Strings Hamburg Summer School – Particles, Strings & Cosmology

Exercise Sheet 2 Dr. Emanuel Malek

Strings
Hamburg Summer School – Particles, Strings & Cosmology
Dr. Emanuel Malek

Exercise Sheet 2

1 Consider the mode expansion for the string

r
1 µ 1 0 µ + α0 X 1 µ −inσ+
XLµ (σ + ) µ
= (x + c ) + α p σ + i α̃ e ,
2 2 2 n n
n6=0
r (1.1)
µ − 1 µ µ 1 0 µ − α0 X 1 µ −inσ−
XR (σ ) = (x − c ) + α p σ + i α e ,
2 2 2 n n
n6=0

where σ ± = τ ± σ.

(a) Show, using the mode expansion (1.1), that the center of mass position
Z 2π
1
xµ0 = dσ X µ , (1.2)
2π 0
is, at τ = 0, given by
xµ0 = xµ . (1.3)
(b) The conserved charge associated to spacetime translations on the worldsheet is given by
p
Pµα = −T − det gg αβ ∂β Xµ . (1.4)
Show, using the mode expansion (1.1), that in flat gauge the conserved charge associated to
spacetime translations, Z 2π
Pµ ≡ dσ Pµτ , (1.5)
0
is given by
Pµ = pµ . (1.6)
(c) The conserved charge associated to spacetime Lorentz transformations on the worldsheet is
given by
α
Jµν = Xµ Pνα − Xν Pµα . (1.7)
Show, using the mode expansion (1.1), that in flat gauge the conserved charge associated to
spacetime Lorentz transformations,
Z 2π
τ
Jµν ≡ dσ Jµν , (1.8)
0
is given by
J µν = lµν + E µν + Ẽ µν , (1.9)
where
lµν = xµ pν − xν pµ ,
X1 µ (1.10)
E µν = −i α−n αnν − α−n
ν
αnµ ,


n
n>0

and similarly for Ẽ µν . Interpret lµν and E µν .

1 of 4
Strings Hamburg Summer School – Particles, Strings & Cosmology
Exercise Sheet 2 Dr. Emanuel Malek

2 In this question, you will consider closed string theory with the usual boundary conditions
for the first 25 coordinates

X µ̂ (τ, σ + 2π) = X µ̂ (τ, σ) , µ̂ = 0, . . . , 24 , (2.1)

but modified boundary condition for the 26th coordinate. In each case, write down the mode
expansion for X 25 , the mass-shell and level-matching conditions.

(a) Consider a string winding w times around a circle of radius R in the 25th direction, i.e.

X 25 (τ, σ + 2π) = X 25 (τ, σ) + 2πwR , (2.2)

with w ∈ Z and R a constant. Interpret the terms depending on w in the mass formula.
Hint: What condition should you impose on the momentum p25 ?

(b) Consider a so-called twisted string state in an orbifold compactification.

X 25 (τ, σ + 2π) = −X 25 (τ, σ) . (2.3)

Note: the orbifold corresponds to identifying the x25 spacetime direction as x25 ∼ −x25 .

3 Consider an open string, with σ ∈ [0, π] now. Since, locally, closed and open strings are the
same, we describe the open string dynamics by the same Polyakov action as the closed string.
Z
1 p
S=− 0
d2 σ − det gg αβ ∂α X µ ∂η X ν ηµν
4πα Σ
Z σ=π Z ∞ p (3.1)
1 αβ µ ν
=− dσ dτ − det gg ∂ α X ∂ η X η µν ,
4πα0 σ=0 −∞

where the only difference is that now σ ∈ [0, π].

(a) Show that, in flat gauge, the variational principle requires the following boundary conditions
for the endpoints:

∂σ X µ = 0 , at σ = 0 or π , Neumann boundary condition ,

µ (3.2)
δX = 0 , at σ = 0 or π , Dirichlet boundary condition .

Dirichlet boundary conditions imply that X µ = cµ is fixed at one of the endpoints σ = 0 or π.

Open strings can have mixed boundary conditions, with p + 1 directions satisfying Neumann
boundary conditions and D − p − 1 satisfying Dirichlet boundary conditions. We will label these
as directions as X a , a = 0, . . . , p with ∂σ X a = 0 at σ = 0, π and X I , I = p + 1, . . . , D − 1 with
X I = cI at σ = 0, π. This setup is interpreted as an open string ending on a (p + 1)-dimensional
“Dp-brane” at the position X I = cI in space-time.

(b) The mode expansion for an open string is given by

r
µ + 1 µ µ α0 X 1 µ −inσ+
XL (σ ) = (x + y µ ) + α0 pL σ + + i α̃ e ,
2 2 n n
n6=0
r (3.3)
µ − 1 µ µ 0 µ − α0 X 1 µ −inσ−
XR (σ ) = (x − y ) + α pR σ + i α e .
2 2 n n
n6=0

2 of 4
Strings Hamburg Summer School – Particles, Strings & Cosmology
Exercise Sheet 2 Dr. Emanuel Malek

Show that the Neumann and Dirichlet boundary conditions imply that

Neumann boundary conditions: paL = paR , α̃na = αna ,

(3.4)
Dirichlet boundary conditions: pIL = pIR = 0 , xI = cI , α̃nI = −αnI ,

Note that for both boundary conditions, we only have one set of oscillators!

4 Optional: The mass formula for the open string is given by

 
p−1 X D−1
1 X X X D − 2
M2 = 0  i
α−n αni + i
α−n αni − . (4.1)
α 24
i=1 n>0 i=p+1 n>0

Use the results of exercise 3, to:

(a) show that at level 0, the open string contains a single state with mass

D−2
M2 = − . (4.2)
24
(b) show that at level 1, the open string contains states with mass

D−2
M2 = 1 − . (4.3)
24
How do these states transform under Lorentz transformations on the brane, i.e. Lorentz trans-
formations in the directions X a , a = 0, . . . , p, and the rotation symmetry transverse to the
brane, i.e. rotations of the directions X I , a = p + 1, . . . , D − 1?

(c) Argue that for open strings, the states at level 1 are only compatible with Lorentz symmetry
in space-time, if D = 26. Interpret the states at level 0 and level 1.

5 Optional: The Polyakov action for the string

Z
T p
S=− d2 σ − det gg αβ ∂α X µ ∂β X ν ηµν , (5.1)
2 Σ

is invariant under global Poincaré transformations

X µ → Λµ ν X ν + C µ . (5.2)

(a) Show that the Noether current for the global translation, generated by C µ in (5.2), is given
by p
Pµα = −T − det g g αβ ∂β Xµ , (5.3)
and that this is conserved
∇α Pµα = 0 , (5.4)
where ∇ is the worldsheet connection compatible with the worldsheet metric gαβ .

(b) Show that the Noether current for the global Lorentz transformations, generated by Λµ ν in
(5.2), is given by
α
Jµν = Xµ Pνα − Xν Pµα , (5.5)

3 of 4
Strings Hamburg Summer School – Particles, Strings & Cosmology
Exercise Sheet 2 Dr. Emanuel Malek

and that this is conserved

α
∇α Jµν = 0. (5.6)
(c) Show that

∇α Pµα = ∂α Pµα = 0 ,
α α
(5.7)
∇α Jµν = ∂α Jµν = 0,

Hint: Pµα and Jµν

α are worldsheet vector densities of weight 1.

4 of 4