arXiv subjects

Leith Cooper

Publications and source records attributed to Leith Cooper.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv1997

Dynamical Description of Spectral Flow in N=2 Superconformal Field Theories

We show how the spectral flow between the Neveu-Schwarz and Ramond sectors of N=2 superconformal field theories can be described in three dimensions in terms of the propagation of charged particles coupled to a a Chern-Simons gauge theory. Quantum mechanical mixing between the degenerate Chern-Simons vacua interpolates between the different boundary conditions of the two sectors and so provides a dynamical picture for the GSO-projection.

hep-th↗

arXiv1996

String Winding Modes From Charge Non-Conservation in Compact Chern-Simons Theory

In this letter we show how string winding modes can be constructed using topological membranes. We use the fact that monopole-instantons in compact topologically massive gauge theory lead to charge non-conservation inside the membrane which, in turn, enables us to construct vertex operators with different left and right momenta. The amount of charge non-conservation inside the membrane is interpreted as giving the momentum associated with the string winding mode and is shown to match precisely the full mass spectrum of compactified string theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv1996

Boundary Conditions and Heterotic Construction in Topological Membrane Theory

Using the topological membrane approach to string theory, we suggest a geometric origin for the heterotic string. We show how different membrane boundary conditions lead to different string theories. We discuss the construction of closed oriented strings and superstrings, and demonstrate how the heterotic construction naturally arises from a specific choice of boundary conditions on the left and right boundaries of a cylindrical topological membrane.

hep-th↗