arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to A. Sevrin.
After reviewing some aspects of gravity in two dimensions, it is shown that non-trivial embeddings of sl(2) in a semi-simple (super) Lie algebra give rise to a very large class of extensions of 2D gravity. The induced action is constructed as a gauged WZW model and an exact expression for the effective action is given. (Talk presented at the Journees Relativistes '93, Brussels, April, 1993).
To any non-trivial embedding of sl(2) in a (super) Lie algebra, one can associate an extension of the Virasoro algebra. We realize the extended Virasoro algebra in terms of a WZW model in which a chiral, solvable group is gauged, the gauge group being determined by the sl(2) embedding. The resulting BRST cohomology is computed and the field content of the extended Virasoro algebra is determined. The (quantum) closure of the extended Virasoro algebra is shown. Applications such as the quantum Miura transformation and the effective action of the associated extended gravity theory are discussed in detail.
We discuss the conditions under which the BRST operator of a $W$-string can be written as the sum of two operators that are separately nilpotent and anticommute with each other. We illustrate our results with the example of the non-critical $W_3$-string. Furthermore, we apply our results to make a conjecture about a relationship between the spectrum of a non-critical $W_n$-string and a $W_{n-1}$-string.
We extend the theory of the gauging of classical quadratically nonlinear algebras without a central charge but with a coset structure, to the quantum level. Inserting the minimal anomalies into the classical transformation rules of the currents introduces further quantum corrections to the classical transformation rules of the gauge fields and currents which additively renormalize the structure constants. The corresponding Ward identities are the c -> infinity limit of the full quantum Ward identities, and reveal that the c -> infinity limit of the quantum gauge algebra closes on fields and currents. Two examples are given.
We derive the recently proposed BRST charge for non-critical W strings from a Lagragian approach. The basic observation is that, despite appearances, the combination of two classical ``matter'' and ``Toda'' w_3 systems leads to a closed modified gauge algebra, which is of the so-called soft type. Based on these observations, a novel way to construct critical W_3 strings is given.