--- title: "Glossary of string theory" chunk: 5/5 source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_string_theory" category: "reference" tags: "science, encyclopedia" date_saved: "2026-05-05T07:51:24.096924+00:00" instance: "kb-cron" --- RGE Renormalization group equation. RH Right-handed R–NS A sector with Ramond conditions on left moving modes and Neveu–Schwarz conditions on right moving modes. RNS Ramond–Neveu–Schwarz, as in RNS formalism, a way of incorporating supersymmetry into string theory that is supersymmetric on the world sheet. R-parity A Z2 symmetry of supersymmetric models. R-R Short for Ramond–Ramond sector == S == s 1. A strange quark. 2. A Mandelstam variable S 1. An action 2. A scattering matrix. 3. The transformation τ → –1/τ of the upper half plane 4. Scalar (current) 5. Short for super or supersymmetric S-brane A brane similar to a D-brane, with Dirichlet boundary conditions in the time direction. S-duality Strong–weak duality, a string duality relating theories with a large coupling constant to theories with a small coupling constant SBB Standard Big Bang model of the universe SCFT Superconformal field theory, a supersymmetric extension of conformal field theory Schwarz Named for John Henry Schwarz Seiberg duality SGA Abbreviation for Spectrum-generating algebra short supermultiplet A supermultiplet (representation) related to BPS states sigma model A classical or quantum model based on the maps from a base manifold to a target manifold. SL Special linear group SLAC Stanford Linear Accelerator Center SLC Stanford Linear Collider slepton Hypothetical supersymmetric partner of a lepton SM sneutrino Hypothetical supersymmetric partner of a neutrino SO Special orthogonal group Sp Symplectic group sphaleron Static solution to the electroweak field equations squark Supersymmetric partner of a quark. SSB Spontaneous symmetry breaking SSM Standard solar model stress–energy tensor Alternative name for the #energy–momentum tensor. string field theory SU Special unitary group SUGRA Short for supergravity superconformal algebra A supersymmetric analogue of the Virasoro algebra of conformal symmetries in 2 dimensions superfield A supersymmetric analogue of a quantum or classical field supergravity A supersymmetric extension of general relativity supermultiplet A representation of a supersymmetry algebra superpotential A function of chiral superfield not depending on their superderivatives or spacetime derivatives, used to form a Lagrangian. superspace A supersymmetric analogue of spacetime superstring A supersymmetric analogue of a string supersymmetry A generalization of a Lie superalgebra, where the Lie bracket [a,b] is sometimes given by ab+ba rather than ab–ba. SUSY An abbreviation for supersymmetry. SYM Supersymmetric Yang–Mills == T == t 1. A top quark. 2. A Mandelstam variable. 3. Time. T 1. The energy–momentum tensor. 2. Time, especially the time symmetry. 3. The transformation τ → τ+1 of the upper half plane. 4. A torus. 5. The string tension. 6. Temperature. 7. Tensor (current) T-duality A string duality relating theories on a large spacetime to theories on a small spacetime. In particular it exchanges type IIA and IIB superstring theory. tachyon A particle of imaginary mass moving faster than light. ToE TOE Theory of everything type I type II type IIA type IIB A type of superstring or the corresponding low-energy supergravity theory. The Roman numeral I or II refers to the number of d=10 supersymmetries, and types IIA or IIB are distinguished by whether the supersymmetries of left and right movers have opposite or identical chiralities. == U == u 1. An up quark. 2. A Mandelstam variable. U A unitary group. U-duality Short for "unified duality". A string duality relating two different string theories. UED Universal extra dimensions UV Short for ultra-violet, often referring to short-distance singularities. == V == V 1. A vertex operator. 2. Vector (current) V-A Vector-Axial vector vector superfield A type of superfield related to vector supermultiplets. VEV Vacuum expectation value of an operator. vielbein A frame vierbein A frame in 4 dimensions. Sometimes used for a frame in an arbitrary number of dimension by authors who do not care that "vier" means four in German. Veneziano amplitude The Euler beta function interpreted as a scattering amplitude. vertex operator Virasoro algebra A central extension of the Witt algebra of polynomial vector fields on a circle. == W == w A complex number W A W-boson W-algebra A sort of generalization of the Virasoro algebra Weyl 1. Named after Hermann Weyl 2. A Weyl transformation is a rescaling of the world-sheet metric. 3. Weyl spinor, an element of a half-spin representation in even spacetime dimensions. WIMP Weakly interacting massive particle wino A hypothetical supersymmetric partner of the W-boson. Witten Named for Edward Witten. WMAP Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe world sheet The 2-dimensional subset of spacetime swept out by a moving string. world-volume The p+1-dimensional spacetime volume swept out by a p-brane, as in world-volume action. WZNW WZW Initials of Wess, Zumino, (Novikov), and Witten, as in the WZW model, a σ-model with a group as the target space. == XYZ == x A real number X Used for coordinates in Minkowski space. y A real number YBE Yang–Baxter equation YM Yang–Mills z A complex number Z 1. A partition function 2. The Z boson. An element of the center of an extended supersymmetry algebra. ZEUS zino A hypothetical supersymmetric partner of the Z-boson. zweibein A frame in 2 dimensions == See also == List of string theory topics == References == Becker, Katrin, Becker, Melanie, and John H. Schwarz (2007) String Theory and M-Theory: A Modern Introduction . Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-86069-5 Binétruy, Pierre (2007) Supersymmetry: Theory, Experiment, and Cosmology. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-850954-7. Dine, Michael (2007) Supersymmetry and String Theory: Beyond the Standard Model. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-85841-0. Paul H. Frampton (1974). Dual Resonance Models. Frontiers in Physics. ISBN 0-8053-2581-6. Michael Green, John H. Schwarz and Edward Witten (1987) Superstring theory. Cambridge University Press. The original textbook. Vol. 1: Introduction. ISBN 0-521-35752-7. Vol. 2: Loop amplitudes, anomalies and phenomenology. ISBN 0-521-35753-5. Kiritsis, Elias (2007) String Theory in a Nutshell. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-12230-4. Johnson, Clifford (2003). D-branes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-80912-6. Polchinski, Joseph (1998) String Theory. Cambridge University Press. Vol. 1: An introduction to the bosonic string. ISBN 0-521-63303-6. Vol. 2: Superstring theory and beyond. ISBN 0-521-63304-4. Szabo, Richard J. (Reprinted 2007) An Introduction to String Theory and D-brane Dynamics. Imperial College Press. ISBN 978-1-86094-427-7. Zwiebach, Barton (2004) A First Course in String Theory. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-83143-1. Contact author for errata. == External links == Particle physics glossary at interactions.org Archived 2016-11-23 at the Wayback Machine