Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2025/iii/paper-306/3/a/solution

In the Polyakov path integral, fix worldsheet diffeomorphism and Weyl symmetry to conformal gauge. The Faddeev-Popov determinant supplies the worldsheet ghosts, and anomaly cancellation selects . Insert integrated closed-string tachyon vertex operators on the sphere. The zero mode of gives , while Gaussian contractions give the Koba-Nielsen factor . Dividing by the conformal Killing group and using the sphere power of the string coupling gives the displayed amplitude with .

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