An Introduction to T-Duality in String Theory

Abstract

In these lectures a general introduction to T-duality is given. In the abelian case the approaches of Buscher, and Roucek and Verlinde are reviewed. Buscher's prescription for the dilaton transformation is recovered from a careful definition of the gauge integration measure. It is also shown how duality can be understood as a quite simple canonical transformation. Some aspects of non-abelian duality are also discussed, in particular what is known on relation to canonical transformations. Some implications of the existence of duality on the cosmological constant and the definition of distance in String Theory are also suggested.