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Prerequisites
8.033 (Relativity), 8.044 (Statistical Physics I), and 8.05 (Quantum Physics II).
Textbook
Zwiebach, Barton. A First Course in String Theory. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2004. ISBN: 9780521831437.
Additional Reference
A new readable book at the graduate level is:
Becker, Katrin, Melanie Becker, and John H. Schwarz. String Theory and M-Theory: A Modern Introduction. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2007. ISBN: 9780521860697.
Homework
There will be weekly homework. No late homework will be accepted. Students will be able to drop one homework - the one with the lowest grade - from their record.
Tests
There will be two tests and a final exam.
Grading
Grading criteria.
| ACTIVITIES |
PERCENTAGES |
| Homework |
35% |
| Test 1 |
20% |
| Test 2 |
20% |
| Final exam |
25% |
Calendar
Course calendar.
| SES # |
TOPICS |
KEY DATES |
| 1 |
Announcements, introduction
Lorentz transformations
Light-cone coordinates
|
|
| 2 |
Energy and momentum
Compact dimensions, orbifolds
Quantum mechanics and the square well
|
|
| 3 |
Relativistic electrodynamics
Gauss' law
Gravitation and Planck's length
|
Homework 1 due |
| 4 |
Gravitational potentials, compactification, and large extra dimensions |
|
| 5 |
Nonrelativistic strings and lagrangian mechanics |
Homework 2 due |
| 6 |
The relativistic point particle: Action, reparametrizations, and equations of motion |
|
| 7 |
Area formula for spatial surfaces |
Homework 3 due |
| 8 |
Area formula for spatial surfaces (cont.) |
|
| 9 |
Change of variables |
Homework 4 due |
| 10 |
Relativistic strings: Nambu-Goto action, equations of motion and boundary conditions |
Homework 5 due |
| 11 |
Static gauge, transverse velocity, and string action
Motion of free open string endpoints
|
|
| 12 |
The sigma-parametrization
Equations of motion and virasoro constraints
General motion for open strings
Rotating open strings
|
Homework 6 due |
|
Test 1 |
|
| 13 |
Periodicity conditions for the motion of closed strings
The formation of cusps
Conserved currents in E&M
Conserved charges in lagrangian mechanics
|
|
| 14 |
Momentum charges for the string
Lorentz charges for the strings
Angular momentum of the rotating string
Discuss alpha' and the string length l_s
General gauges: fixing tau and natural units
|
Homework 7 due |
| 15 |
Solution of the open string motion in the light-cone gauge |
|
| 16 |
Light-cone fields and particles |
|
| 17 |
Light-cone fields and particles (cont.) |
Homework 8 due |
| 18 |
Open strings |
Homework 9 due |
| 19 |
Critical dimension
Constructing the state space
Tachyons
|
|
| 20 |
Closed strings |
Homework 10 due |
| 21 |
Wrap-up of closed strings
Superstrings
|
|
|
Test 2 |
|
| 22 |
Superstrings (cont.) |
|
| 23 |
Closed strings
Heterotic string theory
|
|
| 24 |
Dp-branes
Parallel Dp's
|
Homework 11 due |
| 25 |
Dp-branes (cont.) |
|
| 26 |
Final exam review |
|
|
Final exam week |
|