Closed Strings in the 2D Lorentzian Black Hole

Abstract

We revisit the spectrum of closed strings in the Lorentzian signature 2D black hole in string theory. Using the description of the black hole as a gauged WZNW model, we argue that the spectrum of the closed strings contain states from the spectrally flowed versions of the principal continuous and also the principal discrete series of $SL_2({\mathbb R})$. We identify the string configurations that correspond to these states. Using vector-axial duality, we also find new localized states that are essentially stringy in origin.