Abstract
The quantum theory of a massless spin two particle is strongly constrained by diffeomorphism invariance, which is in turn implied by unitarity. We explicitly exhibit the space-time diffeomorphism algebra of string theory, realizing it in terms of world sheet vertex operators. Viewing diffeomorphisms as field redefinitions in the two-dimensional conformal field theory renders the calculation of their algebra straightforward. Next, we generalize the analysis to combinations of space-time anti-symmetric tensor gauge transformations and diffeomorphisms. We also point out a left-right split of the algebra combined with a twist that reproduces the C-bracket of double field theory. We further compare our derivation to an analysis in terms of marginal deformations as well as vertex operator algebras.
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ArXiv ePrint: 1407.1385
Unité Mixte du CNRS et de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure associée à l’université Pierre et Marie Curie 6, UMR 8549.
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Schulgin, W., Troost, J. The algebra of diffeomorphisms from the world sheet. J. High Energ. Phys. 2014, 146 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP09(2014)146
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP09(2014)146