Topological Amplitudes in String Theory

Abstract

We show that certain type II string amplitudes at genus $g$ are given by the topological partition function $F_g$ discussed recently by Bershadsky, Cecotti, Ooguri and Vafa. These amplitudes give rise to a term in the four-dimensional effective action of the form $\sum_g F_g W^{2g}$, where $W$ is the chiral superfield of $N=2$ supergravitational multiplet. The holomorphic anomaly of $F_g$ is related to non-localities of the effective action due to the propagation of massless states. This result generalizes the holomorphic anomaly of the one loop case which is known to lead to non-harmonic gravitational couplings.