Midterm Exam

April 2, 2008

Problem 1
In this problem we want to compute the spectrum of a closed string propagating in at D dimensional space X , = 0, ..., D 1, where we have additionally imposed the identication: X D 1 = X D1 . (1)

This means that the coordinate X D1 is not running from to + but only from 0 to , so it corresponds to the half-line X D1 0 with a boundary at X D1 = 0. This identication has two eects: The boundary conditions of the closed string are more general and we have the following two possible sectors: i) X D1 ( + , ) = X D1 (, ) ii) X D1 ( + , ) = X D1 (, ) (untwisted sector) (twisted sector) (2)

We should keep only states which are consistent with the identication (1). Namely we should keep only states invariant under the map X D1 X D1 . (3)

1. Write the general mode expansion for the eld X D1 (, ) for a closed string in the untwisted sector. Determine how the map (3) acts on the operators appearing in the expansion. 2. In the untwisted sector, nd the allowed states which are invariant under the map (3). 1

3. Write the general mode expansion for the eld X D1 (, ) for a closed string in the twisted sector. Find the allowed states which are invariant under the map (3). 4. What is the center-of-mass position and momentum for the states in the twisted sector? 5. Bonus question: Give a physical interpretation of the states in the twisted sector and explain physically the result in 4.

Problem 2
Using the OPEs: X (z )X (w) = X (z )X (w) 0 X (z )X (w) = show that:
[m , n ] = [m , n ] = m m+n,0 , [m , n ]=0

+ ... (z w)2 (4) + ... (z w)2

(5)

where the operators n , n are dened by the expansions:

X (z ) = i
n=

n1 n z

(6)
n1 n z

X (z ) = i
n=

Problem 3
Consider a pair of bosonic elds (z ) and (z ) with the following OPE: (z )(w) = 1 + ..., zw 2 (z )(w) = 1 + ... zw (7)

while (z )(w) and (z )(w) are nonsingular. The energy-momentum tensor has the form: T (z ) = : (z ) (z ) : ( 1) : (z ) (z ) : (8)

a) By computing the OPE of the elds with T (z ), determine the conformal dimension of (z ) and (z ). b) Bonus question: Compute the OPE of T (z ) with itself to show that the central charge of the theory is: c = 2(62 6 + 1) (9)