Semiclassical decay of strings with maximum angular momentum

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the semiclassical decay process of highly excited rotating strings, showing that classical solutions accurately match quantum mass relations and providing insights into decay rates and post-splitting evolution.

Contribution

It introduces a classical model for string decay that aligns with quantum results and offers a detailed semiclassical description of decay dynamics.

Findings

Classical solutions reproduce quantum mass relations accurately.

Decay rate described by a semiclassical formula.

Post-splitting evolution exhibits interesting features.

Abstract

We study the classical breaking of a highly excited (closed or open) string state on the leading Regge trajectory, represented by a rotating soliton solution, and we find the resulting solutions for the outgoing two pieces, describing two specific excited string states. This classical picture reproduces very accurately the precise analytical relation of the masses $M_1$ and $M_2$ of the decay products found in a previous quantum computation. The decay rate is naturally described in terms of a semiclassical formula. We also point out some interesting features of the evolution after the splitting process.