Abstract :
We discuss the problem of tachyon condensation in the framework of background independent open string field theory. We show, in particular, that the computation of the string field theory action simplifies considerably if one looks at closed string backgrounds with a large Bab field, and can be carried out exactly for a generic tachyon profile. We confirm previous results on the form of the exact tachyon potential, and we find, within this framework, solitonic solutions which correspond to lower dimensional unstable branes.