limit of a quantum system is in general quite complicated, but in some cases a great simplification occurs: the strongly coupled limit is equivalent to the weakly coupled limit of some other system. In string theory…
A broad class of two-dimensional loop-corrected dilaton gravity models exhibit cosmological solutions that interpolate between the string perturbative vacuum and a background with asymptotically flat metric and linearly growing dilaton. The…
Three subjects are considered here: a self-dual non-critical string that appears in Type IIB superstring theory at points in ${\rm K3}$ moduli space where the Type IIA theory has extended gauge symmetry; a conformal field theory singularity…
We study the deflection of light in the background of a "wiggly" cosmic string, and investigate whether it is possible to detect cosmic strings by means of weak gravitational lensing. For straight strings without small-scale structure there…
We consider scattering of elastic waves on parallel wedge dislocations in the geometric theory of defects or, equivalently, scattering of point particles and light rays on cosmic strings. Dislocations are described as torsion singularities…
Cylindrically symmetric inhomogeneous string cosmological models are investigated in presence of string fluid as a source of matter. To get the three types of exact solutions of Einstein's field equations we assume $A = f(x)k(t)$, $B =…
We consider maximal globally hyperbolic flat (2+1) spacetimes with compact space S of genus g>1. For any spacetime M of this type, the length of time that the events have been in existence is M defines a global time, called the cosmological…
The recently introduced anomaly-free twistor string in four dimensions is shown to be defined not just in flat but also in curved twistor space. Further, arguments are given that the classical limit of the corresponding string field theory,…
Special multi-cosmic string metrics are analytically extended to describe configurations of Wheeler-Misner wormholes and ordinary cosmic strings. I investigate in detail the case of flat, asymptotically Minkowskian, Wheeler-Misner wormhole…
We present a simple sandwich gravitational wave of the Robinson-Trautman family. This is interpreted as representing a shock wave with a spherical wavefront which propagates into a Minkowski background minus a wedge. (i.e. the background…
The string-dominated universe locally resembles an open universe, and fits dynamical measures of power spectra, cluster abundances, redshift distortions, lensing constraints, luminosity and angular diameter distance relations and microwave…
Lifshitz spacetimes are possible gravitational duals to strongly coupled field theories with an anisotropic scaling symmetry. These spacetimes however, have a null curvature singularity. We find that higher dimensional embeddings of…
The cosmological constant problem is turned around to argue for a new foundational physics postulate underlying a consistent quantum theory of gravity and matter, such as string theory. This postulate is a quantum equivalence principle…