The Spontaneous Compactification of the Closed Bosonic String

TL;DR

This paper suggests that higher derivative terms in closed bosonic string field theory can lead to a spontaneous symmetry breaking, resulting in a new vacuum that effectively compactifies extra dimensions.

Contribution

It introduces a novel interpretation of higher derivative terms as mechanisms for spontaneous compactification in string theory.

Findings

Evidence for a new vacuum state breaking Lorentz and translation symmetries.

Spontaneous compactification of the theory due to symmetry breaking.

Analogies with Landau theory of liquid-crystal transitions.

Abstract

We argue that the higher space-time derivative terms that occur in closed bosonic string field theory are reminiscent of those found in the Landau theory of liquid-crystal transitions. We examine the lowest level approximation of the closed bosonic string and find evidence for the existence of a new vacuum that spontaneously breaks Lorentz and translation symmetries. This effect can be interpreted as a spontaneous compactification of the theory.