arXiv subjects

Ingo Runkel

Publications and source records attributed to Ingo Runkel.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Orbifolds of n-dimensional defect TQFTs

We introduce the notion of $n$-dimensional topological quantum field theory (TQFT) with defects as a symmetric monoidal functor on decorated stratified bordisms of dimension $n$. The familiar closed or open-closed TQFTs are special cases of defect TQFTs, and for $n=2$ and $n=3$ our general definition recovers what had previously been studied in the literature. Our main construction is that of "generalised orbifolds" for any $n$-dimensional defect TQFT: Given a defect TQFT $\mathcal{Z}$, one obtains a new TQFT $\mathcal{Z}_{\mathcal{A}}$ by decorating the Poincaré duals of triangulated bordisms with certain algebraic data $\mathcal{A}$ and then evaluating with $\mathcal{Z}$. The orbifold datum $\mathcal{A}$ is constrained by demanding invariance under $n$-dimensional Pachner moves. This procedure generalises both state sum models and gauging of finite symmetry groups, for any $n$. After developing the general theory, we focus on the case $n=3$.

math.QA↗

arXiv2018

Area-dependent quantum field theory with defects

Area-dependent quantum field theory is a modification of two-dimensional topological quantum field theory, where one equips each connected component of a bordism with a positive real number - interpreted as area - which behaves additively under glueing. As opposed to topological theories, in area-dependent theories the state spaces can be infinite-dimensional. We introduce the notion of regularised Frobenius algebras and show that area-dependent theories are in one-to-one correspondence to commutative regularised Frobenius algebras. We provide a state-sum construction for area-dependent theories, which includes theories with defects. Defect lines are labeled by dualisable bimodules over regularised algebras. We show that the tensor product of such bimodules agrees with the fusion of defect lines, which is defined as the limit where the area separating two defect lines is taken to zero. All these constructions are exemplified by two-dimensional Yang-Mills theory with compact gauge group and with Wilson lines as defects, which we treat in detail.

math.QA↗

arXiv2018

SL(2,Z)-action for ribbon quasi-Hopf algebras

We study the universal Hopf algebra L of Majid and Lyubashenko in the case that the underlying ribbon category is the category of representations of a finite dimensional ribbon quasi-Hopf algebra A. We show that L=A* with coadjoint action and compute the Hopf algebra structure morphisms of L in terms of the defining data of A. We give explicitly the condition on A which makes Rep(A) factorisable and compute Lyubashenko's projective SL(2,Z)-action on the centre of A in this case. The point of this exercise is to provide the groundwork for the applications to ribbon categories arising in logarithmic conformal field theories - in particular symplectic fermions and W_p-models - and to test a conjectural non-semisimple Verlinde formula.

math.QA↗

arXiv2017

A quasi-Hopf algebra for the triplet vertex operator algebra

We give a new factorisable ribbon quasi-Hopf algebra U, whose underlying algebra is that of the restricted quantum group for sl(2) at a 2p'th root of unity. The representation category of U is conjecturally ribbon-equivalent to that of the triplet vertex operator algebra W(p). We obtain U via a simple current extension from the unrolled restricted quantum group at the same root of unity. The representation category of the unrolled quantum group is conjecturally equivalent to that of the singlet vertex operator algebra M(p), and our construction is parallel to extending M(p) to W(p). We illustrate the procedure in the simpler example of passing from the Hopf algebra for the group algebra CZ to a quasi-Hopf algebra for CZ_{2p}, which corresponds to passing from the Heisenberg vertex operator algebra to a lattice extension.

math.QA↗

arXiv2017

Existence and uniqueness of solutions to Y-systems and TBA equations

We consider Y-system functional equations of the form $$ Y_n(x+i)Y_n(x-i)=\prod_{m=1}^N (1+Y_m(x))^{G_{nm}}$$ and the corresponding nonlinear integral equations of the Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz. We prove an existence and uniqueness result for solutions of these equations, subject to appropriate conditions on the analytical properties of the $Y_n$, in particular the absence of zeros in a strip around the real axis. The matrix $G_{nm}$ must have non-negative real entries, and be irreducible and diagonalisable over $\mathbb{R}$ with spectral radius less than 2. This includes the adjacency matrices of finite Dynkin diagrams, but covers much more as we do not require $G_{nm}$ to be integers. Our results specialise to the constant Y-system, proving existence and uniqueness of a strictly positive solution in that case.

math-ph↗

arXiv2017

Introductory lectures on topological quantum field theory

These notes offer a lightening introduction to topological quantum field theory in its functorial axiomatisation, assuming no or little prior exposure. We lay some emphasis on the connection between the path integral motivation and the definition in terms symmetric monoidal categories, and we highlight the algebraic formulation emerging from a formal generators-and-relations description. This allows one to understand (oriented, closed) 1- and 2-dimensional TQFTs in terms of a finite amount of algebraic data, while already the 3-dimensional case needs an infinite amount of data. We evade these complications by instead discussing some aspects of 3-dimensional extended TQFTs, and their relation to braided monoidal categories.

math.QA↗

arXiv2016

Holomorphic Symplectic Fermions

Let V be the even part of the vertex operator super-algebra of r pairs of symplectic fermions. Up to two conjectures, we show that V admits a unique holomorphic extension if r is a multiple of 8, and no holomorphic extension otherwise. This is implied by two results obtained in this paper: 1) If r is a multiple of 8, one possible holomorphic extension is given by the lattice vertex operator algebra for the even self dual lattice $D_r^+$ with shifted stress tensor. 2) We classify Lagrangian algebras in SF(h), a ribbon category associated to symplectic fermions. The classification of holomorphic extensions of V follows from 1) and 2) if one assumes that SF(h) is ribbon equivalent to Rep(V), and that simple modules of extensions of V are in one-to-one relation with simple local modules of the corresponding commutative algebra in SF(h).

math.QA↗

arXiv2015

Spin from defects in two-dimensional quantum field theory

We build two-dimensional quantum field theories on spin surfaces starting from theories on oriented surfaces with networks of topological defect lines and junctions. The construction uses a combinatorial description of the spin structure in terms of a triangulation equipped with extra data. The amplitude for the spin surfaces is defined to be the amplitude for the underlying oriented surface together with a defect network dual to the triangulation. Independence of the triangulation and of the other choices follows if the line defect and junctions are obtained from a Delta-separable Frobenius algebra with involutive Nakayama automorphism in the monoidal category of topological defects. For rational conformal field theory we can give a more explicit description of the defect category, and we work out two examples related to free fermions in detail: the Ising model and the so(n) WZW model at level 1.

hep-th↗

arXiv2015

State sum construction of two-dimensional topological quantum field theories on spin surfaces

We provide a combinatorial model for spin surfaces. Given a triangulation of an oriented surface, a spin structure is encoded by assigning to each triangle a preferred edge, and to each edge an orientation and a sign, subject to certain admissibility conditions. The behaviour of this data under Pachner moves is then used to define a state sum topological field theory on spin surfaces. The algebraic data is a Delta-separable Frobenius algebra whose Nakayama automorphism is an involution. We find that a simple extra condition on the algebra guarantees that the amplitude is zero unless the combinatorial data satisfies the admissibility condition required for the reconstruction of the spin structure.

math.QA↗

arXiv2014

Integrable perturbations of conformal field theories and Yetter-Drinfeld modules

In this paper we relate a problem in representation theory - the study of Yetter-Drinfeld modules over certain braided Hopf algebras - to a problem in two-dimensional quantum field theory, namely the identification of integrable perturbations of a conformal field theory. A prescription that parallels Lusztig's construction allows one to read off the quantum group governing the integrable symmetry. As an example, we illustrate how the quantum group for the loop algebra of sl(2) appears in the integrable structure of the perturbed uncompactified and compactified free boson.

math.QA↗

arXiv2014

N=2 minimal conformal field theories and matrix bifactorisations of x^d

We prove a tensor equivalence between full subcategories of a) graded matrix factorisations of the potential x^d-y^d and b) representations of the N=2 minimal super vertex operator algebra at central charge 3-6/d, where d is odd. The subcategories are given by a) permutation-type matrix factorisations with consecutive index sets, and b) Neveu-Schwarz-type representations. The physical motivation for this result is the Landau-Ginzburg / conformal field theory correspondence, where it amounts to the equivalence of a subset of defects on both sides of the correspondence. Our work builds on results by Brunner and Roggenkamp [arXiv:0707.0922], where an isomorphism of fusion rules was established.

math.QA↗

arXiv2014

Orbifold completion of defect bicategories

Orbifolds of two-dimensional quantum field theories have a natural formulation in terms of defects or domain walls. This perspective allows for a rich generalisation of the orbifolding procedure, which we study in detail for the case of topological field theories. Namely, a TFT with defects gives rise to a pivotal bicategory of "worldsheet phases" and defects between them. We develop a general framework which takes such a bicategory B as input and returns its "orbifold completion" B_orb. The completion satisfies the natural properties B \subset B_orb and (B_orb)_orb = B_orb, and it gives rise to various new equivalences and nondegeneracy results. When applied to TFTs, the objects in B_orb correspond to generalised orbifolds of the theories in B. In the example of Landau-Ginzburg models we recover and unify conventional equivariant matrix factorisations, prove when and how (generalised) orbifolds again produce open/closed TFTs, and give nontrivial examples of new orbifold equivalences.

math.QA↗

arXiv2014

A braided monoidal category for free super-bosons

The chiral conformal field theory of free super-bosons is generated by weight one currents whose mode algebra is the affinisation of an abelian Lie super-algebra h with non-degenerate super-symmetric pairing. The mode algebras of a single free boson and of a single pair of symplectic fermions arise for even|odd dimension 1|0 and 0|2 of h, respectively. In this paper, the representations of the untwisted mode algebra of free super-bosons are equipped with a tensor product, a braiding, and an associator. In the symplectic fermion case, i.e. if h is purely odd, the braided monoidal structure is extended to representations of the Z/2Z-twisted mode algebra. The tensor product is obtained by computing spaces of vertex operators. The braiding and associator are determined by explicit calculations from three- and four-point conformal blocks.

math.QA↗

arXiv2013

Orbifold equivalent potentials

To a graded finite-rank matrix factorisation of the difference of two homogeneous potentials one can assign two numbers, the left and right quantum dimension. The existence of such a matrix factorisation with non-zero quantum dimensions defines an equivalence relation between potentials, giving rise to non-obvious equivalences of categories. Restricted to ADE singularities, the resulting equivalence classes of potentials are those of type {A_{d-1}} for d odd, {A_{d-1},D_{d/2+1}} for d even but not in {12,18,30}, and {A_{11}, D_7, E_6}, {A_{17}, D_{10}, E_7} and {A_{29}, D_{16}, E_8}. This is the result expected from two-dimensional rational conformal field theory, and it directly leads to new descriptions of and relations between the associated (derived) categories of matrix factorisations and Dynkin quiver representations.

math.QA↗

arXiv2013

Cardy algebras and sewing constraints, II

This is the part II of a two-part work started in arXiv:0807.3356 [math.QA]. In part I, Cardy algebras were studied, a notion which arises from the classification of genus-0,1 open-closed rational conformal field theories. In this part, we prove that a Cardy algebra also satisfies the higher genus factorisation and modular-invariance properties formulated in arXiv:hep-th/0612306 in terms of the notion of a solution to the sewing constraints. We present the proof by showing that the latter notion, which is defined as a monoidal natural transformation, can be expressed in terms of generators and relations, which correspond exactly to the defining data and axioms of a Cardy algebra.

math.QA↗

arXiv2013

Z/2Z-extensions of Hopf algebra module categories by their base categories

Starting with a self-dual Hopf algebra H in a braided monoidal category S we construct a Z/2Z-graded monoidal category C = C_0 + C_1. The degree zero component is the category Rep_S(H) of representations of H and the degree one component is the category S. The extra structure on H needed to define the associativity isomorphisms is a choice of self-duality map and cointegral, subject to certain conditions. We also describe rigid, braided and ribbon structures on C in Hopf algebraic terms. Our construction permits a uniform treatment of Tambara-Yamagami categories and categories related to symplectic fermions in conformal field theory.

math.QA↗

arXiv2013

Functoriality of the center of an algebra

The notion of the center of an algebra over a field k has a far reaching generalization to algebras in monoidal categories. The center then lives in the monoidal center of the original category. This generalization plays an important role in the study of bulk-boundary duality of rational conformal field theories. In this paper, we study functorial properties of the center. We show that it gives rise to a 2-functor from the bicategory of semisimple indecomposable module categories over a fusion category to the bicategory of commutative algebras in the monoidal center of this fusion category. Morphism spaces of the latter bicategory are extended from algebra homomorphisms to certain categories of cospans. We conjecture that the above 2-functor arises from a lax 3-functor between tricategories, and that in this setting one can relax the conditions from fusion categories to finite tensor categories. We briefly outline how one is naturally lead to the above 2-functor when studying rational conformal field theory with defects of all codimensions. For example, the cospans of the target bicategory correspond to spaces of defect fields and to the bulk-defect operator product expansions.

math.QA↗

arXiv2013

An alternative description of braided monoidal categories

We give an alternative presentation of braided monoidal categories. Instead of the usual associativity and braiding we have just one constraint (the b-structure). In the unital case, the coherence conditions for a b-structure are shown to be equivalent to the usual associativity, unit and braiding axioms. We also discuss the next dimensional version, that is, b-structures on bicategories. As an application, we show how special b-categories result in the Yang-Baxter equation, and how special b-bicategories produce Zamolodchikov's tetrahedron equation. Finally, we define a cohomology theory (the b-cohomology) which plays a role analogous to the one abelian group cohomology has for braided monoidal categories.

math.CT↗