Rolling Tachyon Solution in Vacuum String Field Theory

We construct a time-dependent solution in vacuum string field theory and investigate whether the solution can be regarded as a rolling tachyon solution. First, compactifying one space direction on a circle of radius R, we construct a space-dependent solution given as an infinite number of *-products of a string field with center-of-mass momentum dependence of the form e^{-b p^2/4}. Our time-dependent solution is obtained by an inverse Wick rotation of the compactified space direction. We focus on one particular component field of the solution, which takes the form of the partition function of a Coulomb system on a circle with temperature R^2. Analyzing this component field both analytically and numerically using Monte Carlo simulation, we find that the parameter b in the solution must be set equal to zero for the solution to approach a finite value in the large time limit x^0\to\infty. We also explore the possibility that the self-dual radius R=\sqrt{\alpha'} is a phase transition point of our Coulomb system.Comment: 39 pages, 17 figures, v3: references adde

Boron abundance and solar neutrino spectrum distortion

The presence of neutrinos from Boron decay in the flux observed on Earth is attested by the observation of their energy spectrum. Possible distortions of the spectrum investigated in current detectors are often interpreted in terms of evidence in favour or against various schemes of neutrino oscillations. We stress here that a distortion of the spectrum at high energies could also result from an increase in the ratio of neutrinos originating from ($^3$He+p) and $^8$B reactions. While a $^8$B neutrino depletion would contribute to this effect, an increase in the Hep contribution seems also needed to reproduce the preliminary data.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures; abstract and introduction rewritten to match the conclusions bette

Boundary states as exact solutions of (vacuum) closed string field theory

We show that the boundary states are idempotent B*B=B with respect to the star product of HIKKO type closed string field theory. Variations around the boundary state correctly reproduce the open string spectrum with the gauge symmetry. We explicitly demonstrate it for the tachyonic and massless vector modes. The idempotency relation may be regarded as the equation of motion of closed string field theory at a possible vacuum.Comment: 30 pages, 2 figures, v3:regularization improve

Time Dependent Solution in Cubic String Field Theory

We study time dependent solutions in cubic open string field theory which are expected to describe the configuration of the rolling tachyon. We consider the truncated system consisting of component fields of level zero and two, which are expanded in terms of cosh n x^0 modes. For studying the large time behavior of the solution we need to know the coefficients of all and, in particular, large n modes. We examine numerically the coefficients of the n-th mode, and find that it has the leading n-dependence of the form (-\beta)^n \lambda^{-n^2} multiplied by a peculiar subleading part with peaks at n=2^m=4,8,16,32,64,128,.... This behavior is also reproduced analytically by solving simplified equations of motion of the tachyon system.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figures, LaTeX2e, v3:minor correction

Background Independent Algebraic Structures in Closed String Field Theory

We construct a Batalin-Vilkovisky (BV) algebra on moduli spaces of Riemann surfaces. This algebra is background independent in that it makes no reference to a state space of a conformal field theory. Conformal theories define a homomorphism of this algebra to the BV algebra of string functionals. The construction begins with a graded-commutative free associative algebra \C built from the vector space whose elements are orientable subspaces of moduli spaces of punctured Riemann surfaces. The typical element here is a surface with several connected components. The operation $\Delta$ of sewing two punctures with a full twist is shown to be an odd, second order derivation that squares to zero. It follows that (\C, \Delta) is a Batalin-Vilkovisky algebra. We introduce the odd operator $\delta = \partial + \hbar\Delta$, where $\partial$ is the boundary operator. It is seen that $\delta^2=0$, and that consistent closed string vertices define a cohomology class of $\delta$. This cohomology class is used to construct a Lie algebra on a quotient space of \C. This Lie algebra gives a manifestly background independent description of a subalgebra of the closed string gauge algebra.Comment: phyzzx.tex, MIT-CTP-234

The Perturbative Spectrum of the Dressed Sliver

We analyze the fluctuations of the dressed sliver solution found in a previous paper, hep-th/0311198, in the operator formulation of Vacuum String Field Theory. We derive the tachyon wave function and then analyze the higher level fluctuations. We show that the dressing is responsible for implementing the transversality condition on the massless vector. In order to consistently deal with the singular $k=0$ mode we introduce a string midpoint regulator and we show that it is possible to accommodate all the open string states among the solutions to the linearized equations of motion. We finally show how the dressing can give rise to the correct ratio between the energy density of the dressed sliver and the brane tension computed via the three-tachyons-coupling.Comment: 52 pages, v2: comment added in sec. 5, v3: one appendix added, comments added in introduction and conclusion, to appear on PR

A New Look At Neutrino Limits From Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

We take a fresh look at the limits on the number of neutrino flavors derived from big bang nucleosynthesis. In particular, recent measurements of the \he4 abundance enable one to estimate the primordial \he4 mass fraction at $Y_p = 0.232 \pm .003(stat) \pm .005(syst)$. For a baryon to photon ratio, $\eta$, consistent with the other light elements, this leads to a best fit for the number of neutrino flavors $N_\nu < 3$ (the precise number depends on $\eta$) indicating a very strong upper limit to $N_\nu$. Here, we derive new upper limits on $N_\nu$, paying special attention to the fact that the best estimate may lie in an unphysical region ($N_\nu < 3$ if all three neutrino flavors are light or massless; the lower bound to $N_\nu$ may even be as low as 2, if the small window for a $\nu_\tau$ mass is exploited.) Our resulting upper limits therefore depend on whether $N_\nu \ge 2$ or 3 is assumed. We also explore the sensitivity of our results to the adopted value of $\eta$ and the assumed systematic errors in $Y_p$.Comment: 11 pages, latex, four uuencoded ps figures include

Chan-Paton factors and Higgsing from Vacuum String Field Theory

We give a description of open strings stretched between N parallel D-branes in VSFT. We show how higgsing is generated as the branes are displaced: the shift in the mass formula for on-shell states stretched between different branes is due to a twist anomaly, a contribution localized at the midpoint.Comment: 20 pages, JHEP clas

Conformal Symmetry and A New Gauge in the Matrix Model

We generalize the background gauge in the Matrix model to propose a new gauge which is useful for discussing the conformal symmetry. In this gauge, the special conformal transformation (SCT) as the isometry of the near-horizon geometry of the D-particle solution is directly reproduced with the correct coefficient as the quantum correction to the SCT in the Matrix model. We also present a general argument for the relation between the gauge choice and the field redefinition in the Matrix model.Comment: 17 pages, LaTeX, no figures; v2: Introduction modified, references added and typos corrected; v3: Introduction changed; v4: Eq.(12) corrected; v5: final version to appear in Phys. Rev.

Dispersal-induced destabilization of metapopulations and oscillatory Turing patterns in ecological networks

As shown by Alan Turing in 1952, differential diffusion may destabilize uniform distributions of reacting species and lead to emergence of patterns. While stationary Turing patterns are broadly known, the oscillatory instability, leading to traveling waves in continuous media and sometimes called the wave bifurcation, remains less investigated. Here, we extend the original analysis by Turing to networks and apply it to ecological metapopulations with dispersal connections between habitats. Remarkably, the oscillatory Turing instability does not lead to wave patterns in networks, but to spontaneous development of heterogeneous oscillations and possible extinction of species. We find such oscillatory instabilities for all possible food webs with three predator or prey species, under various assumptions about the mobility of individual species and nonlinear interactions between them. Hence, the oscillatory Turing instability should be generic and must play a fundamental role in metapopulation dynamics, providing a common mechanism for dispersal-induced destabilization of ecosystems