Contact Interactions in Closed Superstring Field Theory

Jan, 1987
43 pages
Published in:
  • Nucl.Phys.B 291 (1987) 557
Report number:
  • SFSU-TH-87/01,
  • LBL-22759

Citations per year

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Abstract: (Elsevier)
We show that closed (type II and heterotic) superstring field theories, which are presently formulated without contact interactions in the light-cone gauge, do not have a stable vacuum state. States with arbitrary negative energy can be constructed in these theories; an explicit example is given. Negative energy states imply violation of the supersymmetry relation {Q −A , Q − B } = 2σ A B H . Using coherent state methods, we show that the super-Pioncaré algebra is indeed violated by the standard light-cone gauge superstring hamiltonians, since the supercharge anticommulator generates local, 4-string contact interactions at O( λ 2 ), where λ is the coupling of the 3-vertex. Contact interactions must therefore be added to the usual hamiltonian to restore supersymmetry and vacuum stability.
  • FIELD THEORY: STRING
  • SUPERSYMMETRY
  • SCATTERING: STRING
  • STRING: SCATTERING
  • FIELD THEORY: VACUUM STATE
  • FIELD THEORY: LIGHT CONE GAUGE
  • FIELD THEORY: COHERENT STATE