BRST-invariant transitions between closed and open strings

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Abstract
We consider the problem of how closed strings couple to open strings. We obtain a Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin- (BRST-) invariant ‘‘first-quantized’’ operator Υ which codes off-shell transitions between a single closed-string state and a single open-string state. Υ is obtained in both the bosonic and the fermionic language for the ghosts. We confirm that Υ implies the correct scattering amplitudes for one closed string in its tachyonic and massless states and any number of tachyon open strings. Our BRST-invariant transition operator is then used in a novel analysis of the Cremmer-Scherk-Higgs mechanism, in which the open-string photon and the closed-string antisymmetric tensor get a mass. We close with some remarks on the possible usefulness of our methods for string field theory.