Classical and Quantum W-Gravity

C. M. Hull

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arXiv · hep-th/9201057

Classical and Quantum W-Gravity

C. M. Hull

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Abstract

Classical W-gravities and the corresponding quantum theories are reviewed. W-gravities are higher-spin gauge theories in two dimensions whose gauge algebras are W-algebras. The geometrical structure of classical W-gravity is investigated, leading to surprising connections with self-dual geometry. The anomalies that arise in quantum W-gravity are discussed, with particular attention to the new types of anomalies that arise for non-linearly realised symmetries and to the relation between path-integral anomalies and non-closure of the quantum current algebra. Models in which all anomalies are cancelled by ghost contributions lead to new generalisations of string theories.

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C. M. Hull. 1992-01-30. Classical and Quantum W-Gravity. https://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/9201057

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