String center of mass operator and its effect on BRST cohomology (Q1360571)

The paper considers the theory of closed bosonic strings on the flat background space-time of 26 dimensions. The authors show how the BRST complex can be extended to a complex where the string center of mass operator is well defined. They then proceed to calculate the semi-relative cohomology of this extended complex. A number of interesting features of the semi-relative cohomology are discussed leading to the conclusion that it describes correctly the relevant physics of the closed bosonic string.