A Note on the Green - Schwarz Mechanism in Open - String Theories

Abstract

An interesting feature of some open superstring models in $D < 10$ is the simultaneous presence, in the spectrum, of gauge fields and of a number of antisymmetric tensor fields. In these cases the Green-Schwarz mechanism can (and does) take a generalized form, resulting from the combined action of all the antisymmetric tensors. These novelties are illustrated referring to some simple rational models in six dimensions, and some of their implications for the low-energy effective field theory are pointed out.