Open Collections

The electric Melvin solution in string theory

University of British Columbia

An electric version of the well-known magnetic Melvin solution of closed string theory is derived. By analogy with the Kaluza-Klein Melvin solution, which is flat space with points identified under a simultaneous rotation and translation in a compact dimension, an orbifold of Minkowski space involving identifications under a Lorentz boost and a translation is introduced. When dimensional reduction to 9 dimensions is performed, the resulting background involves an electric Kaluza-Klein gauge field, giving rise to the electric Melvin interpretation. As was done by other authors for the magnetic Melvin background, a curved generalization of this orbifold is derived using a series of T-duality transformations. The closed string is quantized on the resulting space, and the string spectrum and partition function are calculated.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-11-18

For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/15248

Physics

University of British Columbia

UBCV

DSpace