Related papers: Classical string propagation in gravitational fiel…
In this semi-technical review we discuss string theory (and all that goes by that name) as a framework for a quantum theory of gravity. This is a new paradigm in theoretical physics that goes beyond relativistic quantum field theory. We…
The string equations of motion and constraints are solved for a ring shaped Ansatz in cosmological and black hole spacetimes. In FRW universes with arbitrary power behavior [$R(X^0) = a\;|X^0|^{\a}\, $], the asymptotic form of the solution…
This is a broad-brush review of how string theory addresses several important questions of gravitational physics. The problem of non-renormalizability is first reviewed, followed by introduction of string theory as an ultraviolet-finite…
We show how the classical string dynamics in $D$-dimensional gravity background can be reduced to the dynamics of a massless particle constrained on a certain surface whenever there exists at least one Killing vector for the background…
Quantization of the time symmetric system of interacting strings requires that gravity, just as electromagnetism in Wheeler-Feynman's time symmetric electro- dynamics, also be an "adjunct field" instead of an independent entity. The…
The classical motion of a test string in the transverse space of two types of heterotic fivebrane sources is fully analyzed, for arbitrary instanton scale size. The singular case is treated as a special case and does not arise in the…
We start a systematic study of string theory in AdS_3 black hole backgrounds. Firstly, we analyse in detail the geodesic structure of the BTZ black hole, including spacelike geodesics. Secondly, we study the spectrum for massive and…
We argue that the light particles in string theory obey an effective quantum mechanics modified by the inclusion of a quantum-gravitational friction term, induced by unavoidable couplings to unobserved massive string states in the…
A new approach for investigating the classical dynamics of the relativistic string model with rigidity is proposed. It is based on the embedding of the string world surface into the space of a constant curvature. It is shown that the rigid…
We investigate the evolution of infinite strings as a part of a complete cosmic string network in flat space. We perform a simulation of the network which uses functional forms for the string position and thus is exact to the limits of…
An implicit, fully characteristic, numerical scheme for solving the field equations of a cosmic string coupled to gravity is described. The inclusion of null infinity as part of the numerical grid allows us to apply suitable boundary…
The classical and the quantum massive string model based on a modified BDHP action is analyzed in the range of dimensions $1<d<25$. The discussion concerning classical theory includes a formulation of the geometrical variational principle,…
We show that Einstein's main equations for stationary axisymmetric fields in vacuum are equivalent to the motion equations for bosonic strings moving on a special nonflat background. This new representation is based on the analysis of…
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 geometric properties of spacetimes representing expanding impulsive gravitational waves, propagating on a flat background and generated by snapped cosmic strings, are studied. The construction of the line element is reviewed, and…
Vacuum polarization of a massive scalar field in the background of a two-dimensional version of a spinning cosmic string is investigated. It is shown that when the `radius of the universe' is such that spacetime is globally hyperbolic the…
The four-dimensional superstring solutions define at low energy effective supergravity theories. A class of them extends successfully the validity of the standard model up to the string scale (${\cal O}(10^{17})~TeV$). We stress the…
Using a world-sheet covariant formalism, we derive the equations of motion for second order perturbations of a generic macroscopic string, thus generalizing previous results for first order perturbations. We give the explicit results for…
We show that spacetime curvature alone can classically stabilize black strings. Working within a consistent five-dimensional dilaton-gravity system with a flat brane, we find that sufficiently large black strings are classically stable when…
In addition to briefly reviewing recent progress in studying black hole physics in string/M theory, we describe several robust features pertaining to spacetime physics that one can glean by studying quantum physics of black holes. In…