Folded Strings in Curved Spacetime

Abstract

Two dimensional classical string theory is solved in any curved spacetime. The complete spacetime required to describe the classical string motions turns out to be larger than the global space required by complete particle geodesics. The solutions are fully classified by their behavior in the asymptotically flat region of spacetime. When the curvature is smooth, the string solutions are deformed folded string solutions as compared to flat spacetime folded strings that were known for 19 years. However, surprizing new stringy behavior becomes evident at curvature singularities such as black holes. The global properties of the classical string theory require that the ``bare singularity region'' of the black hole be included along with the usual black hole spacetime. The mathematical structure needed to describe the solutions include a recursion relation that is analogous to the transfer matrix of lattice theories. This encodes lattice-like properties on the worldsheet on the one hand and the geometry of spacetime on the other hand. A case is made for the presence of folded strings in the quantum theory of non-critical strings for $d\ge 2$.

LaTeX, revtex, epsf, 2-columns 11 pages, plus 6 figures. Minor misprint corrected in eq.11

References in corpus (3)

• Folded Strings Falling into a Black Hole
• Folds in 2D String Theories
• Classical Solutions of 2D String Theory in any Curved Spacetime

Cited by in corpus (9)

• Semiclassical quantization of rotating superstring in AdS_5 x S^5
• Long strings in two dimensional string theory and non-singlets in the matrix model
• Ghost-Free Spectrum of a Quantum String in SL(2,R) Curved Spacetime
• Moduli Dynamics of AdS_3 Strings
• Dynamics of Flux Tubes in Large N Gauge Theories
• Relativistic Harmonic Oscillator Revisited
• Kinky Strings in AdS_5 x S^5
• Folded Strings
• On the quantization of folded strings in non-critical dimensions