Level-Expansion Analysis in NS Superstring Field Theory Revisited

Abstract

We study the level-expansion structure of the NS string field theory actions, mainly focusing on the modified (i.e. 0-picture in the NS sector) cubic superstring field theory. This theory has a non-trivial structure already at the quadratic level due to presence of the picture-changing operator. It is explicitly shown how the usual Maxwell and tachyon actions can be obtained after integrating out the auxiliary fields. We then discuss the reality of the action in the CFT language for all of modified cubic, Witten's cubic and Berkovits' non-polynomial theories. The tachyon condensation problems in modified cubic theory are re-examined. We also carry out level truncation analysis in vacuum superstring field theory proposed in our previous paper, and find some difficulties in both of cubic and non-polynomial formulations.