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Ashoke Sen

Publications and source records attributed to Ashoke Sen.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
arXiv2001

Star Algebra Spectroscopy

The spectrum of the infinite dimensional Neumann matrices M^{11}, M^{12} and M^{21} in the oscillator construction of the three-string vertex determines key properties of the star product and of wedge and sliver states. We study the spectrum of eigenvalues and eigenvectors of these matrices using the derivation K_1 = L_1 + L_{-1} of the star algebra, which defines a simple infinite matrix commuting with the Neumann matrices. By an exact calculation of the spectrum of K_1, and by consideration of an operator generating wedge states, we are able to find analytic expressions for the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the Neumann matrices and for the spectral density. The spectrum of M^{11} is continuous in the range [-1/3, 0) with degenerate twist even and twist odd eigenvectors for every eigenvalue except for -1/3.

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arXiv2001

A Note on a Proposal for the Tachyon State in Vacuum String Field Theory

We discuss the proposal of Hata and Kawano for the tachyon fluctuation around a solution of vacuum string field theory representing a D25 brane. We give a conformal field theory construction of their state -- a local insertion of a tachyon vertex operator on the sliver surface state, and explain why the on-shell momentum condition emerges correctly. We also show that a naive computation of the D25-brane tension using data for the three point coupling of this state gives an answer that is $(π^2/3)(16/27\ln 2)^3 \simeq 2.0558$ times the expected answer. We demonstrate that this problem arises because the HK state does not satisfy the equations of motion in a strong sense required for the computation of D-brane tension from the on-shell 3-tachyon coupling.

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arXiv2001

Classical Solutions in String Field Theory Around the Tachyon Vacuum

In a previous paper [hep-th/0012251] we proposed a simple class of actions for string field theory around the tachyon vacuum. In this paper we search for classical solutions describing D-branes of different dimensions using the ansatz that the solutions factorize into the direct product of a matter state and a universal ghost state. We find closed form expressions for the matter state describing D-branes of all dimensions. For the space filling D25-brane the state is the matter part of the zero angle wedge state, the ``sliver'', built in [hep-th/0006240]. For the other D-brane solutions the matter states are constructed using a solution generating technique outlined in [hep-th/0008252]. The ratios of tensions of various D-branes, requiring evaluation of determinants of infinite dimensional matrices, are calculated numerically and are in very good agreement with the known results.

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arXiv2001

Vacuum String Field Theory

This is a brief review of vacuum string field theory, a new approach to open string field theory based on the stable vacuum of the tachyon. We discuss the sliver state explaining its role as a projector in the space of half-string functionals. We review the construction of D-brane solutions in vacuum string field theory, both in the algebraic approach and in the more general geometrical approach that emphasizes the role of boundary CFT. -- To appear in the Proceedings of Strings 2001, Mumbai, India.

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arXiv2001

Boundary CFT Construction of D-branes in Vacuum String Field Theory

In previous papers we built (multiple) D-branes in flat space-time as classical solutions of the string field theory based on the tachyon vacuum. In this paper we construct classical solutions describing all D-branes in any fixed space-time background defined by a two-dimensional CFT of central charge 26. A key role is played by the geometrical definition of the sliver state in general boundary CFT's. The correct values for ratios of D-brane tensions arise because the norm of the sliver solution is naturally related to the disk partition function of the appropriate boundary CFT. We also explore the possibility of reproducing the known spectrum of physical states on a D-brane as deformations of the sliver.

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arXiv2001

Half-strings, Projectors, and Multiple D-branes in Vacuum String Field Theory

A sliver state is a classical solution of the string field theory of the tachyon vacuum that represents a background with a single D25-brane. We show that the sliver wavefunctional factors into functionals of the left and right halves of the string, and hence can be naturally regarded as a rank-one projector in a space of half-string functionals. By developing an algebraic oscillator approach we are able construct higher rank projectors that describe configurations of multiple D-branes of various dimensionalities and located at arbitrary positions. The results bear remarkable similarities with non-commutative solitons.

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arXiv2001

Test of Siegel Gauge for the Lump Solution

We test the validity of the Siegel gauge condition for the lump solution of cubic open bosonic string field theory by checking the equations of motion of the string field components outside the Siegel gauge. At level (3,6) approximation, the linear and quadratic terms of the equations of motion of these fields are found to cancel within about 20%.

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arXiv2000

String Field Theory Around the Tachyon Vacuum

Assuming that around the tachyon vacuum the kinetic term of cubic open string field theory is made purely of ghost operators we are led to gauge invariant actions which manifestly implement the absence of open string dynamics around this vacuum. We test this proposal by showing the existence of lump solutions of arbitrary codimension in this string field theory. The key ingredients in this analysis are certain assumptions about the analyticity properties of tachyon Green's functions. With the help of some further assumptions about the properties of these Green's functions, we also calculate the ratios of tensions of lump solutions of different dimensions. The result is in perfect agreement with the known answers for the ratios of tensions of D-branes of different dimensions.

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arXiv2000

Fundamental Strings in Open String Theory at the Tachyonic Vacuum

We show that the world-volume theory on a D-p-brane at the tachyonic vacuum has solitonic string solutions whose dynamics is governed by the Nambu-Goto action of a string moving in (25+1) dimensional space-time. This provides strong evidence for the conjecture that at this vacuum the full (25+1) dimensional Poincare invariance is restored. We also use this result to argue that the open string field theory at the tachyonic vacuum must contain closed string excitations.

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arXiv2000

Normalization of the Background Independent Open String Field Theory Action

It has been shown recently that the background independent open string field theory provides an exact description of the tachyon condensation on unstable D-branes of bosonic string theory. In this analysis the overall normalisation of the action was chosen so that it reproduces the conjectured relations involving tachyon condensation. In this paper we fix this normalisation by comparing the on-shell three tachyon amplitude computed from the background independent open string field theory with the same amplitude computed from the cubic open string field theory, which in turn agrees with the result of the first quantised theory. We find that this normalisation factor is in precise agreement with the one required for verifying the conjectured properties of the tachyon potential.

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arXiv2000

Some Issues in Non-commutative Tachyon Condensation

Techniques of non-commutative field theories have proven to be useful in describing D-branes as tachyonic solitons in open string theory. However, this procedure also leads to unwanted degeneracy of solutions not present in the spectrum of D-branes in string theories. In this paper we explore the possibility that this apparent multiplicity of solutions is due to the wrong choice of variables in describing the solutions, and that with the correct choice of variables the unwanted degeneracy disappears.

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arXiv2000

Uniqueness of Tachyonic Solitons

It has been conjectured that condensation of tachyons on a bosonic D-brane gives rise to vacuum / soliton solutions which are independent of the initial magnetic field on the D-brane. We present evidence for this conjecture using results from two dimensional conformal field theory. In particular we identify a continuous path in the configuration space of open string fields which interpolates between D-brane configurations with two different quantized magnetic flux.

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arXiv2000

Non-BPS D-branes on a Calabi-Yau Orbifold

A system containing a pair of non-BPS D-strings of type IIA string theory on an orbifold, representing a single D2-brane wrapped on a nonsupersymmetric 2-cycle of a Calabi-Yau 3-fold with $(h^{(1,1)},h^{(1,2)})$ = (11,11), is analyzed. In certain region of the moduli space the configuration is stable. We show that beyond the region of stability the system can decay into a pair of non-BPS D3-branes. At one point on the boundary of the region of stability, there exists a marginal deformation which connects the system of non-BPS D-strings to the system of non-BPS D3-branes. Across any other point on the boundary of the region of stability, the transition from the system of non-BPS D-strings to the system of non-BPS D3-branes is first order. We discuss the phase diagram in the moduli space for these configurations.

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arXiv2000

Large Marginal Deformations in String Field Theory

We use the level truncation scheme to obtain accurate descriptions of open bosonic string field configurations corresponding to large marginal deformations such as background Wilson lines. To do so, we solve for all fields as functions of the massless string field, and confirm that the effective potential of the massless field becomes increasingly flat as the level of approximation is increased. Surprisingly, as a result of the merging of two branches of the solution - one originating at zero tachyon vev and the other originating at the tachyonic vacuum - this effective potential exists only for a finite range of values of the massless field. We use the D1 to D0 brane marginal transition on a circle to explore the possibility that this finite range corresponds to the infinite range of the conformal field theory parameter describing marginal deformations, but are unable to arrive at a definitive conclusion.

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arXiv2000

D-branes as Tachyon Lumps in String Field Theory

It has been conjectured that the tachyonic lump solution of the open bosonic string field theory describing a D-brane represents a D-brane of one lower dimension. We place the lump on a circle of finite radius and develop a variant of the level expansion scheme that allows systematic account of all higher derivative terms in the string field theory action, and gives a calculational scheme that can be carried to arbitrary accuracy. Using this approach we obtain lump masses that agree with expected D-brane masses to an accuracy of about 1%. We find convincing evidence that in string field theory the lump representing a D-brane is an extended object with a definite profile. A gaussian fit to the lump gives a 6-sigma size of 9.3 \sqrt{α'}. The level truncation scheme developed here naturally gives rise to an infrared and ultraviolet cut-off, and may be useful in the study of quantum string field theory.

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arXiv2000

Tachyon Condensation and Brane Descent Relations in p-adic String Theory

It has been conjectured that an extremum of the tachyon potential of a bosonic D-brane represents the vacuum without any D-brane, and that various tachyonic lump solutions represent D-branes of lower dimension. We show that the tree level effective action of p-adic string theory, the expression for which is known exactly, provides an explicit realisation of these conjectures.

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arXiv2000

Tachyon Condensation in Superstring Field Theory

It has been conjectured that at the stationary point of the tachyon potential for the D-brane-anti-D-brane pair or for the non-BPS D-brane of superstring theories, the negative energy density cancels the brane tensions. We study this conjecture using a Wess-Zumino-Witten-like open superstring field theory free of contact term divergences and recently shown to give 60% of the vacuum energy by condensation of the tachyon field alone. While the action is non-polynomial, the multiscalar tachyon potential to any fixed level involves only a finite number of interactions. We compute this potential to level three, obtaining 85% of the expected vacuum energy, a result consistent with convergence that can also be viewed as a successful test of the string field theory. The resulting effective tachyon potential is bounded below and has two degenerate global minima. We calculate the energy density of the kink solution interpolating between these minima finding good agreement with the tension of the D-brane of one lower dimension.

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