An ambiguity in fermionic string perturbation theory

Abstract

Recent investigation by Verlinde and Verlinde has shown that the fermionic string loop amplitudes change by a total derivative term in the moduli space under a change of basis of the supermoduli. This ambiguity is addressed in the context of the heterotic string theory, and shown to be a consequence of an inherent ambiguity in defining integration over the variables of a Grassmann algebra—in this case the Grassmann-valued coordinates of the supermoduli space. A resolution of this ambiguity in genus-two within this formalism is also presented.