A class of theories that attempt to explain all existing particles (including force carriers) as vibrational modes of extended objects, such as the 1-dimensional fundamental string.
2
votes
2answers
341 views
space at the Planck scale [closed]
All models of space that I know from physics use real or complex manifolds. I was just wondering if it is still the case at the level of Planck scale. In string theory, physicists still use strings ...
3
votes
1answer
225 views
book about string theory a la Von Neumann [duplicate]
Can we summarize string theory (in its actual state) in some principles and fundamental equations like electromagnetism, general relativity, quantum mechanics and classical mechanics ?
I am looking ...
4
votes
1answer
141 views
reference for higher spin - not gravitational nor stringy
Other than the papers of Berends, Burgers and van Dam, are there any papers that study the general case of deforming a free field theory with higher spin fields to be interactive?
1
vote
1answer
125 views
Generalized spin connection and dreibein in higher spin gravity
I am studying higher spin gravity and I would like to know the mathematical and physical meaning of generalized spin connection and generalized dreibein that appear in this theory.
It is well known ...
2
votes
0answers
151 views
computation with Hilbert scheme of $n$ points on $\mathbb C^2$ [closed]
How can we show that
$$\sum_{n = 0}^\infty q^n \operatorname{char}_T S^n(\mathbb C[x,y])=
\prod_{p_1,p_2\geq 0}\frac{1}{1-t_1^{p_1}t_2^{p_2}q}$$
where $\operatorname{char}_T V$ denotes the character ...
4
votes
1answer
398 views
Mathematica package for supergravity and string theory
I am looking for a Mathematica package that can manipulate tensors for supergravity, string theory or M-theory. I am particularly looking for a package that can do spinor and Clifford algebra ...
7
votes
2answers
443 views
Free Boson Correlator $ \langle X(z)X(w) \rangle =- \ln |z - w| $
In physics papers, the massless free boson has a definition involving an action:
$$ S(X) = \frac{1}{8\pi} \int d\sigma^2\, \partial X \overline{\partial X}$$
The random functions $X(z)$ are ...
2
votes
1answer
169 views
SYZ mirror symmetry for K3 surfaces
My question is essentially related to this post, but let me formulate it again. Let $f:S \rightarrow \mathbb{P}^1$ be an elliptic fibration, then this can be a SLAG fibration with respect to another ...
11
votes
0answers
174 views
K-theoretic version of Artin-Mazur formal groups?
An Artin-Mazur formal group is, when it exists, the deformation theory of ordinary cohomology of some degree, on some algebraic variety. My question here is:
Has the generalization of the theory of ...
1
vote
1answer
130 views
Is the structure constant additive on connected components?
Let $M$ be a Riemann surface and $\mu$ a metric on it, which could be non-compact. Moreover let $\Delta_{\mu,\,M}$ be the Laplacian on $M$ induced by $\mu$ and $\mathrm{det}^*(\Delta_{\mu,\,M})$ its ...
19
votes
0answers
557 views
Calabi-Yau cohomology?
My question here is going to be this -- but I'll give a bit of background to explain myself in a moment:
What has been done/what results are available on Calabi-Yau cohomology in degree $n \geq 3$ ...
9
votes
0answers
258 views
State of the art of BPS and Donaldson-Thomas invariants for toric Calabi-Yau threefolds
I am trying to understand what has been done with regards to computing BPS invariants and Donaldson-Thomas type invariants of Calabi-Yau threefolds. To make the question more focused, let's say that I ...
15
votes
0answers
420 views
p-Adic String Theory and the String-orientation of Topological Modular Forms (tmf)
I am going to ask a question, at the end below, on whether anyone has tried to make more explicit what should be, it seems to me, a close relation between p-adic string theory and the refinement of ...
5
votes
1answer
418 views
What are some geometric / physical / probabilistic interpretations of the Riemann zeta function at integer arguments n ≤ 1?
Introduction: This is slightly edited and generalised version of a question I asked on the Physics Stack Exchange website. This question has a twin brother asked here on MO, only now we consider ...
17
votes
3answers
444 views
Interpreting the CS/WZW correspondence
It is understood that there is a correspondence between the 3d Chern-Simons topological quantum field theory (TQFT) and the 2d Wess-Zumino-Witten conformal quantum field theory (CQFT). A good summary ...
1
vote
0answers
86 views
How can the interersection number of $2$ $D6$ branes wrapping around a CY manifold be derived?
For two intersecting $D6$ branes $a$ and $b$ wrapped around a $6$ dimensional torus $T^6 = T^2 \times T^2 \times T^2$ specified by
$$
\textrm{D6-brane a:}\, (l_1^a,l_2^a,l_3^a)
$$
$$
...
3
votes
0answers
120 views
Physical relevance of either fundamental identity generalizing Jacobi [closed]
There are two fundamental identities for n-ary generalizations of the Jacobi identity.
One fundamental identity is right for Nambu mechanics and such, the other for L_\infty algebras as in CSFT.
Which ...
7
votes
2answers
275 views
What is the definition of picture changing operation?
What is the definition of picture changing operation?
What is a standard reference where it is defined - not just used?
3
votes
0answers
105 views
Where is there a treatment of double field theory other than in local coordinates?
The n-lab seems to lack a treatment of double field theory. Where is there a treatment other than in local coordinates? Or at least one which identifies the coordinates as local coordinates for a ...
1
vote
0answers
91 views
H-flux by any other name
There are more than a few papers referring to H-flux and/or H-twist etc.
Is there anywhere a survey relating these variants?
3
votes
1answer
340 views
The Fuchsian monodromy problem
I want to understand the argument being made from equation 6.1 to 6.5 in this paper between pages 27-28
6.2, 6.4 and 6.5 are completely out-of-the-blue to me and I have no clue as to from where they ...
3
votes
1answer
172 views
Does fixing the reparameterization invariance of the string action correspond to some kind of orbifolding?
Does fixing the reparameterization invariance of the string action, for example by choosing the light-cone gauge
$$
X^{+} = \beta\alpha' p^{+}\tau
$$
$$
p^{+} = \frac{2\pi}{\beta} P^{\tau +}
$$
...
5
votes
1answer
416 views
Why does closed string theory have only one dilaton field instead of $22$? [closed]
Looking at $5D$ Kaluza-Klein theory, the Kaluza-Klein metric is given by
$$
g_{mn} = \left(
\begin{array}{cc}
g_{\mu\nu} & g_{\mu 5} \\
g_{5\nu} & g_{55} \\
\end{array}
\right)
$$
...
7
votes
0answers
235 views
The space-time dimension of the N-superstring theory?
Let $\mathfrak{W}$ be the Lie algebra generated by $d_{n} = ie^{in\theta}\frac{d}{d\theta}$ and $\mathfrak{Vir} = \mathfrak{W} \oplus C \mathbb{C}$ its central extension:
$$
...
19
votes
1answer
724 views
Has the conformally field theoretic metric on a Calabi-Yau variety been proved to exist?
Let $(X,g)$ be a compact Kähler manifold. Physics allows us to consider a supersymmetric
sigma model with target $(X,g)$, which is a N=2 two-dimensional field theory.
From the two-dimensional point ...
5
votes
1answer
352 views
Proof of the general expression for anomaly in a CFT and its partition function
I think the statement is that for any dimensional CFT the following is true,
$$\langle T^{\mu}_\mu \rangle = \sum B_n I_n - 2(-1)^{d/2}AE_d,$$
where $E_d$ is the `"Euler density" and $I_n$ are ...
8
votes
6answers
958 views
What is a branched Riemann surface with cuts?
Edit: Let me restate the main claim being made in these two papers,
Consider the "branched" Riemann surface which has "n" sheets stuck along the intervals, $[z_i, z_{i+1}]$ for $i=1,..,2N$ then it ...
23
votes
6answers
4k views
Explanations for mathematicians, about the falsifiability (or not) of string theory [closed]
Like many other mathematicians, I think string theory very attractive. This theory has wonderfully influenced many new topics in mathematics (I myself have worked on one of them), but it's not the ...
4
votes
2answers
400 views
CFTs corresponding to affine Lie algebras
I want to know how one can write down a CFT such that its conserved currents will satisfy some chosen (affine) Lie algebra $G$.
On the few pages leading up to page 192 in here one can see see the ...
17
votes
0answers
433 views
On Determinants of Laplacians on Riemann Surfaces
History of the Formula: In their famous paper "On Determinants of Laplacians on Riemann Surfaces" (1986), D'Hoker and Phong computed the determinant of the Laplacian $\Delta_n^+$ on the space $T^n$ of ...
35
votes
7answers
3k views
The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Physics in Mathematics. Why ? What/how to catch?
Starting from 80-ies the ideas either coming from physics, or by physicists themselves (e.g. Witten) are shaping many directions in mathematics. It is tempting to paraphrase E. Wigner, saying about ...
5
votes
0answers
220 views
Seiberg-Witten curve for product SU(2)^N gauge theories
In equation 2.10 of this article, the author gives the Seiberg-Witten curve for a $U(N)$ gauge theory with $L<2N$ massive flavours with masses given by $m_i$ as:
$y^{2}=\left\langle ...
1
vote
0answers
104 views
About the massless supermultiplets in $2+1$ dimensional supersymmetry [closed]
I thought of cross-linking here this question that I had asked on physicsstackexchange.
It would be a great help if someone can answer that.
16
votes
2answers
1k views
Are Donaldson-Thomas invariants “A-model” or “B-model” ?
Donaldson-Thomas invariants are the (virtual) Euler characteristics of moduli spaces of elements of the derived category of coherent sheaves (with some fixed Chern class, satisfying some stability ...
25
votes
7answers
6k views
Why does bosonic string theory require 26 spacetime dimensions?
I do not think it is possible really believe or experimentally check (now), but all modern physical doctrines suggest that out world is NOT 4-dimensional, but higher.
The least sophisticated ...
1
vote
3answers
458 views
Computing chern classes for products of varieties
I'm currently facing the problem of computing chern classes for Varieties. More precisely the product of such varieties.
Let $C_i$ be a variety in $\mathbb{CP}^2$ given by the Weierstraß $\wp$-map.
I ...
7
votes
1answer
604 views
what is the stringy Kähler moduli space?
I saw the stringy moduli space mentioned in a few papers but with little no explanation. I vaguely understand it is supposed to be the moduli space of complex structures on the mirror manifold.
Could ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Advice on doing physics under the umbrella of mathematics and the converse
Note: This is a question directly copied from Theoretical Physics SE primarily to get the advice of people indulged in mathematics.
In the current scenario of research in QFT and string theory (and ...
7
votes
0answers
442 views
Physicists Euler number conjecture
Physicist's Euler number conjecture says:
If $G \subset SL(n,\mathbb{C})$ is a finite group, $X=\mathbb{C}^n/G$ is the quotient space and $f:Y \rightarrow X$ a crepant resolution (always exists for ...
8
votes
1answer
430 views
Multiple Hodge integrals and integrability
It is known that a generating function of the linear Hodge integrals is a tau function of the KP hierarchy, namely a one-parameter deformation of the Kontsevich-Witten tau-function (see Kazarian). ...
8
votes
2answers
552 views
Elliptic genus for manifolds with boundary
Let M be a closed spin manifold of dimension $d$. One form of the elliptic genus of $M$ is
$$ F(q)=q^{-d/8} \hat A(M) {\rm ch} \otimes_{k=1/2,3/2,\cdots} \Lambda_{q^k}T \otimes_{\ell=1}^\infty ...
44
votes
3answers
3k views
What exactly is the relation between string theory and conformal field theory?
Maybe it would be helpful for me to summarize the little bit I
think know. A 2D CFT assigns a Hilbert space ${\cal H}$ to a circle and
an operator
$$A(X): {\cal H}^{\otimes n}\rightarrow {\cal ...
11
votes
1answer
1k views
Donaldson-Thomas Invariants in Physics
First of all, I am sorry for there are a bunch of questions (though all related)and may not be well framed.
What are the DT invariants in physics. When one is computing DT invariants for a Calabi-Yau ...
27
votes
6answers
5k views
Book on mathematical “rigorous” String Theory?
I've been looking high and low for a mathematical Book on String Theory. The only Book I could find was "A Mathematical Introduction to String Theory" by Albeverio, Jost, Paycha and Scarlatti. I only ...
3
votes
1answer
685 views
vector multiplet/hypermultiplet moduli space of String Theory
What is vector multiplet and hypermultiplet moduli space associated to IIA/B string theory (or in general to a N = 2 Supersymmetric theory) ?
The vector multiplet moduli space is special Kahler while ...
22
votes
3answers
2k views
Why is a 2d TQFT formulated as a functor?
Usual mathematical formulation of a 2d (closed) TQFT is as a functor from the category of 2-dim cobordisms between 1-dim manifolds to the category of vector spaces (satisfying various properties.)
...
3
votes
0answers
301 views
genus one Gromov-Witten invariants of Calabi-Yau 3-folds
In
http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/hep-th/pdf/9302/9302103v1.pdf
physicists calculate (predict) genus one GW invariants of quintic (Table 1) and some other cases (Table 2).
Can any body explain to me ...
16
votes
3answers
1k views
What do whitehead towers have to do with physics?
First let me say something that I don't completely understand, since I do not know enough physics. If I say anything wrong, someone please tell me:
For the spinning particle, there is a sigma-model, ...
3
votes
1answer
325 views
Does $SO(32) \sim_T E_8 \times E_8$ relate to some group theoretical fact?
It is well known the existence of a T duality between the two heterotic string theories, $SO(32) \sim_T E_8 \times E_8$. Beyond the trivial point that both groups have the same dimension (496, which ...
2
votes
0answers
136 views
Outer automorphism for $U_q(\mathfrak{su}(2|2))$
It is known that Lie superalgebra $\mathfrak{su}(2|2)$ (and only this one, not arbitrary $\mathfrak{su}(n|n)$) has the nontrivial central extension which forms an $\mathfrak{sl}_2$ triplet, let's call ...
