Ghost story. III. Back to ghost number zero

Abstract

After having defined a 3-strings midpoint-inserted vertex for the bc system, we analyze the relation between gh=0 states (wedge states) and gh=3 midpoint duals. We find explicit and regular relations connecting the two objects. In the case of wedge states this allows us to write down a spectral decomposition for the gh=0 Neumann matrices, despite the fact that they are not commuting with the matrix representation of K1. We thus trace back the origin of this noncommutativity to be a consequence of the imaginary poles of the wedge eigenvalues in the complex k-plane. With explicit reconstruction formulas at hand for both gh=0 and gh=3, we can finally show how the midpoint vertex avoids this intrinsic noncommutativity at gh=0, making everything as simple as the zero momentum matter sector.Comment: 40 pages. v2: typos and minor corrections, presentation improved in sect. 4.3, plots added in app. A.1, two refs added. To appear in JHE