LOOP VARIABLES IN STRING THEORY

Abstract

The loop variable approach is a proposal for a gauge-invariant generalization of the sigma-model renormalization group method of obtaining equations of motion in string theory. The basic guiding principle is space–time gauge invariance rather than world sheet properties. In essence it is a version of Wilson's exact renormalization group equation for the world sheet theory. It involves all the massive modes and is defined with a finite world sheet cutoff, which allows one to go off the mass-shell. On shell the tree amplitudes of string theory are reproduced. The equations are gauge-invariant off shell also. This paper is a self-contained discussion of the loop variable approach as well as its connection with the Wilsonian RG.