Exploring D=26 Anomalies in Bosonic String Theory

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter b
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between the worldsheet Weyl anomaly and the target spacetime Lorentz anomaly in bosonic string theory. Participants explore the implications of these anomalies and their connections to conformal transformations and gauge choices within the theory.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants inquire about a clear and simple explanation of how the worldsheet Weyl anomaly translates into the target spacetime Lorentz anomaly.
  • One participant suggests that the presence of a Weyl anomaly indicates that the fields in the worldsheet action do not satisfy Einstein's equations in the context of general relativity.
  • Another participant explains that the Weyl anomaly implies that conformal transformations are no longer a symmetry of the theory, leading to an anomalous Lorentz symmetry in the light cone gauge.
  • This participant elaborates that under Lorentz transformations, a specific reference frame is altered, necessitating a gauge transformation to maintain the light cone gauge, which introduces terms in the Lorentz group generators related to conformal transformations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the correctness of bosonic string theory itself, with at least one participant asserting it is incorrect. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the clarity and simplicity of the explanations provided.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions regarding the definitions of anomalies and gauge choices are not fully explored, and the implications of these anomalies on the broader framework of string theory are not settled.

b
is there a nice and simple way to see how worldsheet weyl anomaly
translates into target spacetime lorentz anomaly, in bosonic string
theory?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Please can you clearly explain by these names what you mean? Actually, bosonic string theory is already a fuss. It will not help you as it is incorrect.
 
b said:
is there a nice and simple way to see how worldsheet weyl anomaly
translates into target spacetime lorentz anomaly, in bosonic string
theory?

The presence of a Weyl anomaly in the theory on the world-sheet means that the fields in the world-sheet action don`t satisfy the Einstein equations in the spacetime theory by which I mean General Relativity.
 
On Sep 21, 9:28 am, b <bzz...@gmail.com> wrote:
> is there a nice and simple way to see how worldsheet weyl anomaly
> translates into target spacetime lorentz anomaly, in bosonic string
> theory?[/color]

I don't know if this is nice and simple, but the idea is this, at
least in part.

The Weyl anomaly implies that the group of conformal transformations
(the group of diffeomorphisms which have the effect of rescaling the
metric)
is no longer a symmetry of the theory. The Lorentz anomaly occurs in
the light
cone gauge (the gauge group is the group conformal transformations).
In the light cone gauge a particular reference frame is singled out.
Under a Lorentz tranformation
this reference frame changes, and you consequently have to make a
gauge
transformation (i.e., a conformal transformation) to stay in the light
cone gauge. Consequently, the
generators of the Lorentz group need to include terms generating
particular conformal transformations.
SInce the conformal symmetry is anomalous this leads to anomalous
Lorentz symmetry.

charlie torre
 
On Sep 21, 9:28 am, b <bzz...@gmail.com> wrote:
> is there a nice and simple way to see how worldsheet weyl anomaly
> translates into target spacetime lorentz anomaly, in bosonic string
> theory?[/color]

I don't know if this is nice and simple, but the idea is this, at
least in part.

The Weyl anomaly implies that the group of conformal transformations
(the group of diffeomorphisms which have the effect of rescaling the
metric)
is no longer a symmetry of the theory. The Lorentz anomaly occurs in
the light
cone gauge (the gauge group is the group conformal transformations).
In the light cone gauge a particular reference frame is singled out.
Under a Lorentz tranformation
this reference frame changes, and you consequently have to make a
gauge
transformation (i.e., a conformal transformation) to stay in the light
cone gauge. Consequently, the
generators of the Lorentz group need to include terms generating
particular conformal transformations.
SInce the conformal symmetry is anomalous this leads to anomalous
Lorentz symmetry.

charlie torre
 
On Sep 21, 9:28 am, b <bzz...@gmail.com> wrote:
> is there a nice and simple way to see how worldsheet weyl anomaly
> translates into target spacetime lorentz anomaly, in bosonic string
> theory?[/color]

I don't know if this is nice and simple, but the idea is this, at
least in part.

The Weyl anomaly implies that the group of conformal transformations
(the group of diffeomorphisms which have the effect of rescaling the
metric)
is no longer a symmetry of the theory. The Lorentz anomaly occurs in
the light
cone gauge (the gauge group is the group conformal transformations).
In the light cone gauge a particular reference frame is singled out.
Under a Lorentz tranformation
this reference frame changes, and you consequently have to make a
gauge
transformation (i.e., a conformal transformation) to stay in the light
cone gauge. Consequently, the
generators of the Lorentz group need to include terms generating
particular conformal transformations.
SInce the conformal symmetry is anomalous this leads to anomalous
Lorentz symmetry.

charlie torre
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
5K
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
4K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
6K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 26 ·
Replies
26
Views
4K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 33 ·
2
Replies
33
Views
9K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
4K