nLab superstring

Contents

Context

String theory

Physics

physics, mathematical physics, philosophy of physics

Surveys, textbooks and lecture notes


theory (physics), model (physics)

experiment, measurement, computable physics

Contents

Idea

The superstring 2-dimensional sigma-model is the analog of the string σ\sigma-model but with local worldsheet supersymmetry.

This is the higher dimensional analog of how the superparticle is related to the ordinary relativistic particle.

There are several different incarnations of the superstring.

manifest supersymmetry for brane sigma-models:

manifest worldvolume supersymmetrymanifest target+worldvolume supersymmetrymanifest target space supersymmetry
NSR action functionalsuperembedding approachGreen-Schwarz action functional

graphics grabbed from FSS19c

manifest supersymmetry for brane sigma-models:

manifest worldvolume supersymmetrymanifest target+worldvolume supersymmetrymanifest target space supersymmetry
NSR action functionalsuperembedding approachGreen-Schwarz action functional

graphics grabbed from FSS19c

References

General

The relationship between the NRS spinning string and the Green-Schwarz superstring sigma-models is discussed in

  • Rafael I. Nepomechie, Nonabelian bosonization, triality, and superstring theory Physics Letters B Volume 178, Issues 2-3, 2 October 1986, Pages 207-210

  • I. Bars, D. Nemschansky and S. Yankielowicz, SLACPub- 3758.

This involves the relation between the octonion algebra and spinors in 2+8 dimensions (see also division algebra and supersymmetry):

  • H. Tachibana, K. Imeda, Octonions, superstrings and ten-dimensional spinors , Il nuovo cimento, Vol 104 B N.1

Superspace and superembedding formalism

Discussion of the superstring equations of motion in superspace is due to

and discussion via the superembedding formalism

Discussion of the superstring Green-Schwarz sigma-model in the broader context of The brane bouquet:

Last revised on June 19, 2023 at 14:43:52. See the history of this page for a list of all contributions to it.