The closed string tadpole in open string field theory

Abstract

We compute a class of gauge invariant observables for marginal solutions and the tachyon vacuum. In each case we find that the observables are related in a simple way to the closed-string tadpole on a disk with appropriate boundary conditions. We give a sketch of an argument that this result should hold in general using the BRST invariance of the closed string two-point function. Finally, we discuss the analogous set of invariants in the Berkovits superstring field theory.