Covariant BRST Quantization of Closed Strings in the PP-Wave Background

Abstract

We canonically quantize closed string theory in the pp-wave background with a non-zero flux of the three-form field strength by using the covariant BRST operator formalism. In this canonical quantization, we completely construct new covariant free-mode representations, for which it is particularly important to take account of the commutation relations of the zero mode of the light-cone string coordinate X^{-} with other modes. All covariant string coordinates are composed of the free-modes. Moreover, employing these covariant string coordinates for the energy-momentum tensor, we calculate the anomaly in the Virasoro algebra and determine the number of dimensions of spacetime and the ordering constant from the nilpotency condition of the BRST charge in the pp-wave background.

30 pages

References in corpus (6)

• Strings in flat space and pp waves from $\mathcal{N}=4$ Super Yang Mills
• A WZW model based on a non-semi-simple group
• Superstring Gravitational Wave Backgrounds with Spacetime Supersymmetry
• The Nappi-Witten string in the light-cone gauge
• Light-Cone Gauge Quantization of 2D Sigma Models
• The no-ghost theorem in curved backgrounds with a timelike u(1): NSR string

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Superstring in the plane-wave background with RR flux as a conformal field theory
• On the Conformal Field Theories for Bosonic Strings in PP-Waves
• Superstrings in type IIB R-R plane-wave in semi-light-cone gauge and conformal invariance
• Closed Superstrings in a Uniform Magnetic Field and Regularization Criterion
• Low Energy Action of "Covariant" Superstring Field Theory in the NS-NS pp-Wave Background
• Superstring in the pp-wave background with RR flux as a conformal field theory