English

Heisenberg Algebra and String Theory

High Energy Physics - Theory 2022-06-14 v2

Abstract

If the algebra of the Poincar\'e generators is enlarged by the spacetime position operator X=(X0,,XD1)X=(X_0,\dots, X_{D-1}) then the spectra of the momentum PP and the mass P2P^2 are unbounded and continuous. In particular, the constraint (P2m2)Ψphys=0(P^2 - m^2)\Psi_{\text{phys}}=0 of the covariant string has no solution in the space which admits XX: All physical states vanish, Ψphys=0\Psi_{\text{phys}}=0. Vice versa, a space spanned by mass eigenstates does not admit the position operator XX in DD dimensions. A massless particle does not allow a spatial position operator X\vec X. The domain of Heisenberg pairs XiX^i and PjP^j, i,j{1,D2}i,j\in \{1,\dots D-2\}, D>2D > 2, which commute with P+=(P0+Pz)/2P^+=(P^0 + P_z)/\sqrt{2}, [P+,Xi]=0[P^+,X^i] = 0, does not allow for a space with massless or tachyonic states, which is mapped to itself by rotations, leave alone Lorentz transformations. This is true in all dimensions and makes the algebraic calculation of the critical dimension, D=26D=26, of the bosonic string meaningless: the light cone string is not Lorentz invariant.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2203.03063,
  title  = {Heisenberg Algebra and String Theory},
  author = {Norbert Dragon and Florian Oppermann},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2203.03063},
  year   = {2022}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-24T10:03:51.544Z