Ebook: Lectures on String Theory

This book provides a self-contained introduction to string theory, at present one of the most exciting and fastest-growing areas in theoretical high-energy physics. Pedagogical in character, it introduces modern techniques and concepts, such as conformal and superconformal field theory, Kac-Moody algebras, etc., stressing their relevance and application to string theory rather than the formal aspects. The reader is led from a basic discussion of the classical bosonic string to the construction of four-dimensional heterotic string models, an area of current research. The so-called covariant lattice construction is discussed in detail. Being conceptually very simple, the book serves to exemplify the relevant features of other methods of arriving at four-dimensional string theories. It is also shown how one derives a low-energy field theory from string theory, thereby making contact with conventional point-particle physics.

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This book provides a self-contained introduction to string theory, at present one of the most exciting and fastest-growing areas in theoretical high-energy physics. Pedagogical in character, it introduces modern techniques and concepts, such as conformal and superconformal field theory, Kac-Moody algebras, etc., stressing their relevance and application to string theory rather than the formal aspects. The reader is led from a basic discussion of the classical bosonic string to the construction of four-dimensional heterotic string models, an area of current research. The so-called covariant lattice construction is discussed in detail. Being conceptually very simple, the book serves to exemplify the relevant features of other methods of arriving at four-dimensional string theories. It is also shown how one derives a low-energy field theory from string theory, thereby making contact with conventional point-particle physics.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages -
Introduction....Pages 1-4
The classical bosonic string....Pages 5-30
The quantized bosonic string....Pages 31-56
Introduction to conformal field theory....Pages 57-84
Reparametrization ghosts and BRST quantization....Pages 85-97
Global aspects of string perturbation theory and riemann surfaces....Pages 98-127
The classical closed fermionic string....Pages 128-146
The quantized closed fermionic string....Pages 147-162
Spin structures and superstring partition function....Pages 163-176
Toroidal compactification of the closed bosonic string — 10-dimensional heterotic string....Pages 177-201
Conformal field theory II: Lattices and Kac-Moody algebras....Pages 202-236
Conformal field theory III: Superconformal field theory....Pages 237-257
Bosonization of the fermionic string — Covariant lattices....Pages 258-287
Heterotic strings in ten and four dimensions....Pages 288-327
Low energy field theory....Pages 328-346

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This book provides a self-contained introduction to string theory, at present one of the most exciting and fastest-growing areas in theoretical high-energy physics. Pedagogical in character, it introduces modern techniques and concepts, such as conformal and superconformal field theory, Kac-Moody algebras, etc., stressing their relevance and application to string theory rather than the formal aspects. The reader is led from a basic discussion of the classical bosonic string to the construction of four-dimensional heterotic string models, an area of current research. The so-called covariant lattice construction is discussed in detail. Being conceptually very simple, the book serves to exemplify the relevant features of other methods of arriving at four-dimensional string theories. It is also shown how one derives a low-energy field theory from string theory, thereby making contact with conventional point-particle physics.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages -
Introduction....Pages 1-4
The classical bosonic string....Pages 5-30
The quantized bosonic string....Pages 31-56
Introduction to conformal field theory....Pages 57-84
Reparametrization ghosts and BRST quantization....Pages 85-97
Global aspects of string perturbation theory and riemann surfaces....Pages 98-127
The classical closed fermionic string....Pages 128-146
The quantized closed fermionic string....Pages 147-162
Spin structures and superstring partition function....Pages 163-176
Toroidal compactification of the closed bosonic string — 10-dimensional heterotic string....Pages 177-201
Conformal field theory II: Lattices and Kac-Moody algebras....Pages 202-236
Conformal field theory III: Superconformal field theory....Pages 237-257
Bosonization of the fermionic string — Covariant lattices....Pages 258-287
Heterotic strings in ten and four dimensions....Pages 288-327
Low energy field theory....Pages 328-346
....