Glossary of string theory
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
This page is a glossary of terms in string theory, including related areas such as supergravity, supersymmetry, and high energy physics.
Conventions
- -bein
- A suffix indicating a frame, where the first part is a German word indicating the dimension (as in zweibein, vierbein, and so on).
- -ino
- The superpartners of bosons are often denoted by the suffix -ino; for example, photon/photino.
- s-
- The superpartners of fermions are often denoted by adding s- at the beginning; for example, quark/squark.
αβγ
- α
- 1. Fine-structure constant
- 2. Regge slope, or inverse of the string tension
- 3. A Fourier coefficient of a spacetime coordinate.
- 4. αs is the strong coupling constant
- β
- 1. One of the two conformal superghost fields β, γ used in the BRST quantization of the superstring
- 2. Euler beta function
- 3. Beta function describing the change of coupling constant under the renormalization group flow
- γ
- 1. Dirac matrix
- 2. One of the two conformal superghost fields β, γ used in the BRST quantization of the superstring
- 3. World-sheet metric γab(σ,τ)
- 4. Photon
- 5. Euler constant .57721...
- Γ
- 1. Lattice
- 2. Euler Gamma function
- 3. Dirac matrix
- 4. Width of some scattering process
- δ
- 1. Kronecker delta function
- 2. An infinitesimal change in something; for example δL is an infinitesimal change in L
- Δ
- 1. Propagator
- 2. Delta baryon, a baryon with 3 light quarks and isospin 3/2
- 3. Laplace operator in Euclidean space or more generally a Riemannian manifold
- ε
- 1. Small positive real number
- 2. Antisymmetric tensor
- η
- 1. Flat Lorentzian metric on spacetime
- 2. Dedekind eta function, a weight 1/2 modular form
- 3. Neutral flavor meson with PC= –+
- θ
- 1. Theta function
- 2. θc is the Cabbibo angle
- 3. θw is the Weinberg angle, also called the weak mixing angle
- Λ
- Cosmological constant
- 2. Large energy or large mass cutoff in regularization
- 3. Lambda baryon, a baryon with 2 light quarks and isospin 0
- μ
- 1. Renormalization scale, with the dimensions of mass
- 2. Muon
- ν
- Neutrino
- Ξ
- 1. Xi baryon, a baryon with 1 light quark
- π
- 1. 3.14159...
- 2. Pion
- Π
- The momentum density conjugate to X
- ρ
- Rho meson, a light meson with PC= ––
- σ
- 1. Spacelike coordinate on the world-sheet
- 2. Scattering cross section
- 3. Pauli matrix
- 4. See #sigma model
- Σ
- 1. Sigma baryon, a baryon with 2 light quarks and isospin 1
- τ
- 1. Timelike coordinate on the world-sheet
- 2. Element of the upper half plane
- 3. Tauon
- Υ
- Upsilon meson (bb)
- φ
- Scalar field
- χ
- Neutral-flavor heavy meson with PC= ++
- ψ
- 1. Spinor field
- 2. Psi meson (cc)
- Ω
- 1. Density of something in the universe; for example, Ων is the neutrino density
- 2. Omega baryon, a baryon with no light quarks
!$@
- ' (prime)
- X′ means ∂X/∂σ.
- dot above letter
- Ẋ means ∂X/∂τ
- ∇
- 1. A covariant derivative
- 2. The del operator.
- □
- The D'Alembert operator, or non-Euclidean Laplacian.
- [,]
- A commutator: [A,B] = AB–BA.
- {,}
- An anticommutator: {A,B} = AB+BA.
A
- A
- 1. A connection 1-form
- 2. Short for antiperiodic, a boundary condition on strings.
- 3. Short for axial vector
- 4. An asymmetry
- action
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A function S on the space of fields given (formally) by the integral of the Lagrangian density over spacetime, whose stationary points are the solutions of the equations of motion.
- ADE
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Dynkin diagrams, and to several related classifications of Lie algebras, singularities and so on. Refers to the ADE classification (An,Dn, E6, E7, E8) of simply laced
- ADHM
- Initials of Atiyah, Drinfeld, Hitchin, and Manin, as in the ADHM construction of instantons.
- ADM
- Initials of Arnowitt, Deser, and Misner, as in ADM energy, a way of defining the global energy in an asymptotically flat spacetime, or ADM decomposition of a metric, or ADM formalism.
- AdS
- Anti-de Sitter, as in anti-de Sitter space, a Lorentzian analogue of hyperbolic space
- AdS/CFT
- Anti-de Sitter/conformal field theory, especially the AdS/CFT correspondence.
- ALE
- Asymptotically locally Euclidean
- ALEPH
- ALEPH experiment at LEP
- AMSB
- Anomaly mediation supersymmetry breaking
- ASD
- Anti self-dual (connection)
- ATLAS
- The ATLAS experiment at CERN, a particle detector.
- axino
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A hypothetical supersymmetric partner of an axion.
- axion
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> strong CP problem. A hypothetical scalar particle whose mass arises from a coupling rather than from a mass term in the Lagrangian, used to resolve the
B
- b
- 1. One of the two conformal ghost fields b, c used in the BRST quantization of the bosonic string.
- 2. A bottom quark.
- B
- 1. Baryon number
- 2. Short for boson.
- 3. Short for baryon.
- 4. Short for backward;for example, σB is the cross section for backward scattering.
- 5. a bottom meson.
- BAO
- Baryon acoustic oscillation
- BB
- Big Bang
- BBN
- Big Bang nucleosynthesis
- bino
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A hypothetical supersymmetric partner of the gauge field corresponding to weak hypercharge.
- BIon
- A BPS solution representing an infinite string ending on a D-brane. Named after the Born–Infeld action.
- BPS
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Bogomol'nyi–Prasad–Sommerfield bound. A state related to the
- BR
- Branching ratio
- BRS
- BRST quantization
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> BRST quantization of gauge theories. Short for Becchi, Rouet, Stora and Tyutin, who introduced the
- brane
- Short for membrane. a higher-dimensional manifold moving in spacetime. See also p-brane, D-brane.
- BTZ
- Initials of Bañados–Teitelboim–Zanelli, as in BTZ black hole, a black hole in 2+1-dimensional gravity.
- BV
- Batalin–Vilkovisky, as in Batalin–Vilkovisky formalism.
C
- c
- 1. The speed of light, when not using units where this is 1.
- 2. A central charge of the Virasoro algebra or similar algebra.
- 3. One of the two conformal ghost fields b, c used in the BRST quantization of the bosonic string.
- 4. A Chern class.
- 5. A charm quark.
- C
- 1. Charge, especially the charge symmetry.
- Calabi–Yau
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Kähler manifold with vanishing Ricci curvature, used for compactifying string theories. A
- CAR
- Canonical anticommutation relations
- CBR
- Cosmic background radiation
- CC
- 1. Charged current (weak interaction).
- 2. Complex conjugate
- 3. Compatibility condition
- CCR
- Canonical commutation relation
- CCR and CAR algebras
- CDF
- Collider Detector at Fermilab
- CDM
- Cold dark matter
- CERN
- Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire
- chargino
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> gauge boson. A hypothetical charged supersymmetric partner of a
- Chern–Simons
- 1. <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- 2. <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- chiral
- 1. Not invariant under the parity symmetry. The word comes from the Greek χειρ meaning "hand"; the terms "left-handed" and "right-handed" are often used to describe chiral objects. <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- 2. A chiral multiplet is a type of supermutliplet of a supersymmetry algebra.
- CIPT
- Contour improved perturbation theory
- CKG
- Short for conformal Killing group.
- CKM
- The Cabibbo–Kobayashi–Maskawa matrix.
- CKS
- Short for conformal Killing spinor.
- CKV
- Short for conformal Killing vector.
- CFT
- Conformal field theory
- Chan–Paton
- A Chan–Paton charge is a degree of freedom carried by an open string on its endpoints.
- cl
- 1. Short for classical (for example, Scl is the classical action).
- 2. CL is short for confidence limit.
- closed
- A closed string is one with no ends.
- CM
- Center of mass (frame)
- CMB
- CMBR
- Cosmic microwave background radiation
- CMS
- 1. The Compact Muon Solenoid at CERN, a particle detector.
- 2. Short for the Center-of-Momentum System, a coordinate system where the total momentum is 0.
- compactification
- A method for reducing the apparent dimension of spacetime by wrapping the string around a compact manifold.
- cosmological constant
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> The constant term of the Lagrangian, inducing a term in the action proportional to the volume of spacetime
- CP
- Short for Charge–Parity, as in CP symmetry.
- CPC
- Short for Charge–Parity conservation.
- CPT
- Short for Charge–Parity–Time, as in CPT symmetry or CPT theorem.
- CPV
- Short for Charge–Parity violation.
- critical
- The critical dimension is the spacetime dimension in which a string or superstring theory is consistent; usually 26 for string theories and 10 for superstring theories.
- CVC
- Conserved vector current.
- CY
- Short for Calabi–Yau, as in Calabi–Yau manifold, a Ricci-flat Kähler manifold, often used for compactifying superstring theories.
D
- d
- 1. The exterior derivative of a form.
- 2. A down quark.
- 3. The dimension of spacetime.
- D
- 1. Short for Dirichlet, as in D-brane
- 2. The dimension of spacetime
- 3. A connection or differential operator
- 4. A Dynkin diagram of an orthogonal group in even dimensions.
- 5. A charmed meson.
- D0
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- D-brane
- Dp-brane
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Short for Dirichlet (mem)brane, a submanifold (of dimension p+1) on which the ends of strings are constrained to lie, so that the strings satisfy Dirichlet boundary conditions.
- D-string
- A D1-brane
- DBI
- Short for Dirac–Born–Infeld, as in the DBI action, an action based on the Born–Infeld action, a modification of the Maxwell action of electrodynamics.
- DDF
- Initials of Del Guidice, Di Vecchia, and Fubini, as in Del Guidice–Di Vecchia–Fubini operator, operators generating an oscillator algebra.
- DELPHI
- DELPHI experiment at LEP.
- DESY
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron
- DGLAP
- Initials of Dokshitzer–Gribov–Lipatov–Altarelli–Parisi who introduced the DGLAP evolution equation in QCD.
- Diff
- Diffeomorphism or diffeomorphism group.
- dilatino
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A supersymmetric partner of the dilaton.
- dilaton
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A massless scalar particle, related to dilations of spacetime.
- Dirichlet
- Dirichlet boundary conditions on an open string say that the ends of the string are fixed (often lying on a D-brane).
- DIS
- Deep inelastic scattering
- DLCQ
- Discrete light-cone quantization
- DM
- Dark matter
- DØ
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- Dp-brane
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Short for Dirichlet (mem)brane, a submanifold (of dimension p+1) on which the ends of strings are constrained to lie, so that the strings satisfy Dirichlet boundary conditions.
- DR
- 1. Short for dimensional regularization.
- 2. Short for dimensional reduction, a way of constructing theories from simpler theories in higher dimensions, sometimes by making fields invariant under some spacelike translations.
- dS
- de Sitter, as in de Sitter space, a Lorentzian analogue of a sphere
- dS/CFT
- de Sitter/conformal field theory, especially the dS/CFT correspondence.
- dual resonance model
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> An early precursor of string theory.
- duality
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> S-duality, T-duality, U-duality, mysterious duality. A hidden connection between two different theories, such as
- DY
- Initials of Drell–Yan, as in DY process.
- dyon
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A hypothetical particle with both electrical and magnetic charge.
E
- e
- 1. Euler's constant
- 2. A frame
- 3. An electron
- E
- Energy
- E₆
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> The exceptional Lie algebra of rank 6 and dimension 78.
- E₇
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> The exceptional Lie algebra of rank 7 and dimension 133.
- E₈
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> The exceptional Lie algebra of rank 8 and dimension 248.
- eff
- Short for effective (field theory).
- EFT
- Effective field theory, a low-energy approximation to a theory.
- einbein
- A frame in 1 dimension
- elfbein
- A frame in 11 dimensions
- energy–momentum tensor
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A symmetric tensor T (also called the stress-energy tensor) describing the variation of the action under changes in the metric, whose components give the local energy, momentum and stress densities. In flat spacetimes it can also be given by combining the Noether currents of the translation symmetries.
- EWSB
- Electro-weak symmetry breaking.
F
- F
- 1. A curvature form of a connection
- 2. The world-sheet fermion number.
- 3. Short for fermion
- 3. Short for forward;for example, σF is the cross section for backward scattering.
- F₄
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> The exceptional Lie algebra of rank 4 and dimension 52.
- FCNC
- Flavor-changing neutral current.
- field
- A section of a fiber bundle
- FOPT
- Fixed-order perturbation theory.
- F-string
- Fundamental string
- F-theory
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Possibly an abbreviation of father theory. A 12-dimensional string theory introduced by Vafa.
- FRW
- Friedman–Robertson–Walker metric on spacetime
G
- g
- 1. A metric
- 2. A coupling constant
- 3. The genus of a Riemann surface.
- 4. A gluon.
- G
- 1. Newton's gravitational constant, sometimes written GN.
- 2. The Fermi coupling constant for weak interactions, sometimes written GF.
- 3. Gn is an odd element of the Ramond or Neveu–Schwarz superalgebra.
- G₂
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> G2 manifold with G₂ holonomy. The exceptional Lie algebra of rank 2 and dimension 14, or a
- gaugino
- A spin 1/2 supersymmetric partner of a gauge boson.
- gh
- Abbreviation for ghost; for example, Sgh is the ghost action.
- ghost
- A vector of negative norm.
- GKO
- Short for Goddard–Kent–Olive. The GKO construction, also called the coset construction, is a way of constructing unitary discrete series representations of the Virasoro algebra.
- GL
- A general linear group.
- gluino
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> gluon. A hypothetical supersymmetric partner of a
- gluon
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> gauge boson associated with the strong force. A
- GMSB
- Gauge mediated supersymmetry breaking.
- goldstino
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Goldstone boson. A massless spin 1/2 particle associated with spontaneous breakdown of supersymmetry, analogous to the
- GR
- General relativity
- graviton
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A conjectural spin 2 massless particle responsible for gravity.
- gravitino
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A supersymmetric partner of the graviton.
- Green
- Named for Michael Green.
- GS
- Green–Schwarz formalism, a way of incorporating supersymmetry into string theory that is supersymmetric in 10-dimensional spacetime.
- GSO
- Short for Ferdinando Gliozzi, Joël Scherk, and David A. Olive, as in the GSO projection, a projection in superstring theory that eliminates tachyons.
- GSW
- The 2-volume work on superstring theory by Green, Schwarz, and Witten.
- GUT
- Grand unified theory, a hypothetical theory unifying the strong and electroweak forces.
- GWS
- Glashow–Weinberg–Salem theory of the electroweak force.
- GZK
- The Greisen–Zatsepin–Kuzmin limit on the energy of cosmic background radiation from distant sources.
H
- h
- 1. The weight of a field (for example, its eigenvalue for L0).
- 2. Hermitian; for example, h.c. stands form hermitian conjugate.
- H
- 1. The Hamiltonian.
- 2. The Higgs boson.
- 3. The Hubble constant.
- Haag–Lopuszanski–Sohnius theorem
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Coleman–Mandula theorem. A theorem describing the possible supersymmetries of a quantum field theory, generalizing the
- Hagedorn temperature
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> The temperature above which the partition function diverges due to the exponentially increasing number of string states.
- h.c.
- hc
- Hermitian conjugate
- HCMS
- Hadronic center of mass (frame)
- HDM
- Higgs doublet model
- HE
- Short for heterotic-E2
8, a heterotic string theory based on the group E2
8. - helicity
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> The projection of the spin of a massless particle in the direction of its momentum.
- HERA
- Hadron Elektron Ring Anlage
- heterotic
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> heterosis, meaning hybrid vigour. A hybrid of bosonic string theory and superstring theory, introduced by David Gross, Jeffrey Harvey, Emil Martinec, and Ryan Rohm in 1985. Named after the Greek word
- Higgs boson
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A massive scalar particle related to the spontaneous symmetry breaking mechanism in the electroweak theory.
- Higgsino
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Higgs boson. A hypothetical supersymmetric partner of a
- HO
- Short for heterotic-orthogonal, a heterotic string theory based on the orthogonal group O32(R).
- holographic principle
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- HQET
- Heavy quark effective theory
- Hyperkähler
- Hyperkaehler
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A Riemannian manifold with holonomy contained in the compact form of the symplectic group.
- Hypermultiplet
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A type of supermultiplet (representation) of an extended supersymmetry algebra.
I
- i
- √–1
- I
- Isospin.
- IGM
- Intergalactic medium
- inflation
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A hypothetical very rapid increase in the size of the very early universe.
- instanton
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A self-dual or anti-self-dual connection in a principal bundle over a four-dimensional Riemannian manifold.
- int
- Short for interaction; for example, Hint might be an interaction Hamiltonian.
- inv
- Short for invisible; for example, Γinv is the width for invisible decays (those unobseverd by an experiment).
J
- J
- 1. A current
- 2. A source
- 3. Spin.
K
- k
- A momentum
- K
- A kaon (a strange meson).
- K3
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A simply connected compact complex surface of Kodaira dimension 0
- K-theory
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A cohomology theory based on vector bundles.
- Kac–Moody algebra
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> loop algebra. A central extension of a
- Kähler
- Kaehler
- Named after Erich Kähler
- 1. A Kähler manifold is a complex manifold with a compatible Riemannian metric.
- 2. A Kähler metric is the metric on a Kähler manifold.
- 3. A Kähler potential is a function of superfields used to construct a Lagrangian.
- Kalb–Ramond field
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- KK
- Kaluza–Klein
- KM
- 1. The Kobayashi–Maskawa mechanism for CP violation.
- 2. Kac–Moody algebra.
- KZ
- Initials of Knizhnik and Zamolodchikov, as in KZ equation, a differential equation related to the primary fields of a current algebra.
L
- L
- 1. A Lagrangian
- 2. Ln is an element of the Virasoro algebra.
- 3. An abbreviation for left (moving modes).
- 4. Lepton number
- 5. Short for lepton
- L3
- L3 experiment at LEP.
- Lagrangian (field theory)
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A function on the jet space of a fiber bundle.
- landscape
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> The (conjectural) moduli space of all (vacuums of) string theories.
- LEP
- The Large Electron–Positron Collider at CERN.
- lepton
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A elementary particle of spin 1/2 that is unaffected by the strong force.
- LH
- Left-handed
- LHC
- The large hadron collider at CERN.
- little string theory
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- LL
- Double logarithmic
- LO
- Leading order (term)
- LQG
- Loop quantum gravity
- LQC
- Loop quantum cosmology
- LSP
- Abbreviation for lightest supersymmetric particle.
- LSS
- Large scale structure (of the universe).
M
- m
- A mass of a fermion. For example, mt is the mass of the top quark t.
- M
- The mass of a boson; for example, MZ is the mass of the Z-boson.
- Majorana fermion
- Majorana spinor
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A fermion or spinor with a reality condition, in spacetimes of dimension 2, 3, 4 mod 8.
- Majorana–Weyl fermion
- Majorana–Weyl spinor
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A half-spinor with a reality condition, in spacetimes of dimension 2 mod 8.
- Mandelstam variable
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A sum or difference of two of the four incoming or outgoing momenta of a 2-particle interaction.
- matrix theory
- M(atrix) theory
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> One of several non-perturbative formulations of string theory or M-theory using infinite matrices.
- M-brane
- membrane
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A higher dimensional analogue of a string.
- MC
- Monte Carlo integration
- MCG
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- minimal model
- Certain solvable conformal field theories.
- Mirror symmetry (string theory)
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A partly conjectural relation between a type IIA superstring theory compactified on a Calabi–Yau manifold and a type IIB superstring theory compactified on a different "mirror" Calabi–Yau manifold.
- MLLA
- Modified leading logarithm approximation.
- MNS
- Maki–Nakagawa–Sakata matrix for neutrino mixing
- monopole
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A hypothetical particle similar to a "magnet with only one pole".
- Montonen–Olive duality
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> S-duality. An early case of
- MS
- minimal subtraction (a renormalization scheme). MS is the modified minimal subtraction scheme.
- MSM
- Abbreviation for minimal standard model.
- MSSM
- Abbreviation for minimal supersymmetric standard model.
- mSUGRA
- Minimal model of supergravity.
- M-theory
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
An 11-dimensional theory introduced in the second string theory revolution to unify the 5 known superstring theories. The letter M has been said to stand for membrane, matrix, magic, mystery, monster, and so on.
- MSW
- Mikheyev–Smirnov–Wolfenstein effect concerning neutrino oscillations in matter.
- multiplet
- A linear representation of a Lie algebra or group.
- A collection of elementary particles corresponding to a basis of a representation.
N
- N
- 1. The number of times each irreducible real spinor representation appears in the fermionic part of a supersymmetry algebra or super Minkowski space. It is often used in the description of an extended supersymmetry algebra, as in N=2 superconformal algebra and so on.
- 2. A nucleon, a baryon with 3 light quarks and isospin 1/2 (such as a proton or neutron).
- 3. The number of some type of particle.
- Nambu–Goto action
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> An action for strings, proportional to the area of the worldsheet.
- NC
- Neutral current (weak interaction).
- Neumann
- Neumann boundary conditions on an open string say that the momentum normal to the boundary of the world-sheet is zero.
- neutralino
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> gauge boson with zero charge. A hypothetical supersymmetric partner of a
- Neveu
- Named for André Neveu.
- Neveu–Schwarz algebra
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Virasoro algebra, similar to the Ramond algebra. A supersymmetric extension of the
- NG
- 1. Short for Nambu–Goto, as in Nambu–Goto action.
- 2. Short for Nambu–Goldstone, as in Nambu–Goldstone boson.
- NLL
- Next to leading logarithmic (term).
- NLO
- Next to leading order (term).
- NLSP
- next-to-lightest sypersymmetric particle
- NMSSM
- Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model.
- NNLL
- Next to next to leading logarithmic (term).
- NNLO
- Next to next to leading order (term).
- NNNLL
- Next to next to next to leading logarithmic (term).
- no-ghost theorem
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> no-go theorem. A theorem stating that some hermitian form is positive semidefinite, in other words has no ghosts (negative norm vectors). The name is a word-play on
- NR
- Non-relativistic
- NRQCD
- Non-relativistic quantum chromodynamics
- NS
- Neveu–Schwarz, especially the Neveu–Schwarz algebra
- NS–NS
- A sector with Neveu–Schwarz conditions on left and right moving modes.
- NS–R
- A sector with Neveu–Schwarz conditions on left moving modes and Ramond conditions on right moving modes.
- NUT
- The initials of E. Newman, L. Tamburino, and T. Unti, mainly used in Taub–NUT vacuum, a solution to Einsteins' equations.
O
- O
- An orthogonal group
- OCQ
- Short for old covariant quantization
- OPAL
- The OPAL detector at LEP.
- open
- An open string is one with two ends.
- OPE
- operator product expansion
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A description of short-distance singularities of fields.
- orbifold
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Something that looks locally like a manifold quotiented by the action of a finite group.
- OSp
- A Lie superalgebra.
P
- p
- A momentum
- P
- 1. Parity, especially the parity symmetry.
- 2. Short for periodic, a boundary condition on strings (as opposed to A for antiperiodic).
- 3. Pseudoscalar (current)
- 4. Momentum
- 5. One of the bosonic elements of a supersymmetry algebra.
- p-brane
- A p+1 dimensional membrane, where p is a non-negative integer. The dimension of membranes is often given by their space dimension, which is 1 less than their full spacetime dimension.
- PCAC
- partially conserved axial vector current
- Parton distribution function.
- PDG
- Particle Data Group.
- photino
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A hypothetical supersymmetric partner of the photon.
- photon
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> The neutral spin 1 gauge boson of the electromagnetic field.
- PMNS
- Pontecorvo–Maki–Nakagawa–Sakata matrix for neutrino mixing
- Polyakov action
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A modification of the Nambu–Goto action for strings that eliminates the square root.
- PQ
- Peccei–Quinn, as in Peccei–Quinn theory.
- pQCD
- PQCD
- Perturbative quantum chromodynamics.
- prepotential
- A function used to construct the vector superfield in supersymmetric gauge theory and Seiberg–Witten theory.
- primary field
- A field killed by the positive weight operators of the Virasoro algebra (or similar algebra); in other words, a lowest weight vector.
- Princeton string quartet
- David Gross, Jeffrey Harvey, Emil Martinec, and Ryan Rohm, who introduced the heterotic string in 1985.
- PSL
- Projective special linear group.
Q
- q
- A quark.
- Q
- 1. The BRST operator.
- 2. A charge
- 3. One of the fermionic generators of a supersymmetry algebra.
- quark
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A strongly interacting elementary particle of spin 1/2.
- QCD
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- QED
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
R
- R
- 1. Short for Ramond, as in Ramond sector.
- 2. A curvature tensor <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- 3. An abbreviation for right (moving modes).
- 4. A radius
- 5. R-symmetry is a symmetry of extended supersymmetry algebras.
- Ramond
- Named for Pierre Ramond.
- Ramond algebra
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Virasoro algebra, similar to the Neveu–Schwarz algebra. A supersymmetric extension of the
- Rarita–Schwinger
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Refers to spin 3/2 fermions.
- Regge
- 1. Physicist Tullio Regge.
- 2. Regge trajectory: the squared mass of a hadronic resonance is roughly linear in the spin, with the constant of proportionality called the Regge slope.
- revolution
- Any new idea in string theory. In particular the first superstring revolution refers to the discoveries in the mid 1980s such as the cancellation of gravitational anomalies and the heterotic string, and the second superstring revolution refers to the discoveries in the mid 1990s, such as D-branes, M-theory, and matrix theory and the AdS/CFT correspondence.
- RG
- Renormalization group.
- RGE
- Renormalization group equation.
- RH
- Right-handed
- R–NS
- A sector with Ramond conditions on left moving modes and Neveu–Schwarz conditions on right moving modes.
- RNS
- Ramond–Neveu–Schwarz, as in RNS formalism, a way of incorporating supersymmetry into string theory that is supersymmetric on the world sheet.
- R-parity
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A Z2 symmetry of supersymmetric models.
- R-R
- Short for Ramond–Ramond sector
S
- s
- 1. A strange quark.
- 2. A Mandelstam variable
- S
- 1. An action
- 2. A scattering matrix.
- 3. The transformation τ → –1/τ of the upper half plane
- 4. Scalar (current)
- 5. Short for super or supersymmetric
- S-brane
- A brane similar to a D-brane, with Dirichlet boundary conditions in the time direction.
- S-duality
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> string duality relating theories with a large coupling constant to theories with a small coupling constant Strong–weak duality, a
- SBB
- Standard Big Bang model of the universe
- SCFT
- Superconformal field theory, a supersymmetric extension of conformal field theory
- Schwarz
- Named for John Henry Schwarz
- Seiberg duality
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- SGA
- Abbreviation for Spectrum-generating algebra
- short supermultiplet
- A supermultiplet (representation) related to BPS states
- sigma model
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A classical or quantum model based on the maps from a base manifold to a target manifold.
- SL
- Special linear group
- SLAC
- Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
- SLC
- Stanford Linear Collider
- slepton
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Hypothetical supersymmetric partner of a lepton
- SM
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- sneutrino
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Hypothetical supersymmetric partner of a neutrino
- SO
- Special orthogonal group
- Sp
- Symplectic group
- sphaleron
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Static solution to the electroweak field equations
- squark
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> Supersymmetric partner of a quark.
- SSB
- Spontaneous symmetry breaking
- SSM
- Standard solar model
- stress–energy tensor
- Alternative name for the #energy–momentum tensor.
- string field theory
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- SU
- Special unitary group
- SUGRA
- Short for supergravity
- superconformal algebra
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A supersymmetric analogue of the Virasoro algebra of conformal symmetries in 2 dimensions
- superfield
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A supersymmetric analogue of a quantum or classical field
- supergravity
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A supersymmetric extension of general relativity
- supermultiplet
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls. A representation of a supersymmetry algebra
- superpotential
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls. A function of chiral superfield not depending on their superderivatives or spacetime derivatives, used to form a Lagrangian.
- superspace
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls. A supersymmetric analogue of spacetime
- superstring
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls. A supersymmetric analogue of a string
- supersymmetry
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls. A generalization of a Lie superalgebra, where the Lie bracket [a,b] is sometimes given by ab+ba rather than ab–ba.
- SUSY
- An abbreviation for supersymmetry.
- SYM
- Supersymmetric Yang–Mills
T
- t
- 1. A top quark.
- 2. A Mandelstam variable.
- 3. Time.
- T
- 1. The energy–momentum tensor.
- 2. Time, especially the time symmetry.
- 3. The transformation τ → τ+1 of the upper half plane.
- 4. A torus.
- 5. The string tension.
- 6. Temperature.
- 7. Tensor (current)
- T-duality
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls. A string duality relating theories on a large spacetime to theories on a small spacetime. In particular it exchanges type IIA and IIB superstring theory.
- tachyon
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls. A particle of imaginary mass moving faster than light.
- ToE
- TOE
- Theory of everything
- type I
- type II
- type IIA
- type IIB
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls. Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls. A type of superstring or the corresponding low-energy supergravity theory. The Roman numeral I or II refers to the number of d=10 supersymmetries, and types IIA or IIB are distinguished by whether the supersymmetries of left and right movers have opposite or identical chiralities.
U
- u
- 1. An up quark.
- 2. A Mandelstam variable.
- U
- A unitary group.
- U-duality
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls. Short for "unified duality". A string duality relating two different string theories.
- UED
- Universal extra dimensions
- UV
- Short for ultra-violet, often referring to short-distance singularities.
V
- V
- 1. A vertex operator.
- 2. Vector (current)
- V-A
- Vector-Axial vector
- vector superfield
- A type of superfield related to vector supermultiplets.
- VEV
- Vacuum expectation value of an operator.
- vielbein
- A frame
- vierbein
- A frame in 4 dimensions. Sometimes used for a frame in an arbitrary number of dimension by authors who do not care that "vier" means four in German.
- Veneziano amplitude
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls. The Euler beta function interpreted as a scattering amplitude.
- vertex operator
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls.
- Virasoro algebra
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls. A central extension of the Witt algebra of polynomial vector fields on a circle.
W
- w
- A complex number
- W
- A W-boson
- W-algebra
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls. A sort of generalization of the Virasoro algebra
- Weyl
- 1. Named after Hermann Weyl
- 2. A Weyl transformation is a rescaling of the world-sheet metric.
- 3. Weyl spinor, an element of a half-spin representation in even spacetime dimensions.
- WIMP
- Weakly interacting massive particle
- wino
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls. A hypothetical supersymmetric partner of the W-boson.
- Witten
- Named for Edward Witten.
- WMAP
- Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe
- world sheet
- The 2-dimensional subset of spacetime swept out by a moving string.
- world-volume
- The p+1-dimensional spacetime volume swept out by a p-brane, as in world-volume action.
- WZNW
- WZW
- Initials of Wess, Zumino, (Novikov), and Witten, as in the WZW model, a σ-model with a group as the target space.
XYZ
- x
- A real number
- X
- Used for coordinates in Minkowski space.
- y
- A real number
- YBE
- Yang–Baxter equation
- YM
- Yang–Mills
- z
- A complex number
- Z
- 1. A partition function
- 2. The Z boson.
- An element of the center of an extended supersymmetry algebra.
- ZEUS
- Lua error in Module:Format_link at line 170: too many expensive function calls.
- zino
- <templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles> A hypothetical supersymmetric partner of the Z-boson.
- zweibein
- A frame in 2 dimensions
See also
References
- Becker, Katrin, Becker, Melanie, and John H. Schwarz (2007) String Theory and M-Theory: A Modern Introduction . Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-86069-5
- Binétruy, Pierre (2007) Supersymmetry: Theory, Experiment, and Cosmology. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-850954-7.
- Dine, Michael (2007) Supersymmetry and String Theory: Beyond the Standard Model. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-85841-0.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Michael Green, John H. Schwarz and Edward Witten (1987) Superstring theory. Cambridge University Press. The original textbook.
- Vol. 1: Introduction. ISBN 0-521-35752-7.
- Vol. 2: Loop amplitudes, anomalies and phenomenology. ISBN 0-521-35753-5.
- Kiritsis, Elias (2007) String Theory in a Nutshell. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-12230-4.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Polchinski, Joseph (1998) String Theory. Cambridge University Press.
- Vol. 1: An introduction to the bosonic string. ISBN 0-521-63303-6.
- Vol. 2: Superstring theory and beyond. ISBN 0-521-63304-4.
- Szabo, Richard J. (Reprinted 2007) An Introduction to String Theory and D-brane Dynamics. Imperial College Press. ISBN 978-1-86094-427-7.
- Zwiebach, Barton (2004) A First Course in String Theory. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-83143-1. Contact author for errata.