Algebra of constraints for a string in curved background

Abstract

A string field theory with curved background develops anomalies and Schwinger terms in the conformal algebra. It is generally believed that these Schwinger terms and anomalies are expressible in terms of the curvature tensor of the background metric 1 and that, therefore, they are covariant under a change of coordinates in the target space. As far as I know, all the relevant computations have been done in special gauges, i.e. in Riemann normal coordinates. The question remains whether this is true in any gauge. We have tried to investigate this problem in a Hamiltonian formulation of the model. A classical Lagrangian serves to define the canonical variables and the classical constraints. They are expressed in terms of the canonical variables and, classically, they are first class. When quantized, an ordering prescription has to be imposed which leads to anomalies and Schwinger terms. We then try to redefine the constraints in such a way that the Schwinger terms depend on the curvature tensor only. The redefinition of the constraints is limited by the requirement that it should be local and that the energy momentum tensor should be conserved. In our approach, it is natural that the constraints are improved, order by order, in the number of derivatives: we find that, up to third order in the derivatives, Schwinger terms and anomalies are expressible in terms of the curvature tensor. In the fourth order of the derivaties however, we find a contribution to the Schwinger terms that cannot be removed by a redefinition and that cannot be cast in a covariant form. The anomaly on the other hand is fully expressible in terms of the curvature scalar. The energy momentum tensor ceases to be symmetric which indicates a Lorentz anomaly as well. The question remains if the Schwinger terms take a covariant form if we allow Einstein anomalies as well 2.