Related papers: Introduction to Superstring Theory
The first part is an introduction to conformal field theory and string perturbation theory. The second part deals with the search for a deeper answer to the question posed in the title. Contents: 1. Conformal Field Theory 2. String Theory…
String theory appears to admit a group of discrete field transformations -- called $S$ dualities -- as exact non-perturbative quantum symmetries. Mathematically, they are rather analogous to the better-known $T$ duality symmetries, which…
After briefly reviewing basic concepts of perturbative string theory, we explain in simple terms some of the new findings that created excitement among the string physicists. These developments include non-perturbative dualities and a…
These lectures provide an introduction to supersymmetry phenomenology. They include an overview of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. The notion of soft breaking is explained, constraints on the standard soft breaking parameters are…
We investigate whether the symmetry transformations of a bosonic string are connected by T-duality. We start with a standard closed string theory. We continue with a modified open string theory, modified to preserve the symmetry…
The heterotic string theory, compactified to four dimensions, has been conjectured to have a duality symmetry (S duality) that transforms the dilaton nonlinearly. If valid, this symmetry could provide an important means of obtaining…
This lecture presents a brief overview of the early history of string theory and supersymmetry. It describes how the S-matrix theory program for understanding the strong nuclear force evolved into superstring theory, which is a promising…
This is a set of lectures on the gauge/string duality and non-critical strings, with a particular emphasis on the discretized, or matrix model, approach. After a general discussion of various points of view, I describe the recent…
We study the dynamics of Green-Schwarz superstring on the gravitational wave background corresponding to the Matrix string theory and the supersymmetry transformation rules of the superstring. The dynamics is obtained in the light-cone…
This is a pedagogical introduction to the basics of the cosmic string theory and also a review of the recent progress made with respect to the macrophysical predictions of the theory. Topics covered include, string formation and evolution,…
This is a general introduction to duality in field theories. The existence and breaking of global symmetries is used as a guideline to systematically prove duality between different field theories. Systems discussed include abelian and…
T-dualities of the non-supersymmetric string models, which are constructed by twisted compactifications, are investigated. We show that the T-duality groups of such models are obtained by imposing congruence conditions on $O\left(…
String theories with branes can often be generalized by adding brane-antibrane pairs. We explore the cancellation of anomalies in this more general context, extending the familiar anomaly-cancelling mechanisms, both for ten-dimensional…
We present a brief review on the canonical transformation description of some duality symmetries in string and gauge theories. In particular, we consider abelian and non-abelian T-dualities in closed and open string theories as well as…
I discuss the role of spacetime supersymmetry in the interplay between strong/weak coupling duality and target space duality in string theory which arises in string/string duality. This can be seen via the construction of string soliton…
The low-energy effective theories describing string compactifications in the presence of fluxes are so-called gauged supergravities: deformations of the standard abelian supergravity theories. The deformation parameters can be identified…
String theories inspire a new formalism for their low-energy limits. In this approach to these field theories, spacetime duality and stringy left/right handedness are manifest. Enlarged tangent-space symmetries allow the different fields…
Some of the four-dimensional Superstring solutions provide a consistent framework for a Supersymmetric Unification of all interactions including gravity. A class of them extends successfully the validity of the standard model up to the…
In the first sections of this paper we give an elementary but rigorous approach to the construction of the quantum Bosonic and supersymmetric string system continuing the analysis of Dimock. This includes the construction of the DDF…
The four-dimensional superstring solutions define at low energy effective supergravity theories. A class of them extends successfully the validity of the standard model up to the string scale (${\cal O}(10^{17})~TeV$). We stress the…