The role of classical symmetries in the low-energy limit of superstring theories

Due to the appearance of certain classical symmetries in the low-energy limit of superstring theories, some relevant parameters remain undetermined. The breakdown of these symmetries is investigated in the loop expansion. This then enables one to clarify which properties of the low-energy theory are artifacts of the classical approximation. The results are relevant for the relations between gauge coupling constants and the magnitude of the supersymmetry breakdown scale. (orig.)