1992/03/03 by Amit Giveon, Alfred Shapere
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Algebraic and Geometric Analysis #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Homotopy and Cohomology in Algebraic Topology #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/0550-3213(92)90175-b
published as Nucl.Phys.B386:43-62,1992 · 25 pages
arxiv created 1992/03/03 · openalex publication_date 1992/11/01 · arxiv updated 2010/11/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We study the underlying gauge symmetry algebra of the N=2 string, which is broken down to a subalgebra in any spacetime background. For given toroidal backgrounds, the unbroken gauge symmetries (corresponding to holomorphic and antiholomorphic worldsheet currents) generate area-preserving diffeomorphism algebras of null 2-tori. A minimal Lie algebraic closure containing all the gauge symmetries that arise in this way, is the background--independent volume--preserving diffeomorphism algebra of the target Narain torus T4,4. The underlying symmetries act on the ground ring of functions on T4,4 as derivations, much as in the case of the d=2 string. A background--independent spacetime action valid for noncompact metrics is presented, whose symmetries are volume--preserving diffeomorphisms. Possible extensions to N=2 and N=1 heterotic strings are briefly discussed.