Glossary of string theory explained

This page is a glossary of terms in string theory, including related areas such as supergravity, supersymmetry, and high energy physics.

αβγ

How are these related?There is only one dimensional constant in string theory, and that is the inverse string tension

\alpha^\prime

with units of area. Sometimes

\alpha^\prime

is therefore replaced by a length

}. The string tension is mostly defined as the fraction

	1
	2\pi\alpha^\prime

Tension is energy or work per unit length. In natural units

c=1

and

\hbar=1

, and hence

\alpha^\prime

has dimension of length/energy or length/mass. Since

\hbar

has the dimension of action, i.e. momentum times length, it follows that in natural units mass =1/length, and so

\alpha^\prime

has the unit of area.The slope

\alpha^\prime

of a Regge trajectory

\alpha(M²⁾

in Regge theory is the derivative of spin

or angular momentum with respect to mass-squared, i.e.

	dS
	dM²

Since angular momentum is moment of momentum

, i.e. length times mass with

c=1

is dimensionless in natural units, and

\alpha^\prime

has units of

1/M²

or area like the inverse string tension.

Becker, Katrin, Becker, Melanie, and John H. Schwarz (2007) String Theory and M-Theory: A Modern Introduction . Cambridge University Press.
Binétruy, Pierre (2007) Supersymmetry: Theory, Experiment, and Cosmology. Oxford University Press. .
Dine, Michael (2007) Supersymmetry and String Theory: Beyond the Standard Model. Cambridge University Press. .
Book: Paul Frampton

. Paul H. Frampton . Dual Resonance Models . Frontiers in Physics . 1974 . 0-8053-2581-6 . Paul Frampton.

Michael Green, John H. Schwarz and Edward Witten (1987) Superstring theory. Cambridge University Press. The original textbook.
- Vol. 1: Introduction. .
- Vol. 2: Loop amplitudes, anomalies and phenomenology. .
Kiritsis, Elias (2007) String Theory in a Nutshell. Princeton University Press. .
Book: Johnson, Clifford . 2003 . D-branes . Cambridge University Press . Cambridge . 0-521-80912-6 .
Polchinski, Joseph (1998) String Theory. Cambridge University Press.
- Vol. 1: An introduction to the bosonic string. .
- Vol. 2: Superstring theory and beyond. .
Szabo, Richard J. (Reprinted 2007) An Introduction to String Theory and D-brane Dynamics. Imperial College Press. .
Zwiebach, Barton (2004) A First Course in String Theory. Cambridge University Press. . Contact author for errata.