Non-Perturbative Tachyon Potential from the Wilsonian Renormalization Group

TL;DR

This paper explores the non-perturbative tachyon potential using the Wilsonian renormalization group, revealing new terms in the effective beta-functions and connecting to string field theory.

Contribution

It introduces a non-perturbative approach to derive the tachyon potential via the Wilsonian RG, highlighting the role of derivative expansion and cut-off independence.

Findings

Additional terms in beta-functions from derivative expansion

Equivalence of tachyon equation to open string field theory

Rescaling removes cut-off dependence

Abstract

The derivative expansion of the Wilsonian renormalization group generates additional terms in the effective beta-functions not present in the perturbative approach. Applied to the nonlinear sigma model, to lowest order the vanishing of the beta-function for the tachyon field generates an equation analogous to that found in open string field theory. Although the nonlinear term depends on the cut-off function, this arbitrariness can be removed by a rescaling of the tachyon field.