Spinning string

The spinning string adds worldsheet Majorana fermions and local worldsheet supersymmetry to the embedding coordinates. Its gauge-fixed quantum description is the Ramond–Neveu–Schwarz formulation of the superstring.

Before the GSO projection, the Neveu–Schwarz sector has string oscillator levels $0,1/2,1,3/2$, with physical multiplicities $1,8,36,128$ in ten-dimensional light-cone gauge in string theory. The eight transverse worldsheet Majorana fermions supply eight single ${\psi }_{-1/2}$ states. Level one has eight ${\alpha }_{-1}$ states and $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{8}{2}\right)=28$ pairs of distinct ${\psi }_{-1/2}$ modes. Level $3/2$ has $8$ single ${\psi }_{-3/2}$ modes, $8\cdot 8$ mixed boson–fermion modes and $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{8}{3}\right)=56$ triples. Their squared masses are respectively $-1/(2{\alpha }^{\prime }),0,1/(2{\alpha }^{\prime }),1/{\alpha }^{\prime }$. In the Ramond sector, the Ramond zero-mode Clifford algebra gives a sixteen-dimensional ground space. At level one, ${\alpha }_{-1}^i$ and ${\psi }_{-1}^i$ each provide $8\cdot 16$ states, hence multiplicities $16,256$ at squared masses $0,1/{\alpha }^{\prime }$. No half-integer Ramond levels occur. The GSO projection keeps odd NS fermion number and one total Ramond chirality, giving $8$ bosons and $8$ fermions at zero mass, then $128$ of each at the first massive level.

After the GSO projection, the first massive open-string level has NS oscillator number $3/2$ and Ramond oscillator number $1$. Eight transverse directions give $8+64+\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{8}{3}\right)=128$ NS states and $8\cdot 8+8\cdot 8=128$ R states. They form the massive Spin(9) representations $44+84$ and a gamma-traceless vector-spinor of dimension $9\cdot 16-16=128$. The identical chiral oscillator count in a closed string has the different mass normalization ${\alpha }^{\prime }{M}^2=4$.

The Gliozzi–Scherk–Olive projection selects consistent worldsheet fermion-number and chirality sectors in an RNS string theory. In suitable supersymmetric choices it removes the tachyonic Neveu–Schwarz sector ground state and keeps a chosen Ramond sector chirality. Together with the consistent sector combinations it produces spacetime fermions and, for theories such as Type II superstring theory, a tachyon-free spectrum. The mere presence of classical worldsheet supersymmetry does not specify this projection or guarantee tachyon removal.

Antiperiodic worldsheet Majorana fermions have half-integer modes in this sector.

The lowest fermionic excitation has level $1/2$. Its old-covariant physical conditions are ${\alpha }^{\prime }{p}^2+1/2-a=0$ and $p\cdot A=0$. For nonzero real momentum, timelike $p$ gives a positive polarization space, null $p$ gives a nonnegative space with a longitudinal null direction, and spacelike $p$ permits a negative-norm time polarization. The limiting $a=1/2$ state is a massless gauge vector after quotienting null polarizations. This level-specific test does not prove positivity of every higher NS level.

The usual half-level NS claim that all physical vector polarizations have nonnegative norm for $a\le 1/2$ assumes nonzero particle momentum. At zero momentum and limiting intercept, all positive-mode constraints and transversality allow a timelike polarization with negative norm, and $A\sim A+\kappa p$ removes nothing. Excluding this exceptional momentum restores the ordinary null-vector argument; retaining it makes the unrestricted elementary criterion strict $a<1/2$.

The open NS action has integer bosonic modes and half-integer fermionic matter modes, together with even Virasoro and odd supercurrent multipliers. Opposite fermion signs at the two endpoints make the doubled fermion antiperiodic and remove a matter zero mode. The $b_r$ matter variables are distinct from the $bc$ reparameterization FP ghosts. Canonical quantization yields $[{\alpha }_k^m,{\alpha }_l^n]=k{\eta }^{mn}{\delta }_{k+l,0}$ and $\{b_r^m,b_s^n\}={\eta }^{mn}{\delta }_{r+s,0}$.

The unprojected level-one states form a transverse vector representation and an exterior square. Fermionic anticommutation makes the two-fermion states antisymmetric. Together they restrict from an antisymmetric rank-two tensor of $SO(D-1)$, not a massive spin-two field.

Before the GSO projection, $N={\sum }_{k>0}{\alpha }_{-k}\cdot {\alpha }_k+{\sum }_{r>0}r{b}_{-r}\cdot b_r$ takes nonnegative half-integer values. The first vector at $N=1/2$ is massless for string intercept $a_{\mathrm{NS}}=1/2$.

Antiperiodic worldsheet Majorana fermions give transverse modes $b_r^I$, $r\in \mathbb{Z}+\frac{1}{2}$, with $\{b_r^I,b_s^J\}={\delta }^{IJ}{\delta }_{r+s,0}$. Positive modes annihilate the oscillator vacuum; negative modes are fermionic creation operators.

Periodic worldsheet Majorana fermions have integer modes and fermionic zero modes in this sector.

A worldsheet operator that changes fermion boundary conditions to the Ramond sector and creates a target spinor state. For $D$ real matter fermions its conformal weight is $D/16$. At $D=10$, combining it with the appropriate superghost factor gives a dimension-one spacetime-supersymmetry current.

In the critical RNS string, a spacetime supersymmetry generator is $Q_A=\oint e^{-{\varphi }_{\mathrm{gh}}/2}{S}_A$. The RNS spin field has weight $5/8$ and the superghost exponential has weight $3/8$, making a weight-one current. The GSO projection ensures the locality needed to act on retained vertex operators. Its operator products generate translations and relate NS sector and R sector states.

The zero-mode anticommutator $\{d_0^I,d_0^J{\}}_{+}={\delta }^{IJ}$ becomes the Euclidean Clifford algebra after ${\gamma }^I=\sqrt{2}{d}_0^I$. It acts within the oscillator-vacuum space. Eight transverse Gamma matrices give a minimal complex representation of dimension sixteen, split into two eight-dimensional chirality sectors.

For integer transverse string modes, $N_R={\sum }_{k>0}({\alpha }_{-k}\cdot {\alpha }_k+k{d}_{-k}\cdot d_k)$ with vacuum-annihilating normal ordering. Each nonzero-mode creation operator raises the level by $k$; fermionic zero modes commute with it. The open-string mass condition is $M^2=2\pi T{N}_R$, with zero Ramond intercept.

Local supersymmetry on a string worldsheet relates embedding coordinates to their worldsheet Majorana fermion partners. Fixing this fermionic gauge symmetry introduces commuting superconformal ghosts.

For $\delta X=-\overline{ϵ}\psi$ and $\delta \psi ={\rho }^{\alpha }{\partial }_{\alpha }Xϵ$, with constant Grassmann-odd Majorana parameters, the commutator on $X$ is the displayed translation. Set $M={ϵ}_1{\overline{ϵ}}_2-{ϵ}_2{\overline{ϵ}}_1$. In two dimensions $\{{\rho }^{\alpha },M\}=2{\overline{ϵ}}_1{\rho }^{\alpha }{ϵ}_2$ times the identity, so the fermion commutator is the translation minus $M{\rho }^{\alpha }{\partial }_{\alpha }\psi$. The remainder vanishes on the fermion field equation. This distinguishes on-shell closure from the off-shell total-derivative invariance of the action.

The local gauge choice $h_{\mu \nu }=e^{2\omega }{\eta }_{\mu \nu }$ and ${\chi }_{\mu }=0$ for an RNS string. Diffeomorphisms and Weyl symmetry fix the metric, while local supersymmetry and super-Weyl symmetry fix the gravitino. Stress-tensor and supercurrent constraints survive the gauge choice and eliminate longitudinal degrees of freedom. Higher-genus surfaces retain metric and spin-structure moduli.

A local fermionic gauge symmetry shifting the gamma-trace part of the worldsheet gravitino, schematically $\delta {\chi }_{\mu }={\gamma }_{\mu }\rho$. Together with local worldsheet supersymmetry it permits the gravitino to be set to zero locally in superconformal gauge. Global spin structures and moduli still remain.

The worldsheet gravitino is the fermionic vector-spinor gauge field for local worldsheet supersymmetry, paired with the worldsheet metric in two-dimensional supergravity. In a locally supersymmetric string action it couples to the worldsheet supercurrent. Fixing its gauge and the bosonic conformal gauge leaves the usual flat rigid transformations on embeddings and worldsheet Majorana fermions; it should not be silently omitted when claiming an arbitrary curved-worldsheet locally supersymmetric action.

In flat conformal gauge, take $\mathcal{L}=\partial X\cdot \partial X+i{\alpha }^{\prime }\bar{\psi }{\gamma }^{\mu }{\partial }_{\mu }\psi$ and rigid transformations $\delta X=iA\overline{ϵ}\psi$, $\delta \psi =B{\gamma }^{\nu }{\partial }_{\nu }Xϵ$, with $A={\alpha }^{\prime }B$. The Majorana Grassmann bilinear interchange and Clifford algebra combine the variations intoThe identity is off shell. The integrated action is invariant when its boundary flux vanishes, for example on a closed worldsheet or with compatible supersymmetric endpoint conditions. Constant spinors and ordinary derivatives here refer to flat gauge; arbitrary curved worldsheets require covariant spinor derivatives and the locally supersymmetric completion.

Let ${\partial }_{\pm }={\partial }_{\tau }\pm {\partial }_{\sigma }$ and $\mathcal{L}={\partial }_{+}X\cdot {\partial }_{-}X+i{\psi }_1\cdot {\partial }_{+}{\psi }_1+i{\psi }_2\cdot {\partial }_{-}{\psi }_2$. For constant Grassmann-odd parameters, set $\delta X=i({ϵ}_2{\psi }_1-{ϵ}_1{\psi }_2)$, $\delta {\psi }_1=-{ϵ}_2{\partial }_{-}X$, $\delta {\psi }_2={ϵ}_1{\partial }_{+}X$. In the first chiral sector the variation of the fermionic term cancels $i{ϵ}_2{\partial }_{+}{\psi }_1\cdot {\partial }_{-}X$ from the bosonic term, leaving $i{ϵ}_2{\partial }_{-}({\psi }_1\cdot {\partial }_{+}X)$. The second sector gives the other total derivative. This proves off-shell invariance when the boundary flux vanishes. Closure on fermions uses their free equations of motion. A constant parameter must also preserve the chosen boundary conditions and spin structure.

The local rigid worldsheet supersymmetry identity $\delta \mathcal{L}={\partial }_{\mu }{J}^{\mu }$ does not by itself prove preservation of every spin structure. If $X$ is periodic on a spatial circle and $\psi$ is antiperiodic, a constant $ϵ$ gives antiperiodic $\delta X=i\overline{ϵ}\psi$. It does not preserve the bosonic boundary condition. Compatible periodic fields admit the constant transformation; other sectors must be handled with the local superconformal formulation and their global spin data.

The commuting beta-gamma system produced by worldsheet supersymmetry gauge fixing has conformal weights $(3/2,-1/2)$ and central charge $11$ per chiral sector.

Each real chiral fermion has conformal weight $1/2$ and contributes $1/2$ to the central charge. The Ramond sector and Neveu–Schwarz sector differ by periodic versus antiperiodic boundary conditions.

In signature $(-,+)$, choose real gamma matrices ${\gamma }^0=\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& -1\\ 1& 0\end{array}\right)$, ${\gamma }^1=\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& 1\\ 1& 0\end{array}\right)$ and ${\gamma }_{\ast }=-{\gamma }^0{\gamma }^1$. The Dirac equation then gives $({\partial }_{\tau }+{\partial }_{\sigma }){\psi }_{+}=0$ and $({\partial }_{\tau }-{\partial }_{\sigma }){\psi }_{-}=0$. Positive chirality is right-moving and negative chirality is left-moving in this orientation. Reversing the definition of ${\gamma }_{\ast }$ exchanges the labels without changing the physics.