Strings in plane wave backgrounds

I review aspects of string theory on plane wave backgrounds emphasising the connection to gauge theory given by the BMN correspondence. Topics covered include the Penrose limit and its role in deriving the BMN duality from AdS/CFT, light-cone string field theory in the maximally supersymmetric plane wave and extensions of the correspondence to less supersymmetric backgrounds.Comment: 85 pages, based on PhD thesis, Humboldt University, Berlin; v2: added reference

PP-Wave Light-Cone Superstring Field Theory

We construct the cubic interaction vertex and dynamically generated supercharges in light-cone superstring field theory in the pp-wave background. We show that these satisfy the pp-wave superalgebra at first order in string coupling. The cubic interaction vertex and dynamical supercharges presented here differ from the expressions previously given in the literature. Using this vertex we compute various string theory three-point functions and comment on their relation to gauge theory in the BMN limit.Comment: 32 pages, 1 figure; v2: typos corrected, reference adde

On the Uniqueness of Plane-wave String Field Theory

We prove that the two interaction Hamiltonians of light-cone closed superstring field theory in the plane-wave background present in the literature are identical.Comment: 15 pages late

Low Energy Action of "Covariant" Superstring Field Theory in the NS-NS pp-Wave Background

Exact construction of superstring field theory in some background fields is very important. We construct the low energy NS-NS sector of superstring field action in the pp-wave background with the flux of NS-NS antisymmetric tensor field (NS-NS pp-wave) without gauge fixing up to the second-order where the action is world-sheet BRST invariant. Here we use the word "covariant" in a invariant theory for a symmetric transformation of the pp-wave background which is not the Lorentz transformation in the flat background. Moreover we prove the exact correspondence between this low energy action and the second-order perturbation of supergravity action in the same background. We also prove the correspondence of the gauge transformation in both the actions. This construction is based on the BRST first quantization of superstrings in the pp-wave background in our previous paper.Comment: 34 page

The in-situ cometary particulate size distribution measured for one comet: P/Halley

The close approach of Giotto to comet Halley during its 1986 apparition offered an opportunity to study the particulate mass distribution to masses of up to one gram. Data acquired by the front end channels of the highly sensitive mass spectrometer PIA and the dust shield detector system, DIDSY, provide definition to the detected distribution as close as 1000 km to the nucleus. Dynamic motion of the particulates after emission leads to a spatial differentiation affecting the size distribution in several forms: (1) ejecta velocity dispersion; (2) radiation pressure; (3) varying heliocentric distance; and (4) anisotropic nucleus emission. Transformation of the in-situ distribution from PIA and DIDSY weighted heavily by the near-nucleus fluxes leads to a presumed nucleus distribution. The data lead to a puzzling distribution at large masses, not readily explained in an otherwise monotonous power law distribution. Although temporal changes in nucleus activity could and do modify the in-situ size distribution, such an explanation is not wholly possible, because the same form is observed at differing locations in the coma where the time of flight from the nucleus greatly varies. Thus neither a general change in comet activity nor spatial variations lead to a satisfactory explanation

Strong Evidence In Favor OF The Existence Of S-Matrix For Strings In Plane Waves

Field theories on the plane wave background are considered. We discuss that for such field theories one can only form 1+1 dimensional freely propagating wave packets. We analyze tree level four point functions of scalar field theory as well as scalars coupled to gauge fields in detail and show that these four point functions are well-behaved so that they can be interpreted as S-matrix elements for 2 particle $\to$ 2 particle scattering amplitudes. Therefore, at least classically, field theories on the plane wave background have S-matrix formulation.Comment: Latex file, 26 pages, 4 eps figures. v3: In the end of paper there is a "Note Added" as an update of the result

A Representation of Symmetry Generators for the Type IIB Superstring on a Plane Wave in the U(4) Formalism

We calculate the symmetry currents for the type IIB superstring on a maximally supersymmetric plane wave background using the N=(2,2) superconformally covariant U(4) formulation developed by Berkovits, Maldacena and Maoz. An explicit realization of the U(4) generators together with 16 fermionic generators is obtained in terms of the N=(2,2) worldsheet fields. Because the action is no longer quadratic, we use a light-cone version to display the currents in terms of the covariant worldsheet variables.Comment: 9 pages, harvmac, Corrected some typographical errors, Added reference

Cubic couplings in D=6, N=4b supergravity on AdS3×S3

We determine the AdS exchange diagrams needed for the computation of 4-point functions of chiral primary operators in the SCFT2 dual to the D=6, N=4b supergravity on the AdS3×S3 background and compute the corresponding cubic couplings. We also address the issue of consistent truncation

Graviton-Scalar Interaction in the PP-Wave Background

We compute the graviton two scalar off-shell interaction vertex at tree level in Type IIB superstring theory on the pp-wave background using the light-cone string field theory formalism. We then show that the tree level vertex vanishes when all particles are on-shell and conservation of p_{+} and p_{-} are imposed. We reinforce our claim by calculating the same vertex starting from the corresponding SUGRA action expanded around the pp-wave background in the light-cone gauge.Comment: 26 pages, harvmac One reference added. A few comments changed in the introduction. The "cyclic perms." term removed from some equations as unnecessary and equations (2.38) and (3.19) are corrected accordingl