Using reparametrization invariance to define vacuum infinities in string path integrals

Curtis Gove Callan, L. Thorlacius

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

Path integrals for interacting world sheet sigma models play a key role in string theory. For open strings, the relevant path integral is one-dimensional and has direct physical interpretation as a source term for closed string fields. This means that the vacuum divergences (Möbius infinities) of the path integral must be renormalized correctly. In this paper we show that reparametrization invariance Ward identities, apart from specifying the equations of motion of space-time background gauge fields, also serve to fix the renormalization scheme of the vacuum divergences.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)133-154
Number of pages22
JournalNuclear Physics, Section B
Volume319
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 5 1989

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Using reparametrization invariance to define vacuum infinities in string path integrals'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this