Closed-string scattering amplitude (${\mathcal{A}}_{g,n}$)

A closed-string scattering amplitude is a worldsheet correlation function of external string vertex operators, integrated over their unfixed positions and worldsheet moduli, with the necessary worldsheet ghost fields.

For a stable $n$-point closed-string scattering amplitude on a genus-$g$ surface, let $d_g$ count complex unmarked worldsheet moduli and $k_g$ count complex dimensions of the worldsheet conformal Killing group. Integrating the $n$ vertex positions and moduli, then fixing $k_g$ positions, leaves $d_g+n-k_g$ complex integrations. The punctured Riemann surface moduli dimension identifies this as $3g-3+n$. Faddeev-Popov ghost fields and antighost insertions implement the removed zero modes and the surviving modulus measure; they do not add independently integrated worldsheet coordinates.

The tree-level Polyakov path integral for closed-string tachyons reduces in conformal gauge to their vertex-position integral on the Riemann sphere. Three positions are fixed by the residual Möbius group; the other $N-3$ complex positions are integrated. The embedding-field Gaussian integral produces momentum conservation and the Koba-Nielsen factor.

At genus zero the residual Möbius transformation group fixes three marked insertion points, leaving one complex position to integrate. The corresponding worldsheet ghost fields give $|z_{ij}{z}_{jk}{z}_{ki}{|}^2$ for the three fixed points. For on-shell weight-$(1,1)$ string vertex operators, these ghost factors cancel the coordinate dependence of the fixed-point normalization, including the limit at infinity. The remaining Koba-Nielsen factor for four tachyons is the integrand of the complex beta integral, producing the Virasoro–Shapiro amplitude.

A single crossing-symmetric scattering amplitude has equivalent pole expansions in different exchange channels. Its scattering-amplitude factorization reproduces the string spectrum and couplings in each channel without adding the channel expansions again.