Split String Formalism and the Closed String Vacuum, II

TL;DR

This paper generalizes Schnabl's open string field theory solution by combining wedge states, demonstrating that these deformations can accurately reproduce the closed string vacuum energy as predicted by Sen's conjecture.

Contribution

It introduces a class of generalized solutions using arbitrary wedge state combinations, extending the understanding of string field theory vacua.

Findings

Generalized solutions reproduce Sen's conjecture predictions

Solutions are gauge equivalent but not related by midpoint-preserving reparameterizations

Energy calculations confirm validity of the deformations

Abstract

In this paper we consider a class of generalizations of Schnabl's solution of open bosonic string field theory obtained by replacing the wedge state by an arbitrary combination of wedge states. We find that under a few modest conditions such generalizations give a sensible deformation of Schnabl's solution for the closed string vacuum--in particular, we can compute their energies and show that they reproduce the value predicted by Sen's conjecture. Though these solutions are apparently gauge equivalent, they are not in general related by midpoint-preserving reparameterizations.