Related papers: Lectures on 2D gravity and 2D string theory (TASI …
These lecture notes provide a comprehensive introduction to 2d conformal field theory, covering foundational topics such as free fields, minimal models, Zamolodchikov's $c$-theorem, Wess-Zumino-Witten models, modular invariant partition…
In these lectures, two different aspects of brane world scenarios in 5d gravity or string theory are discussed. In the first two lectures, work on how warped compactifications of 5d gravity theories can change the guise of the hierarchy…
We develop a new perspective on the discretization of the phase space structure of gravity in 2+1 dimensions as a piecewise-flat geometry in 2 spatial dimensions. Starting from a subdivision of the continuum geometric and phase space…
In these lectures I will discuss the following topics: (1) Twistors in 4 flat dimensions: Massless particles; constrained phase space (x,p) versus twistors; Physical states in twistor space. (2) Introduction to 2T-physics and derivation of…
This document is an introduction to and review of two-dimensional mathematical physics. The reader is introduced to the subject matter primarily through problems, which are presented along with detailed worked solutions. For each chapter,…
These lectures briefly review our current understanding of classical and quantum gravity in three spacetime dimensions, concentrating on the quantum mechanics of closed universes and the (2+1)-dimensional black hole. Three formulations of…
We consider the theory of pure gravity in 2+1 dimensions, with negative cosmological constant. The theory contains simple matter in the form of point particles; the later are classically described as lines of conical singularities. We…
String theory is the most promising candidate for the theory unifying all interactions including gravity. It has an extremely difficult dynamics. Therefore, it is useful to study some its simplifications. One of them is non-critical string…
Quantum theory of 2d gravity is examined by including a special quantum correction, which corresponds to the open string loop corrections and provides a new conformal anomaly for the corresponding $\sigma$ model. This anomaly leads to the…
The goal of this article is to present a broad perspective on quantum gravity for \emph{non-experts}. After a historical introduction, key physical problems of quantum gravity are illustrated. While there are a number of interesting and…
Contents: 1. Introduction 2. Bosonic propagators and random paths 3. Random surfaces and strings 4. Matrix models and two-dimensional quantum gravity 5. The mystery of $c > 1$ 6. Euclidean quantum gravity in $d > 2$ 7. Discussion
String theory in two-dimensional spacetime illuminates two main threads of recent development in string theory: (1) Open/closed string duality, and (2) Tachyon condensation. In two dimensions, many aspects of these phenomena can be explored…
We describe the basic assumptions and key results of loop quantum gravity, which is a background independent approach to quantum gravity. The emphasis is on the basic physical principles and how one deduces predictions from them, at a level…
These lectures provide an introduction to perturbative string theory and its construction on spaces with background Ramond flux. Traditional covariant quantization of the string and its connection with vertex operators and conformal…
These lectures are devoted to introducing some of the basic features of quantum geometry that have been emerging from compactified string theory over the last couple of years. The developments discussed include new geometric features of…
These notes are from courses given at TASI and the Advanced Strings School in summer 2015. Starting from principles of quantum field theory and the assumption of a traceless stress tensor, we develop the basics of conformal field theory,…
These lectures notes are based on courses given at National Taiwan University, National Chiao-Tung University, and National Tsing Hua University in the spring term of 2015. Although the course was offered primarily for graduate students,…
This is a summary talk covering recent progress in perturbative methods for gauge theories and gravity, applications of AdS/CFT duality, vacuum energy, and string theory models of particle physics and cosmology.
We find a link between oriented matroid theory and 2d gravity with torsion. Our considerations may be useful in the context of noncommutative phase space in a target spacetime of signature (2+2) and in a possible theory of gravity…
The properties of a string-inspired two-dimensional theory of gravity are studied. The post-Newtonian and weak-field approximations, `stellar' structure and cosmological solutions of this theory are developed. Some qualitative similarities…