Correlators in Timelike Bulk Liouville Theory

Abstract

Liouville theory with a negative norm boson and no screening charge corresponds to an exact classical solution of closed bosonic string theory describing time-dependent bulk tachyon condensation. A simple expression for the two point function is proposed based on renormalization/analytic continuation of the known results for the ordinary (positive-norm) Liouville theory. The expression agrees exactly with the minisuperspace result for the closed string pair-production rate (which diverges at finite time). Puzzles concerning the three-point function are presented and discussed.