Closed loop of classical string

[zwoodrow]

Has anyone seen a treatment of how to use the wave equation to describe a closed loop of string. I am talking ordinary strings here not the fancy string theory kind.

 

[zhermes]

I think its the same as a linear string, except with cyclical boundary conditions?

 

[Ben Niehoff]

Actually, there is a good treatment of this in Zwiebach's string theory book. Just check out the earlier chapters, and forget about trying to quantize the string.

Basically, you take the wave equation for a non-closed string, and give it periodic boundary conditions, that's all.