Related papers: Lectures on 2D gravity and 2D string theory (TASI …
These are introductory lectures for a general audience that give an overview of the subject of matrix models and their application to random surfaces, 2d gravity, and string theory. They are intentionally 1.5 years out of date. 0. Canned…
Content: 1. Introduction 2. Regge calculus and dynamical triangulations Simplicial manifolds and piecewise linear spaces - dual complex and volume elements - curvature and Regge action - topological invariants - quantum Regge calculus -…
We discuss different formulations and approaches to string theory and $ 2d$ quantum gravity. The generic idea to get a unique description of {\it many} different string vacua altogether is demonstrated on the examples in $ 2d$ conformal,…
These lectures aim to provide a global picture of the spaces of consistent quantum supergravity theories and string vacua in higher dimensions. The lectures focus on theories in the even dimensions 10, 8, and 6. Supersymmetry, along with…
Continuum and discrete approaches to 2d gravity coupled to $c<1$ matter are reviewed.
In these lectures I discuss various unsolved problems of string theory and their relations to quantum gravity, 3d Ising model, large N QCD, and quantum cosmology. No solutions are presented but some new and perhaps useful approaches are…
Some approaches to $2d$ gravity developed for the last years are reviewed. They are physical (Liouville) gravity, topological theories and matrix models. A special attention is paid to matrix models and their interrelations with different…
(from the talk:) I shall here speak on gravity in (1+1)-dimensional space-time --- lineal gravity. The purpose of studying lower dimensional theories, and specifically lower dimensional gravity, is to gain insight into difficult…
Quantum theory of 2d gravity for $c>1$ is examined as a non-critical string theory by taking account of the loop-correction of open strings whose end points are on the 2d world surface of the closed string. This loop-correction leads to a…
A non-technical overview on gravity in two dimensions is provided. Applications discussed in this work comprise 2D type 0A/0B string theory, Black Hole evaporation/thermodynamics, toy models for quantum gravity, for numerical General…
Talk given at the 26th Workshop: ``From Superstrings to Supergravity", Erice - Sicily, 5-12 December 1992. We review the superconformal properties of 2d matter coupled to gravity, and extensions thereof. Focusing on topological strings, we…
This is a one semester course on bosonic string theory aimed at beginning graduate students. The lectures assume a working knowledge of quantum field theory and general relativity. Contents: 1. The Classical String 2. The Quantum String 3.…
These lectures present a general critical assessment of various frameworks for quantum gravity, with particular emphasis on string theory. The topics discussed cover field-theoretical approaches to quantum gravity, anomalies, bosonic and…
Formulating a quantum theory of gravity lies at the heart of fundamental theoretical physics. This collection of lecture notes encompasses a selection of topics that were covered in six mini-courses at the Nordita PhD school "Towards…
These lectures consisted of an elementary introduction to conformal field theory, with some applications to statistical mechanical systems, and fewer to string theory. Contents: 1. Conformal theories in d dimensions 2. Conformal theories in…
Double Field Theory (DFT) has emerged as a comprehensive framework for gravity, presenting a testable and robust alternative to General Relativity (GR), rooted in the $\mathbf{O}(D,D)$ symmetry principle of string theory. These lecture…
Lecture notes given at the summer school ``Applications of random matrices to physics", Les Houches, June 2004.
I review the present theoretical attempts to understand the quantum properties of spacetime. In particular, I illustrate the main achievements and the main difficulties in: string theory, loop quantum gravity, discrete quantum gravity…
The AdS/CFT correspondence provides quantum theories of gravity in which spacetime and gravitational physics emerge from ordinary non-gravitational quantum systems with many degrees of freedom. Recent work in this context has uncovered…
The lecture note consists of four parts. In the first part, we review a 2+1 dimensional lattice model which realizes emergent supersymmetry at a quantum critical point. The second part is devoted to a phenomenon called fractionalization…