Related papers: Degrees of freedom in two dimensional string theor…
We present a brief overview of 2-dim. string theory and its connection to the theory of non-relativistic fermions in one dimension. We emphasize (i) the role of $W_\infty$ algebra and (ii) the modelling of some aspects of 2-dim. black hole…
The quantum theory of fields is largely based on studying perturbations around non-interacting, or free, field theories, which correspond to a collection of quantum-mechanical harmonic oscillators. The quantum theory of an ordinary fluid is…
The aim of this paper is to contribute to a better conceptual understanding of gauge quantum field theories, such as quantum chromodynamics, by discussing a famous physical limit, the 't Hooft limit, in which the theory concerned often…
Two-dimensional conformal field theories exhibit a universal free energy in the high temperature limit $T \to \infty$, and a universal spectrum in the Cardy regime, $\Delta \to \infty$. We show that a much stronger form of universality…
Using the recent advances in our understanding of non-perturbative aspects of type II strings we show how non-trivial exact results for $N=2$ quantum field theories can be reduced to T-dualities of string theory. This is done by…
Entanglement entropies calculated in the framework of quantum field theory on classical, flat or curved, spacetimes are known to show an intriguing area law in four dimensions, but they are also notorious for their quadratic ultraviolet…
In these lectures, we review the physics of time-dependent orbifolds of string theory, with particular attention to orbifolds of three-dimensional Minkowski space. We discuss the propagation of free particles in the orbifold geometries,…
The first massive level of closed bosonic string theory is studied. Free-field equations are derived by imposing Weyl invariance on the world sheet. A two-parameter solution to the equation of motion and constraints is found in two…
We attempt to understand the fate of spacelike gravitational singularities in string theory via the quantum stress tensor for string matter in a fixed background. We first approximate the singularity with a homogeneous anisotropic…
We introduce a new model of background independent physics in which the degrees of freedom live on a complete graph and the physics is invariant under the permutations of all the points. We argue that the model has a low energy phase in…
In these notes we review some properties of Statistical Quantum Field Theory at equilibrium, i.e Quantum Field Theory at finite temperature. We explain the relation between finite temperature quantum field theory in (d,1) dimensions and…
String theory is the leading contemporary framework to explore the synthesis of quantum mechanics with gravity. String phenomenology aims to study string theory while maintaining contact with observational data. The fermionic $Z_2\times…
We review recent developments in the construction of heterotic and type II string field theories and their various applications. These include systematic procedures for determining the shifts in the vacuum expectation values of fields under…
There are at least three different notions of degrees of freedom (DF) that are important in comparison of quantum and classical dynamical systems. One is related to the type of dynamical equations and inequivalent initial conditions, the…
In this paper we consider the degrees of freedom beyond the graviton present in the effective field theory for quantum gravity. We point out that the position of the poles due to $R^2$ and $R_{\mu\nu}R^{\mu\nu}$ cannot be affected by…
Infinite distance limits in the moduli space of a quantum gravity theory are characterized by having infinite towers of states becoming light, as dictated by the Distance Conjecture in the Swampland program. These towers imply a drastic…
We describe a computational investigation of tunneling at finite energy in a weakly coupled quantum mechanical system with two degrees of freedom. We compare a full quantum mechanical analysis to the results obtained by making use of a…
Intrinsic and extrinsic geometric properties of string world sheets in curved space-time background are explored. In our formulation, the only dynamical degrees of freedom of the string are its immersion coordinates. Classical equation of…
It is well known that a minimal distance emerges in quantum field theories owing to the need to regularize the UV divergences. The macroscopical limit at large minimal distance, weak spatial resolution, is investigated for a self…
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…