Critical dimension of the RNS superstring

ID: critical-dimension-of-the-rns-superstring

Each of embedding bosons contributes one to the chiral central charge, and each real worldsheet Majorana fermion contributes one half. The reparameterization bc system contributes , and the superconformal ghosts contribute . Vanishing total worldsheet Weyl anomaly therefore requires , or . This differs from the critical dimension 26 of the bosonic string, which has no worldsheet fermions or superconformal ghosts.

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