Pseudo-Cuntz algebra and recursive FP ghost system in string theory

Representation of the algebra of FP (anti)ghosts in string theory is studied by generalizing the recursive fermion system in the Cuntz algebra constructed previously. For that purpose, the pseudo-Cuntz algebra, which is a *-algebra generalizing the Cuntz algebra and acting on indefinite-metric vector spaces, is introduced. The algebra of FP (anti)ghosts in string theory is embedded into the pseudo-Cuntz algebra recursively in two different ways. Restricting a certain permutation representation of the pseudo-Cuntz algebra, representations of these two recursive FP ghost systems are obtained. With respect to the zero-mode operators of FP (anti)ghosts, it is shown that one corresponds to the four-dimensional representation found recently by one of the present authors (M. Abe) and Nakanishi, while the other corresponds to the two-dimensional one by Kato and Ogawa.