A master action for bosonic strings and membranes, interpolating between the Nambu--Goto and Polyakov formalisms, is discussed. The role of the gauge symmetries vis-\`{ a}-vis reparametrization symmetries of the various actions is analyzed by a constrained Hamiltonian approach. This analysis reveals the difference between strings and higher branes, which is essentially tied to a degree of freedom count. The cosmological term for membranes follows naturally in this scheme. The conncetion of our aproach with the Arnowitt--Deser--Misner representation in general relativity is illuminated.
Categories: hep-th