Polchinski - String Theory

Kevin Chen
October 30, 2017

Chapter 1
Problem 1.1
(a) Let = X 0 , then X = (1, ~v) where |~v|  1.
1
X X = 1 v 2 (X X )1/2 1 v 2
,
2
Z Z  
1/2 1 2
Spp = m d (X X ) d mv m
2

(b) Let = X 0 and use the unit length parametrization in . Then X = (1, ~v) where |~v|  1, and
X = (0, t) where t is the unit tangent vector along the string.

1 + v 2
 
~v t
hab =
~v t 1

det hab = 1 v 2 + (~v t)2 = 1 v

2

where we define ~v ~v t(~v t) to be component of the velocity orthogonal to t. Then,

1 2
( det hab )1/2 1 v
2
Z Z  
1 1/2 1 1 2
SNG = d d ( det hab ) d d v 1
20 20 2
Z Z 
1 2
= d d v L( )
2
where 1/20 is the mass density of the string, and L( ) is the length of the string. The first term is a
kinetic energy term proportional to transverse velocity, and the second term is a potential proportional to
the length of the string.

Problem 1.2
First we vary X in the Nambu-Goto action to get the equations of motion. Recall that h/hab = hhab .
Z   Z
1 1 c 1
SNG = d d h 2 X c X = d d (h)1/2 c X c X
20 2(h)1/2 20
Integrating by parts, we get two terms,
Z Z
1 h
1/2 c
i 1 h
1/2 c
i
= d d c (h) X X + d d c (h) X X
20 20

1
 Z Z
1 1
= d d (h)1/2 c [ c X X ] +
d d (h)1/2 2 X X
20 20
Z =` Z
1 c 1
d d (h)1/2 2 X X

= ds nc X X 
 +
20 =0 20
where we used Gausss Law, s is the proper time along the string boundary, and nc is the outward unit
normal vector at the string boundary (we can write nc c = ). So to set the variation to zero, we have an
equation of motion 2 X = 0 and Neumann boundary conditions X = 0 at = `, 0. In the Polyakov
action, we have additional equations of motion from varying the metric,
 
1 1
SP ab T ab = Tab = 0 a X b X ab c X c X = 0
2
At the boundary, we have X = 0. This implies that X X = 0, i.e. the velocity of the end-point is
null. Therefore they travel at light speed.

Problem 1.3
Z Z
1 1
= d d ()1/2 R ds (tc tc )ta nb a tb
4 M 2 M

Consider a Weyl transformation ab e2(,) ab . Consulting equation 7.114 in Nakahara, the Ricci scalar
transforms as,
R e2 R 2(m 1)B , B = 2 + (m 2)

where m is the dimension of the manifold. Here m = 2, so we have

()1/2 R ()1/2 (R 22 )

Now consulting equation 7.106, the covariant derivative of a unit vector ta e ta transforms as,

a tb cb a + ab (c ) + cb (a ) ac bd (d ) (e tc ) = e (a tb + ab tc c ta b )

The second term vanishes as ta na = 0. The other terms transform as expected,

nb e nb , ds e ds

Therefore, the variation in is,

Z Z
1 1/2 a 1
= d d () (2)a ( ) ds (tc tc )ta nb (ta b )
4 M 2 M
Z Z
1 1
= ds na a + ds (tc tc )2 nb b
2 M 2 M
where we used Gausss Law. These two terms are the same, so the variation is zero.

Problem 1.4
For m2 = 1/0 , we need N = 2. This gives us the possible distinct states,
i j
1 1 |0; ki if i j
i
2 |0; ki
In SO(D2), the first set of states describes a symmetric 2-tensor and the second set describes a vector. These
states can be filled into a traceless symmetric 2-tensor of SO(D1) by taking the symmetric (D2)(D2)
matrix and gluing the (D 2)-vectors on two sides. The remaining corner of the (D 1) (D 1) matrix

2
is determined uniquely by tracelessness. So these states fill an irredicuble representation of SO(D 1).

For m2 = 2/0 , we need N = 3. This gives us the possible distinct states,

i j k
1 1 1 |0; ki if i j k
i j
1 2 |0; ki
i
3 |0; ki
In SO(D 2), these sets of states describe a symmetric 3-tensor, 2-tensor, and vector, respectively. We can
break the 2-tensor into a symmetric 2-tensor and antisymmetric 2-tensor. Then we can take the symmetric
2-tensor and symmetric 3-tensor parts and glue them together, forming a (D 1)-dimensional traceless
symmetric 3-tensor. The antisymmetric 2-tensor and vector can then be glued together (glue the vector on
one side, and negative of the vector on the other side) to form a (D 1)-dimensional antisymmetric 2-tensor.
Thus the states can be filled into a direct sum of irreducible representations of SO(D 1).

Problem 1.5
First, we repeat the derivation for

X 1
=
n=1
12

Use the regularization for  0 ,

e
 
X X n 1
nen = e = 
1 =
n=1
 n=1  1 e (1 e )2

Expanding for  0,
1 1
=
2
+ O(2 )
 12
The first term is the cut-off dependent term, so we retain the second finite term in the limit  0 .

Now we show that,

X 1 1
(n ) = (2 1)2
n=1
24 8

for constant . We use a similar regularization for  0 .

1 + e
  
X X n  1
(n )e(n) = e  = e 
1 = e(1)
n=1
 n=1  1e (1 e )2

Expanding for  0,
1 1 1
=2
+ (2 1)2 + O(2 )
 24 8
Throwing away the cut-off dependent term and taking the limit, we get the answer as desired.