Related papers: Penrose Limits, the Colliding Plane Wave Problem a…

We consider the RNS superstrings in $AdS_3 \times S^3 \times {\cal M}$, where $\cal M$ may be $K3$ or $T^4$, based on $SL(2,R)$ and SU(2) WZW models. We construct the physical states and calculate the spectrum. A subsector of this theory…

We consider the backgrounds obtained by Abelian and non-Abelian T-duality applied on $AdS_5\times S^5$. We study geodesics, calculate Penrose limits and find the associated plane-wave geometries. We quantise the weakly coupled type-IIA…

The flat pp-wave background geometry has been realized as a particular Penrose limit of AdS_5 x S^5. It describes a string that has been infinitely boosted along an equatorial null geodesic in the S^5 subspace. The string worldsheet…

We extend the definition of the Szekeres-Iyer power-law singularities to supergravity, string and M-theory backgrounds, and find that are characterized by Kasner type exponents. The near singularity geometries of brane and some intersecting…

We present a systematic construction of the Penrose coordinates and plane wave limits of spacetimes for which both the null Hamilton-Jacobi and geodesic equations separate. The method is illustrated for the Kerr-NUT-(A)dS four-dimensional…

We obtain the Penrose limit of six dimensional Non-Commutative Open String (NCOS$_6$) theory and show that in the neighborhood of a particular null geodesic it leads to an exactly solvable string theory (unlike their counterparts in four or…

We construct two new classes of exact solutions to string theory which are not of the standard plane wave or gauged WZW type. Many of these solutions have curvature singularities. The first class includes the fundamental string solution,…

We initiate the construction of integrable $\lambda$-deformed WZW models based on non-semisimple groups. We focus on the four-dimensional case whose underlying symmetries are based on the non-semisimple group $E_2^c$. The corresponding…

We discuss a regular non-supersymmetric deformation of the Klebanov-Strassler solution related to gaugino mass terms in the dual gauge theory. We also describe the Penrose limit of the new background and the corresponding plane wave string…

We study string theory on the pp-wave geometry obtained by taking the Penrose limit around a certain null geodesic of the non-supersymmetric Schrodinger background. We solve for the spectrum of bosonic excitations and find compelling…

We find a new Penrose limit of AdS_5*S^5 that gives the maximally symmetric pp-wave background of type IIB string theory in a coordinate system that has a manifest space-like isometry. This induces a new pp-wave/gauge-theory duality which…

Based on the recently considered classical string configurations, in the framework of the semi-classical limit of the string/gauge theory correspondence, we describe a procedure for obtaining exact classical string solutions in general…

In this paper we study the superstring version of the exactly solvable string model constructed by Russo and Tseytlin. This model represents superstring theory in a curved spacetime and can be seen as a generalization of the Melvin…

Departing from the observation that the Penrose limit of AdS_3 x S^3 is a group contraction in the sense of Inonu and Wigner, we explore the relation between the symmetric D-branes of AdS_3 x S^3 and those of its Penrose limit, a…

We propose a formulation of the Penrose plane wave limit in terms of null Fermi coordinates. This provides a physically intuitive (Fermi coordinates are direct measures of geodesic distance in space-time) and manifestly covariant…

We investigate the Penrose limits of classical string and M-theory backgrounds. We prove that the number of (super)symmetries of a supergravity background never decreases in the limit. We classify all the possible Penrose limits of AdS x S…

We consider the problem of finding all space-time metrics for which all plane-wave Penrose limits are diagonalisable plane waves. This requirement leads to a conformally invariant differential condition on the Weyl spinor which we analyse…

Penrose limits are considered in space-times admitting two abelian, space-like Killing vectors in vacuum as well as in the presence of an electromagnetic field. This type of space-times describe inhomogeneous cosmologies as well as…

We investigate Penrose limits of two classes of non-local theories, little string theories and non-commutative gauge theories. Penrose limits of the near-horizon geometry of NS5-branes help to shed some light on the high energy spectrum of…

A class of string backgrounds associated with non semi-simple groups is obtained as a special large level limit of ordinary WZW models. The models have an integer Virasoro central charge and they include the background recently studied by…