Delaware State University
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics
Dover, DE 19901
Superstrings and Beyond
60-882-00,
3 cr.
Text:
J. Polchinski:
C.V. Johnson:
String Theory, Vol. II
D-Branes
Recommended:
B. Zwiebach:
A First Course in String Theory
K. Becker, M. Becker, J. H. Schwarz: String Theory and M-Theory: A Modern Introduction
T. Hubsch:
Calabi-Yau Manifolds — A Bestiary for Physicists
The aim of the course is to further develop the structure of string theories, including
supersymmetry and topologically and geometrically nontrivial configuration spaces. In particular, it will
be shown that string theory in fact is a theory of a complex collection of physical objects of various
spatial dimensionalities, not just 1-dimensional strings. This provides an arena in which to construct
models that come close to describing various phenomena encountered in the “real world”, and can lead
to phenomenologically viable models of particle physics. Students are strongly encouraged to study
particular topics mentioned in the course, in detail and depth surpassing the discussions in class; this is
the purpose of the term paper.
Prerequisites: Topology and Geometry in Physics (60-711), Superstrings (60-881). A successful
student is expected to gain a working knowledge of the covered material, so as to be able to (1) follow
the applications in the literature, (2) solve typical problems in the field, and (3) discuss adequately the
term-paper subject.
Topical schedule:
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D-Branes and Gauge Fields
String Charge, Electric Charge and Particle Physics
String Thermodynamics and Black Holes
T-Duality of Closed and of Open Strings
Electromagnetic Fields on D-Branes
Nonlinear and Born-Infeld Electrodynamics
Covariant String Quantization
String Interactions and Riemann Surfaces
Loop Amplitudes in String Theory
The Heterotic String and Configuration Field Geometry
Compactified and Brane-World Cosmologies
1. Course Title/Number:
Superstrings and Beyond / 60-882-00
2. Number of Credits:
3
3. Curriculum Program Title: Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics andTheoretical Physics
CURRICULUM COURSE REVIEW:
4. Curriculum/Course is:
Superstrings and Beyond
[X]
New
[
[
Required Course
[X]
]
]
Revised
Elective Course
5. List Prerequisites:
60-711 (Topology and Geometry in Physics)
60-881 (Superstrings)
6. List Courses Being Replaced or Changed:
This is a new course.
7. List Courses Being Deleted:
No courses are being deleted.
8. Needs Statement:
This course is needed for students pursuing a Ph.D. in all areas of theoretical physics and
especially for those interested in the (quantum) physics of bulk materials—the typical case of
macroscopic objects in everyday life.
9. Catalog Description of the Course:
This course uncovers a plethora of solitonic objects in string theory, indispensable in its full,
nonperturbative, quantum description. Such objects occur with various numbers of spatial dimensions,
some occurring as topological defects propagating through the real spacetime, others providing a
phenomenologically viable model for the real spacetime itself.
10. List of Objectives of the Course:
(1) To provide an introduction to the overall complexity of string theory. (2) To sample the many
methods of analysis developed for the study of strings and adopted from other fields of study. (3) To
learn how to identify those phenomena throughout theoretical physics, which are best described using
these methods. (4) To develop the problem-solving skills associated with the application of these
methods in theoretical physics, and learn how to extract experimentally verifiable information from such
application.
11. Course Outline:
See the “Topical schedule” section in the attached brief syllabus.
CURRICULUM COURSE REVIEW:
Superstrings and Beyond
12. Show how the proposed course fits into the curriculum or course sequence:
This course is an elective within the curriculum of the Ph.D. program in theoretical physics, and
is indispensable for students focusing on the collective quantum physics of bulk materials. For an
overview of pre-requisite dependences and the course’s relation to other courses proposed herein, please
see the attached “Proposed Course Dependencies” chart.
13. Are there comparable courses in other departments?
No.
14. How will the students be affected by this course change?
This course provides the students an opportunity to increase their integration with the research
program of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, by understanding the
mathematical underpinnings of the techniques that are used in contemporary theoretical physics. This
course will improve students’ professional competence, employability in technical fields and ability to
pass professional examinations; the term paper requirement will foster improving expository skills.
Neither this course nor its prerequisites increase the total number of semester hours in this curriculum or
the number of credit hours required for graduation.
15. What effect will this new course have on College resource?
None: this course will not require new or additional resources or staffing.
16. How will the course benefit the College?
Superstring theory provides the general framework for the best candidate theory of everything
known to date, by offering the possibility of unifying all of known fundamental physics in a logically
consistent way and in agreement with the observed phenomena in the real world. This course provides
both a conceptual and a technical introduction to the subject, and so may be of benefit for all students
interested in the forefront of fundamental physics
17. How will the change affect the program?
This course will introduce the study of superstrings as an arena for an unprecedented integration
of numerous techniques and methods of analysis from rather disparate subjects of physics and
mathematics. The technical richness and variety of involved techniques and methodologies in this
subject surpasses all others in theoretical physics, whereby it is also the best example of the synergy of
all these diverse approaches. This then exemplifies the overall philosophy and methodology of
contemporary theoretical physics, and so is essential in the curriculum of a theoretical physicist in the
CURRICULUM COURSE REVIEW:
Superstrings and Beyond
XXI century. This course will be one of the electives specific to the Ph.D. program (concentration in
theoretical physics) in this department.
18. Evaluation of Student Performance:
Homework Assignments
40 %
Term-paper (take-home final)
60 %
Sample homework assignments, in-term and final examination question-sheets, work sheets,
course notes, review sheets and term papers will be accessible on-line.
Course Structure: Three (3) 50-minute lectures per week.
References
1. B. Zwiebach: A First Course in String Theory (Cambridge University Press, 2004, ISBN =
0521831431)
2. J. Polchinski: String Theory, Vol. II (Cambridge University Press, 2005; ISBN = 0521672287)
3. K. Becker, M. Becker, J. H. Schwarz: String Theory and M-Theory: A Modern Introduction
(Cambridge University Press, 2007; ISBN = 0521860695)
4. M. B. Green, J.H. Schwarz, E. Witten: String Theory, Vol. I (Cambridge University Press, 2005;
ISBN = 0521357527 and 0521357535)
Submitted to Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics
by: Tristan Hubsch, on 27th of November, 2007.