Cosmological unification of string theories
Abstract
Description
We present an exact solution of superstring theory that interpolates in time between an initial type 0 phase and a final phase whose physics is exactly that of the bosonic string. The initial theory is deformed by closed-string tachyon condensation along a lightlike direction. In the limit of large tachyon vev, the worldsheet conformal field theory precisely realizes the Berkovits-Vafa embedding of bosonic string theory into superstring theory. Our solution therefore connects the bosonic string dynamically with the superstring, settling a longstanding question about the relationship between the two theories.
v2: references added, typos fixed; v3: new sections added; 62 pages, 5 figures
v2: references added, typos fixed; v3: new sections added; 62 pages, 5 figures