Topological string theory

About: Topological string theory is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1206 publications have been published within this topic receiving 54758 citations.

Exact eigenfunctions and the open topological string

Abstract: Mirror curves to toric Calabi-Yau threefolds can be quantized and lead to trace class operators on the real line. The eigenvalues of these operators are encoded in the BPS invariants of the underlying threefold, but much less is known about their eigenfunctions. In this paper we first develop methods in spectral theory to compute these eigenfunctions. We also provide a matrix integral representation which allows to study them in a 't Hooft limit, where they are described by standard topological open string amplitudes. Based on these results, we propose a conjecture for the exact eigenfunctions which involves both the WKB wavefunction and the standard topological string wavefunction. This conjecture can be made completely explicit in the maximally supersymmetric, or self-dual case, which we work out in detail for local P1xP1. In this case, our conjectural eigenfunctions turn out to be closely related to Baker-Akhiezer functions on the mirror curve, and they are in full agreement with first-principle calculations in spectral theory.

Membranes for Topological M-Theory

Abstract: We formulate a theory of topological membranes on manifolds with G_2 holonomy. The BRST charges of the theories are the superspace Killing vectors (the generators of global supersymmetry) on the background with reduced holonomy G_2. In the absence of spinning formulations of supermembranes, the starting point is an N=2 target space supersymmetric membrane in seven euclidean dimensions. The reduction of the holonomy group implies a twisting of the rotations in the tangent bundle of the branes with ``R-symmetry'' rotations in the normal bundle, in contrast to the ordinary spinning formulation of topological strings, where twisting is performed with internal U(1) currents of the N=(2,2) superconformal algebra. The double dimensional reduction on a circle of the topological membrane gives the strings of the topological A-model (a by-product of this reduction is a Green-Schwarz formulation of topological strings). We conclude that the action is BRST-exact modulo topological terms and fermionic equations of motion. We discuss the role of topological membranes in topological M-theory and the relation of our work to recent work by Hitchin and by Dijkgraaf et al.

Physical States and String Symmetries

Abstract: It is shown that if the momenta belong to an integral lattice, then every physical state of string theory leads to a symmetry of the scattering amplitudes. We discuss the role of this symmetry when the momenta are those provided by the usual D.D.F construction and show that the string compactified on the torus associated with the self-dual Lorentzian lattice, $\Pi^{25,1}$ possess the Fake Monster Lie algebra as a symmetry.