String Origins
Richard Atkins · arXiv (Cornell University) · 2006
It is shown that the string concept results naturally from considerations of gravitation. This paper describes a derivation of linearized general relativity based upon the hypotheses of special covariance and the existence of a gravitational potential. The gravitational field possesses gauge invariance given by a second-order covariant derivative defining an associated differential geometry. The concepts of parallelism and parallel transport lead to string-like constructions.