Basic Concepts of String Theory

by Ralph Blumenhagen

The Classical Bosonic String.- The Quantized Bosonic String.- Introduction to Conformal Field Theory.- Parametrization Ghosts and BRST Quantization.- String Perturbation Theory and One-Loop Amplitudes.- The Classical Fermionic String.- The Quantized Fermionic String.- Superstrings.- Toroidal Compactifications - 10-Dimensional Heterotic String.- Conformal Field Theory Lattices and Kac-Moody Algebras.- Conformal Field Theory Superconformal Field Theory.- Covariant Vertex Operators, BRST and Covariant Lattices.- String Compactifications.- CFTs for Type II and Heterotic String Vacua.- String Scattering Amplitudes and Low Energy Effective Field Theory.- Compactifications of the Type II Superstring With D-branes and Fluxes.- String Dualities and M-theory.

Genres: Physics, Science, Mathematics

796 pages, Paperback

First published July 31, 2012

Reviews

[Kevin K. Gillette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I confess that I was a tad misled by the title and by the available descriptions on-line. String theory is certainly not for the faint of heart, but there are much gentler ways to introduce the interested student to this topic. For example, Barton Zwiebach's seminal text on the elements of string theory, "A First Course In String Theory," is an excellent entrée to this subject.

Once you've read that, however, this book really kicks it into gear in a big way, and in a helpful way. This tome covers all but the highest-level of topics - M-theories, black holes, and so on - and does so with innumerable examples. Be forewarned: You'd better be awfully familiar with tensor algebra, algebraic topology, and most of the foundation concepts of general relativity before diving into this heady textbook.

As an aside, I was both amused and bemused (a hard thing to do simultaneously) by the ironic juxtaposition of the title - Basic Concepts of String Theory - and the size of the text - 720+ pages (!). It reminded me of the time I acquired an outstanding survey text entitled "Basic Inorganic Chemistry," which tips the scale at over 1000 pages. I'm not sure these authors had irony in mind, but they achieved it nevertheless.

[albin james · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three waitresses all wearing
Black diamond earrings
Talking about zombies
and Singapore slings
No trouble in their faces
Not one anxious voice
None of the crazy you get
From too much choice
The thumb and the satchel
Or the rented Rolls-Royce
And you think she knows something
By the second refill
You think she's enlightened
As she totals your bill
You say "show me the way
To Barangrill"

Well some say it's in service
They say "humble makes pure"
You're hoping it's near Folly
'Cause you're headed that way for sure
And you just have to laugh
'Cause it's all so crazy
Her mind's on her boyfriend
And eggs over easy
It's just a trick on you
Her mirrors and your will
So you ask the truck driver
On the way to the till
But he's just a slave
To Barangrill

The guy at the gaspumps
He's got a lot of soul
He sings Merry Christmas for you
Just like Nat King Cole
And he makes up his own tune
Right on the spot
About whitewalls and windshields
And this job he's got
And you want to get moving
And you want to stay still
But lost in the moment
Some longing gets filled
And you even forget to ask
"Hey, Where's Barangrill?"

- Joni Mitchell