Dice Question Streamline Icon: https://streamlinehq.com

Do degeneracy-labeling charges generate a symmetry at zero coupling?

Determine the nature of the hypothetical conserved charges whose eigenvalues furnish additional quantum numbers distinguishing degenerate single-particle states in the open bosonic string spectrum, and ascertain whether these charges generate a symmetry of the theory at zero string coupling.

Information Square Streamline Icon: https://streamlinehq.com

Background

In light-cone quantization the authors find evidence of degeneracies: distinct single-particle states at the same mass level and with identical SO(25) Young tableau symmetry but different oscillator content. This suggests that the spectrum may require extra quantum numbers beyond mass and tableau shape to distinguish states.

They hypothesize that such labels could be eigenvalues of conserved charges. However, they explicitly note that the nature of these charges is presently unknown and it is not clear whether they arise from an additional symmetry at zero string coupling. Clarifying this would illuminate the organizing principles of the massive spectrum.

References

These additional quantum numbers might correspond to the eigenvalue of the string states under the action of some hypothetical conserved charges. Yet, the nature of these charges is not a priori known, nor is it clear whether they generate a hitherto unidentified symmetry of the theory at zero string coupling.

Unraveling the Spectrum of the Open String (2511.07524 - Bucciotti et al., 10 Nov 2025) in Section 2.1 (Single-Particle States and Regge Trajectories)