On the BRST charge over infinite-dimensional algebras
The author studies the BRST charge defined over an infinite algebra of gauged local symmetries. This is of great importance to string theories. The BRST charge of the gauge symmetry must be nilpotent. In string theories this implies the cancellation of conformal anomalies in critical dimension; 26 for bosonic string, 10 for superstring, and 2 for O(2) string. Furthermore, the O(2) symmetry of the O(2) string (a string theory with two, two-dimensional supersymmetries) is realized as a Kac-Moody symmetry. In general, the BRST quantization of the local, gauged KAC-Moody symmetry requires special care due to chiral anomaly. The chiral anomaly breaks the chiral gauge invariance, and the corresponding BRST charge is not nilpotent. To arrive at the nilpotent BRST charge for the gauged Kac-Moody symmetry, one has to modify the theory by adding a one-cocycle over the gauge group. A similar problem and its solution exist in the case of supersymmetric Kac-Moody algebras. The BRST charge of the first quantized string theory is a building block of the covariant string field theory. The BRST invariance of the first quantized theory generalizes to gauge invariance of string field theory. In Witten's open string field theory the BRST charge plays a role of exterior derivation on the space of string field functionals. The Fock space realization of the theory was given by Gross and Jevicki. For the consistency of the theory it is crucial that all the vertex operators are BRST invariant. The ghost part of the vertex comes in few varieties. The author has shown that all the versions of the ghost vertex are equivalent, as long as the total vertex is BRST invariant.
- Research Organization:
- Brown Univ., Providence, RI (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5910463
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ALGEBRA
COMPOSITE MODELS
EXTENDED PARTICLE MODEL
FIELD THEORIES
GAUGE INVARIANCE
INVARIANCE PRINCIPLES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS
MATHEMATICS
PARTICLE MODELS
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QUARK MODEL
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SUPERSYMMETRY
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