Aspects of Fractional Superstrings

Abstract

We investigate some issues relating to recently proposed fractional superstring theories with $D_{\mathrm{critical}}<10$. Using the factorization approach of Gepner and Qiu, we systematically rederive the partition functions of the $K=4,8,$ and $16$ theories and examine their spacetime supersymmetry. Generalized GSO projection operators for the $K=4$ model are found. Uniqueness of the twist field, ${\varphi }_{K/4}^{K/4}$, as source of spacetime fermions is demonstrated. Last, we derive a linear (rather than quadratic) relationship between the required conformal anomaly and the conformal dimension of the supercurrent ghost.

36 pages, CALT-68-1756 Revisions to match form to appear in Comm. Math. Phys. Use standard TeX. Derivation of affine partition functions related to $D=4,6$ models is now shown. References Updated

References in corpus (8)

• Model-Building for Fractional Superstrings
• New Jacobi-Like Identities for Z_k Parafermion Characters
• Structure Constants of the Fractional Supersymmetry Chiral Algebras
• Central Charge Reduction and Spacetime Statistics in the Fractional Superstring
• Low-Lying States of the Six-Dimensional Fractional Superstring
• A Review of $W$ Strings
• The Worldsheet Conformal Field Theory of the Fractional Superstring
• Construction of the K=8 Fractional Superconformal Algebras

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Fractional supersymmetric Liouville theory and the multi-cut matrix models
• Kac and New Determinants for Fractional Superconformal Algebras
• Tree scattering amplitudes of the spin-4/3 fractional superstring II: the twisted sectors
• On the Worldsheet Formulation of the Six-Dimensional Self-Dual String
• Tree scattering amplitudes of the spin-4/3 fractional superstring I: the untwisted sectors