arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J. M. Figueroa-O'Farrill.
Radul has recently introduced a map from the Lie algebra of differential operators on the circle to $W_n$. In this note we extend this map to $W_{KP}^{(q)}$, a recently introduced one-parameter deformation of $W_{KP}$---the second hamiltonian structure of the KP hierarchy. We use this to give a short proof that $W_\infty$ is the symmetry algebra of additional symmetries of the KP equation.
Recently a new supersymmetric extension of the KdV hierarchy has appeared in a matrix-model-inspired approach to $2{-}d$ quantum supergravity. Here we prove that this hierarchy is essentially the KdV hierarchy, where the KdV field is now replaced by an even superfield. This allows us to find the conserved charges and the bihamiltonian structure, and to prove its integrability. We also extend the hierarchy by odd flows in a supersymmetric fashion.
Very recently Berkovits and Vafa have argued that the $N{=}0$ string is a particular choice of background of the $N{=}1$ string. Under the assumption that the physical states of the $N{=}0$ string theory came essentially from the matter degrees of freedom, they proved that the amplitudes of both string theories agree. They also conjectured that this should persist whatever the form of the physical states. The aim of this note is to prove that both theories have the same spectrum of physical states without making any assumption on the form of the physical states. We also notice in passing that this result is reminiscent of a well-known fact in the theory of induced representations and we explore what repercussions this may have in the search for the universal string theory.
We reconsider the problem of U(1) flux and D0-charge for D-branes in the WZW model and investigate the relationship between the different definitions that have been proposed recently. We identify the D0-charge as a particular reduction of a class in the relative cohomology of the group modulo the D-submanifold. We investigate under which conditions this class is equivalent to the first Chern class of a line bundle on the D-submanifold and we find that in general there is an obstruction given by the cohomology class of the NS 3-form. Therefore we conclude that for topologically nontrivial B-fields, there is strictly speaking no U(1) gauge field on the D-submanifold. Nevertheless the ambiguity in the flux is not detected by the D0-charge. This has a natural interpretation in terms of gerbes.
We consider the dimensional reduction of supersymmetric Yang-Mills on a Calabi-Yau 3-fold. We show by construction how the resulting cohomological theory is related to the balanced field theory of the Kaehler Yang-Mills equations introduced by Donaldson and Uhlenbeck-Yau.
A method is presented by which a hidden N=2 superconformal symmetry can be exhibited in a string theory or indeed in a topological conformal field theory. More precisely, we present strong evidence, based on calculations with string theories, in favour of the conjecture that any topological conformal field theory can be obtained by twisting an N=2 superconformal field theory. (Talk given at the Workshop on Gauge Theories, Applied Supersymmetry and Quantum Gravity held at Imperial College, London, 5-10 July 1996.)
Let G be a finite-dimensional Lie algebra (not necessarily semisimple). It is known that if G is self-dual (that is, if it possesses an invariant metric) then there is a canonical N=1 superconformal algebra associated to its N=1 affinization---that is, it admits an N=1 (affine) Sugawara construction. Under certain additional hypotheses, this N=1 structure admits an N=2 extension. If this is the case, G is said to possess an N=2 structure. It is also known that an N=2 structure on a self-dual Lie algebra G is equivalent to a vector space decomposition G = G_+ \oplus G_- where G_\pm are isotropic Lie subalgebras. In other words, N=2 structures on G are in one-to-one correspondence with Manin triples (G,G_+,G_-). In this paper we exploit this correspondence to obtain a classification of the c=9 N=2 structures on self-dual solvable Lie algebras. In the process we also give some simple proofs for a variety of Lie algebraic results concerning self-dual Lie algebras admitting symplectic or Kähler structures.
This is an expository talk about the relation between gauging the WZ term of a one-dimensional sigma-model with a symplectic target and the existence of an equivariant moment mapping for symplectic group actions. The punch line is that the obstructions for gauging coincide with the obstructions for the existence of the moment mapping. This paper can be thought of a "prequel" of hep-th/9407149.
By a Sugawara construction we mean a generalized Virasoro construction in which the currents are primary fields of conformal weight one. For simple Lie algebras, this singles out the standard Sugawara construction out of all the solutions to the Virasoro master equation. Examples of nonsemisimple Sugawara constructions have appeared recently. They share the properties that the Virasoro central charge is an integer equal to the dimension of the Lie algebra and that they can be obtained by high-level contraction of reductive Sugawara constructions: they thus correspond to free bosons. Exploiting a recent structure theorem for Lie algebras with an invariant metric, we are able to unify all the known constructions under the same formalism and, at the same time, to prove several results about the Sugawara constructions. In particular, we prove that all such constructions factorize into a standard (semisimple) Sugawara construction and a nonsemisimple one (with integral central charge) of a form which generalizes the nonsemisimple examples known so far.
In the process of investigating classical realizations of W_3 in terms of free bosons, Romans unveiled a relation to finite-dimensional Jordan algebras with a cubic norm. These algebras have been classified and consist of an infinite series (yielding the ``generic'' realizations) and four sporadic algebras associated to the real division algebras (which yield the ``magical'' realizations). The generic realizations were shown by Romans to quantize, who left the problem of the quantization of the magical realizations open. In later work, Mohammedi showed that the first two magical realizations did not survive quantization. In this note we close the problem by showing that neither do the other two magical realizations.
The most disappointing aspect of $\W$-strings is probably the fact that at least for the known models one does not recover a physical spectrum that differs much from that of ordinary string theory. It is hoped that this is not an intrinsic shortcoming of $\W$-string theory, but rather that it is a consequence of the $\W$-algebra realizations that have been chosen. In this note we point out a whole new class of possible $\W$-strings built from representations of affine Lie algebras via (quantum) Drinfel'd-Sokolov reduction. Explicitly, we construct a BRST operator in terms of $\widehat{sl}_3$ currents which computes the physical spectrum of a $\W_3$-string. As a special case of this construction, if we take a free-field realization of $\widehat{sl}_3$, we recover the 2-scalar $\W_3$-string. These results generalize to any $\W$-algebra which can be obtained via quantum Drinfel'd-Sokolov reduction from an affine algebra.
It has been realised recently that there is no unique way to describe the physical states of a given string theory. In particular, it has been shown that any bosonic string theory can be embedded in a particular $N{=}1$ string background in such a way that the spectrum and the amplitudes of both theories agree. Similarly, it is also known that the amplitudes of any $N{=}1$ string theory can be obtained from a particular $N{=}2$ string background. When rephrased in the language of BRST cohomology, these results suggest a close connection to the theory of induced representations. The purpose of this note is to investigate this connection further and at the same time to reveal the mechanism behind these embeddings between string theories. We will first analyze the embedding of an affine algebra $\gghat$ in the $N{=}1$ affine algebra associated to $\gg$. Given any BRST cohomology theory for $\gghat$ we will be able to construct one for the $N{=}1$ affine algebra associated to $\gg$ such that the cohomologies agree as operator product algebras. This is proven in two different ways. This example is the simplest in its kind and, in a sense that is made precise in the paper, all other similar embeddings are deformations of this one. We conclude the paper with a brief treatment of the general case, where we prove that for a particular class of ``good'' embeddings, the cohomologies are again isomorphic.
Recently we investigated a new supersymmetrization procedure for the KdV hierarchy inspired in some recent work on supersymmetric matrix models. We extend this procedure here for the generalized KdV hierarchies. The resulting supersymmetric hierarchies are generically nonlocal, except for the case of Boussinesque which we treat in detail. The resulting supersymmetric hierarchy is integrable and bihamiltonian and contains the Boussinesque hierarchy as a subhierarchy. In a particular realization, we extend it by defining supersymmetric odd flows. We end with some comments on a slight modification of this supersymmetrization which yields local equations for any generalized KdV hierarchy.
The KP hierarchy is hamiltonian relative to a one-parameter family of Poisson structures obtained from a generalized Adler map in the space of formal pseudodifferential symbols with noninteger powers. The resulting $\W$-algebra is a one-parameter deformation of $\W_{\rm KP}$ admitting a central extension for generic values of the parameter, reducing naturally to $\W_n$ for special values of the parameter, and contracting to the centrally extended $\W_{1+\infty}$, $\W_\infty$ and further truncations. In the classical limit, all algebras in the one-parameter family are equivalent and isomorphic to $\w_{\rm KP}$. The reduction induced by setting the spin-one field to zero yields a one-parameter deformation of $\widehat{\W}_\infty$ which contracts to a new nonlinear algebra of the $\W_\infty$-type.
We chart out the landscape of $\Winfty$-type algebras using $\Wkpq$---a recently discovered one-parameter deformation of $\W_{\rm KP}$. We relate all hitherto known $\Winfty$-type algebras to $\Wkpq$ and its reductions, contractions, and/or truncations at special values of the parameter.
We give a simple geometrical interpretation of classical $\W$-transformations as deformations of constant energy surfaces by canonical transformations on a two-dimensional phase space.
A two-boson realization of the second hamiltonian structure for the KP hierarchy has recently appeared in the literature. Furthermore, it has been claimed that this is also a realization of the hierarchy itself. This is surprising because it would mean that the dynamics of the KP hierarchy---which in its usual formulation requires an infinite number of fields---can be described with only two. The purpose of this short note is to point out the almost obvious fact that the hierarchy described by the two bosons is not the KP hierarchy but rather a reduction thereof---one which is moreover incompatible with the reduction to the KdV-type subhierarchies.