The Path towards Manifest Background Independence

The set of string vertices is extended to include moduli spaces with genus and numbers of ordinary and special punctures ranging over all integral values g, n, n̄ ≥ 0. It is argued that both the string background and the B-V delta operator should be associated with the vertex B0 0,1 corresponding to the once-punctured sphere. This leads naturally to the proposal that the manifestly background independent formulation of quantum closed string field theory is given by the sum of the completed set of string vertices B = ∑ g,n,n̄≥0 B n̄ g,n , satisfying the classical master equation {B,B} = 0. ⋆ E-mail address: [email protected] Supported in part by D.O.E. cooperative agreement DE-FC02-94ER40818.