arXiv subjects

Daniel C. Thompson

Publications and source records attributed to Daniel C. Thompson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

From Diamond Gaugings to Dualisations

We revisit the proposal that coupling two six-dimensional holomorphic Chern-Simons theories generates gaugings throughout the twistor-space diamond relating 6d hCS, 4d self-dual Yang-Mills, 4d Chern-Simons, and 2d integrable models. In previous work this mechanism was demonstrated only in a special case, leaving its general status unclear. By reformulating the construction in the language of Cartan geometry, we expose the underlying gauge structure and show that the argument extends to generic choices of meromorphic data. We then apply this to the pole structure that yields the well-studied $\lambda$-deformations of the WZW model. The coupled 6d system indeed induces gaugings of the associated $\lambda$-models, but necessarily introduces Lagrange multipliers enforcing flatness of the gauged connection. The resulting two-dimensional theories are therefore non-Abelian dualisations rather than ordinary gauged $\lambda$-models.

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arXiv2024

On topological defects in Chern-Simons theory

We construct a new class of topological surface defects in Chern-Simons theory with non-compact, non-Abelian gauge groups. These defects are characterized by isotropic subalgebras defined by solutions of the modified classical Yang-Baxter equation, and their fusion realizes a semi-group structure with non-invertible elements. From a Hamiltonian perspective, we calculate this fusion using the composition of Lagrangian correspondences within the Weinstein symplectic category. Applications include boundary terms and conditions in $AdS_3$ gravity and higher-spin theories.

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arXiv2024

Gauging The Diamond: Integrable Coset Models from Twistor Space

Recent work has shown that certain integrable and conformal field theories in two dimensions can be given a higher-dimensional origin from holomorphic Chern-Simons in six dimensions. Along with anti-self-dual Yang-Mills and four-dimensional Chern-Simons, this gives rise to a diamond correspondence of theories. In this work we extend this framework to incorporate models realised through gaugings. As well as describing a higher-dimensional origin of coset CFTs, by choosing the details of the reduction from higher dimensions, we obtain rich classes of two-dimensional integrable models including homogeneous sine-Gordon models and generalisations that are new to the literature.

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arXiv2023

Integrable Deformations from Twistor Space

Integrable field theories in two dimensions are known to originate as defect theories of 4d Chern-Simons and as symmetry reductions of the 4d anti-self-dual Yang-Mills equations. Based on ideas of Costello, it has been proposed in work of Bittleston and Skinner that these two approaches can be unified starting from holomorphic Chern-Simons in 6 dimensions. We provide the first complete description of this diamond of integrable theories for a family of deformed sigma models, going beyond the Dirichlet boundary conditions that have been considered thus far. Starting from 6d holomorphic Chern-Simons theory on twistor space with a particular meromorphic 3-form $\Omega$, we construct the defect theory to find a novel 4d integrable field theory, whose equations of motion can be recast as the 4d anti-self-dual Yang-Mills equations. Symmetry reducing, we find a multi-parameter 2d integrable model, which specialises to the $\lambda$-deformation at a certain point in parameter space. The same model is recovered by first symmetry reducing, to give 4d Chern-Simons with generalised boundary conditions, and then constructing the defect theory.

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arXiv2023

Unifying Approaches to Chiral Bosons

Chiral bosons, or self-dual p-form fields, are ubiquitous in string theoretic contexts but are challenging to treat. Lagrangian constructions invariably introduce a complexity be it auxiliary fields or sacrificing Lorentz invariance. In this note we show how to pass between such different approaches to chiral bosons starting from a Chern Simons point of view to recover formulations of Pasti, Sorokin and Tonin and of Mkrtchyan. This leads to a novel generalisation of the latter to include non-Abelian chiral bosons in 2-dimensions, and generalisations to include twisted self-duality which are relevant in T-duality symmetric approaches to string theory. Our approach also shows how global affine symmetries of two- and higher-dimensional chiral bosons emerge from broken Chern-Simons gauge transformations on the boundary.

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arXiv2023

Asymptotics in an Asymptotic CFT

In this work we illustrate the resurgent structure of the $λ$-deformation; a two-dimensional integrable quantum field theory that has an RG flow with an $SU(N)_k$ Wess-Zumino-Witten conformal fixed point in the UV. To do so we use modern matched asymptotic techniques applied to the thermodynamic Bethe ansatz formulation to compute the free energy to 38 perturbative orders in an expansion of large applied chemical potential. We find numerical evidence for factorial asymptotic behaviour with both alternating and non-alternating character which we match to an analytic expression. A curiosity of the system is that it exhibits the Cheshire Cat phenomenon with the leading non-alternating factorial growth vanishing when $k$ divides $N$. The ambiguities associated to Borel resummation of this series are suggestive of non-perturbative contributions. This is verified with an analytic study of the TBA system demonstrating a cancellation between perturbative and non-perturbative ambiguities.

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arXiv2022

Doubled space and extended supersymmetry

The doubled formulation of the worldsheet provides a description of string theory in which T-duality is promoted to a manifest symmetry. Here we extend this approach to $\mathcal{N}=(2,2)$ superspace providing a doubled formulation for bi-Hermitian/generalised Kähler target spaces. The theory is described by a single function, a doubled-generalised Kähler potential, supplemented with a manifestly $\mathcal{N}=(2,2)$ constraint. Several examples serve to illustrate this construction, including a discussion of the $\mathcal{N}=(2,2)$ description of T-folds.

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arXiv2021

The Duality Symmetric String at Two-loops

The Tseytlin duality symmetric string makes manifest the $O(n,n)$ T-duality symmetry on the worldsheet at the expense of manifest Lorentz invariance. Here we consider the two-loop renormalisation of this model in the context of "cosmological" spacetimes consisting of an internal $n$-dimensional torus fibred over a one-dimensional base manifold. The lack of manifest Lorentz symmetry introduces a range of complexities in momenta loop integrals which we approach using different methods. Whilst the results do satisfy a number of key consistency criteria, we find however that the two-loop counter-terms are incompatible with $O(n,n)$ symmetry and obstruct the renormalisability of the duality symmetric string.

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arXiv2021

A QP perspective on topology change in Poisson-Lie T-duality

We describe topological T-duality and Poisson-Lie T-duality in terms of QP (differential graded symplectic) manifolds and their canonical transformations. Duality is mediated by a QP-manifold on doubled non-abelian "correspondence" space, from which we can perform mutually dual symplectic reductions, where certain canonical transformations play a vital role. In the presence of spectator coordinates, we show how the introduction of "bibundle" structure on correspondence space realises changes in the global fibration structure under Poisson-Lie duality. Our approach can be directly translated to the worldsheet to derive dual string current algebras. Finally, the canonical transformations appearing in our reduction procedure naturally suggest a Fourier-Mukai integral transformation for Poisson-Lie T-duality.

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arXiv2020

Integrable deformation of $\mathbb{CP}^n$ and generalised Kaehler geometry

We build on the results of arXiv:1912.11036 for generalised frame fields on generalised quotient spaces and study integrable deformations for $\mathbb{CP}^n$. In particular we show how, when the target space of the Principal Chiral Model is a complex projective space, a two-parameter deformation can be introduced in principle. The second parameter can however be removed via a diffeomorphism, which we construct explicitly, in accordance with the results stemming from a thorough integrability analysis we carry out. We also elucidate how the deformed target space can be seen as an instance of generalised Kaehler, or equivalently bi-Hermitian, geometry. In this respect, we find the generic form of the pure spinors for $\mathbb{CP}^n$ and the explicit expression for the generalised Kaehler potential for $n=1,2$.

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arXiv2020

Exploring Exceptional Drinfeld Geometries

We explore geometries that give rise to a novel algebraic structure, the Exceptional Drinfeld Algebra, which has recently been proposed as an approach to study generalised U-dualities, similar to the non-Abelian and Poisson-Lie generalisations of T-duality. This algebra is generically not a Lie algebra but a Leibniz algebra, and can be realised in exceptional generalised geometry or exceptional field theory through a set of frame fields giving a generalised parallelisation. We provide examples including "three-algebra geometries", which encode the structure constants for three-algebras and in some cases give novel uplifts for $CSO(p,q,r)$ gaugings of seven-dimensional maximal supergravity. We also discuss the M-theoretic embedding of both non-Abelian and Poisson-Lie T-duality.

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arXiv2020

E$_{6(6)}$ Exceptional Drinfel'd Algebras

The exceptional Drinfel'd algebra (EDA) is a Leibniz algebra introduced to provide an algebraic underpinning with which to explore generalised notions of U-duality in M-theory. In essence it provides an M-theoretic analogue of the way a Drinfel'd double encodes generalised T-dualities of strings. In this note we detail the construction of the EDA in the case where the regular U-duality group is $E_{6(6)}$. We show how the EDA can be realised geometrically as a generalised Leibniz parallelisation of the exceptional generalised tangent bundle for a six-dimensional group manifold $G$, endowed with a Nambu-Lie structure. When the EDA is of coboundary type, we show how a natural generalisation of the classical Yang-Baxter equation arises. The construction is illustrated with a selection of examples including some which embed Drinfel'd doubles and others that are not of this type.

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arXiv2020

Resurgence in the Bi-Yang-Baxter Model

We study the integrable bi-Yang-Baxter deformation of the $SU(2)$ principal chiral model (PCM) and its finite action uniton solutions. Under an adiabatic compactification on an $S^1$, we obtain a quantum mechanics with an elliptic Lamé-like potential. We perform a perturbative calculation of the ground state energy in this quantum mechanics to large orders obtaining an asymptotic series. Using the Borel-Padé technique, we determine the expected locations of branch cuts in the Borel plane of the perturbative series and show that they match the values of the uniton actions. Therefore, we can match the non-perturbative contributions to the energy with the uniton solutions which fractionate upon adiabatic compactification. An off-shoot of the WKB analysis, is to identify the quadratic differential of this deformed PCM with that of an $\mathcal{N}=2$ Seiberg-Witten theory. This can be done either as an $N_f=4$ $SU(2)$ theory or as an elliptic quiver $SU(2)\times SU(2)$ theory. The mass parameters of the gauge theory are given by the deformation parameters of the PCM.

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arXiv2020

Poisson-Lie U-duality in Exceptional Field Theory

Poisson-Lie duality provides an algebraic extension of conventional Abelian and non-Abelian target space dualities of string theory and has seen recent applications in constructing quantum group deformations of holography. Here we demonstrate a natural upgrading of Poisson-Lie to the context of M-theory using the tools of exceptional field theory. In particular, we propose how the underlying idea of a Drinfeld double can be generalised to an algebra we call an exceptional Drinfeld algebra. These admit a notion of "maximally isotropic subalgebras" and we show how to define a generalised Scherk-Schwarz truncation on the associated group manifold to such a subalgebra. This allows us to define a notion of Poisson-Lie U-duality. Moreover, the closure conditions of the exceptional Drinfeld algebra define natural analogues of the cocycle and co-Jacobi conditions arising in Drinfeld double. We show that upon making a further coboundary restriction to the cocycle that an M-theoretic extension of Yang-Baxter deformations arise. We remark on the application of this construction as a solution-generating technique within supergravity.

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arXiv2019

Generalised Cosets

Recent work has shown that two-dimensional non-linear $σ$-models on group manifolds with Poisson-Lie symmetry can be understood within generalised geometry as exemplars of generalised parallelisable spaces. Here we extend this idea to target spaces constructed as double cosets $M=\widetilde{G} \backslash D / H$. Mirroring conventional coset geometries, we show that on $M$ one can construct a generalised frame field and a $H$-valued generalised spin connection that together furnish an algebra under the generalised Lie derivative. This results naturally in a generalised covariant derivative with a (covariantly) constant generalised intrinsic torsion, lending itself to the construction of consistent truncations of 10-dimensional supergravity compactified on $M$. An important feature is that $M$ can admit distinguished points, around which the generalised tangent bundle should be augmented by localised vector multiplets. We illustrate these ideas with explicit examples of two-dimensional parafermionic theories and NS5-branes on a circle.

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arXiv2019

An Introduction to Generalised Dualities and their Applications to Holography and Integrability

These pedagogical lectures given at the Corfu Summer Institute 2018 review two generalised notions of T-duality, non-Abelian T-duality and Poisson-Lie duality, and their applications. We explain how each of these has seen recent application in the context of holography. Non-Abelian T-duality has been used to construct new holographic dual geometries. Poisson-Lie duality has been used to construct new integrable string sigma-models including the $η$- and $λ$-deformations of the $AdS_5\times S^5$ superstring thought to encode quantum group deformations of holography. We also comment on the doubled worldsheet description that makes such dualities manifest.

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arXiv2019

An invitation to Poisson-Lie T-duality in Double Field Theory and its applications

Poisson-Lie (PL) T-duality has received much attention over the last five years in connection with integrable string worldsheet theories. At the level of the worldsheet, the algebraic structure underpinning these connections is made manifest with the $\mathcal{E}$-model, a first order Hamiltonian description of the string. The $\mathcal{E}$-model shares many similarities with Double Field Theory (DFT). We report on recent progress in establishing a precise linkage with DFT as the target space description of the $\mathcal{E}$-model. There are three important outcomes of this endeavor: 1) PL symmetry is made manifest at the level of (generalized) supergravity in DFT. 2) PL symmetric target spaces are described by a set of generalized frame fields that encode consistent truncations of supergravity. 3) PL dualisation rules are made explicit and are readily extended to include the R/R sector of the type II theory. These general results are put into context with their application to the the integrable Yang-Baxter model ($η$-deformation). This extended proceedings provides some introductory review of PL and an orientation to the results of arXiv:1707.08624 and arXiv:1810.11446.

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arXiv2019

Integrable asymmetric $λ$-deformations

We construct integrable deformations of the $λ$-type for asymmetrically gauged WZW models. This is achieved by a modification of the Sfetsos gauging procedure to account for a possible automorphism that is allowed in $G/G$ models. We verify classical integrability, derive the one-loop beta function for the deformation parameter and give the construction of integrable D-brane configurations in these models. As an application, we detail the case of the $λ$-deformation of the cigar geometry corresponding to the axial gauged $SL(2,R)/U(1)$ theory at large $k$. Here we also exhibit a range of both A-type and B-type integrability preserving D-brane configurations.

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