Related papers: Lectures on 2D gravity and 2D string theory (TASI …
Quantum General Relativity (QGR), sometimes called Loop Quantum Gravity, has matured over the past fifteen years to a mathematically rigorous candidate quantum field theory of the gravitational field. The features that distinguish it from…
These lectures present some topics of string phenomenology and contain two parts. In the first part, I review the possibility of lowering the string scale in the TeV region, that provides a theoretical framework for solving the mass…
This thesis is a study of two dimensional noncritical string theory. The main tool which is used, is the matrix model. Introductions to both the Liouville model and its matrix model formulation are included. In particular the special states…
Lecture 1. Algebraic properties of correlators in 2D topological field theory. Moduli of a 2D TFT and WDVV equations of associativity. Lecture 2. Equations of associativity and Frobenius manifolds. Deformed flat connection and its monodromy…
These notes are a written version of a set of lectures given at TASI-02 on the topic of effective field theories. They are meant as an introduction to some of the latest techniques and applications in the field.
We review recent progress in 2D gravity coupled to $d<1$ conformal matter, based on a representation of discrete gravity in terms of random matrices. We discuss the saddle point approximation for these models, including a class of related…
We discuss how concepts such as geodesic length and the volume of space-time can appear in 2d topological gravity. We then construct a detailed mapping between the reduced Hermitian matrix model and 2d topological gravity at genus zero.…
Following is a collection of lecture notes on D-branes, which may be used by the reader as preparation for applications to modern research applications such as: the AdS/CFT and other gauge theory/geometry correspondences, Matrix Theory and…
These notes provide a brief introduction to modern cosmology, focusing primarily on theoretical issues. Some attention is paid to aspects of potential interest to students of string theory, on both sides of the two-way street of…
In these two lectures, delivered at the XXXVII Karpacz Winter School, February 2001, I review some applications of superspace in various topics related to string theory and M-theory. The first lecture is mainly devoted to descriptions of…
We review two-dimensional QCD. The report contains: 1. Introduction. 2. QCD$_2$ as a field theory 2.1 The 1/N expansion and spectrum, 2.2 Ambiguity in the self-energy of the quark, 2.3 Polyakov--Wiegmann formula and gauge interactions, 2.4…
This is a set of lecture notes on the operator algebraic approach to 2-dimensional conformal field theory. Representation theoretic aspects and connections to vertex operator algebras are emphasized. No knowledge on operator algebras or…
F-theory is perhaps the most general currently available approach to study non-perturbative string compactifications in their geometric, large radius regime. It opens up a wide and ever-growing range of applications and connections to…
This is an introduction to quantum gravity, aimed at a fairly general audience and concentrating on what have historically two main approaches to quantum gravity: the covariant and canonical programs (string theory is not covered). The…
Based on lectures delivered at (1) the AMS meeting at USC, Nov. 1992 (2) Conference on Quantum Aspects of Black Holes, ITP, UC- Santa %Barbara, %%June 1993. (3) 25th Summer Institute, Ecole Normale Superieure, % Paris, Aug. 1992. To appear…
The well known N=2 string theory describes self-dual gravity, as was shown by Ooguri and Vafa sometime ago. In search of a variant of this theory which would describe self-dual supergravity in 2+2 dimensions, we have constructed two new N=2…
This article is meant as a summary and introduction to the ideas of effective field theory as applied to gravitational systems. Contents: 1. Introduction 2. Effective Field Theories 3. Low-Energy Quantum Gravity 4. Explicit Quantum…
Infrared modifications of gravity have been proposed over the years as potentially useful phenomenological models. Massive (multi)-gravity is an interesting class of such theories. The true nature and the ultimate consistency of many of…
These third-year lecture notes are designed for a 1-semester course in topological quantum field theory (TQFT). Assumed background in mathematics and physics are only standard second-year subjects: multivariable calculus, introduction to…
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…