Non-archimedean string dynamics

Lee Brekke, Peter G.O. Freund, Mark Olson, Edward Witten

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

232 Scopus citations

Abstract

Explicit formulas for the N-point tree amplitudes of the non-archimedean open string are derived. These amplitudes can be generated from a simple non-local lagrangian involving a single scalar field (the tachyon) in ambient space-time. This lagrangian is studied and is found to possess a tachyon free vacuum with no "particles" but with soliton solutions. The question of generalizing the adelic product formular to N-point amplitudes is taken up. The infinite product of 5-point amplitudes is shown to converge in a suitably chosen kinematic region whence it can be analytically continued. Though the precise form of the product formula for the 5-point (and N-point)amplitudes is not found, it is shown that the product is not equal to one as it is for the 4-point amplitudes but rather involves the famous zeros of the Riemann zeta function. Chan-Paton rules for non-archimedean open strings are given. A string over the (global) field of rational numbers is constructed. Other problems that are addressed are the introduction of supersymmetry, the nature of a p-adic string lagrangian, and the possibility of strings over other locally compact fields.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)365-402
Number of pages38
JournalNuclear Physics, Section B
Volume302
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 6 1988
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics

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