arXiv subjects

Jean-Loup Gervais

Publications and source records attributed to Jean-Loup Gervais.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv1993

The Many Faces of the Quantum Liouville Exponentials

First, it is proven that the three main operator-approaches to the quantum Liouville exponentials --- that is the one of Gervais-Neveu (more recently developed further by Gervais), Braaten-Curtright-Ghandour-Thorn, and Otto-Weigt --- are equivalent since they are related by simple basis transformations in the Fock space of the free field depending upon the zero-mode only. Second, the GN-G expressions for quantum Liouville exponentials, where the $U_q(sl(2))$ quantum group structure is manifest, are shown to be given by q-binomial sums over powers of the chiral fields in the $J=1/2$ representation. Third, the Liouville exponentials are expressed as operator tau-functions, whose chiral expansion exhibits a q Gauss decomposition, which is the direct quantum analogue of the classical solution of Leznov and Saveliev. It involves q exponentials of quantum group generators with group "parameters" equal to chiral components of the quantum metric. Fourth, we point out that the OPE of the $J=1/2$ Liouville exponential provides the quantum version of the Hirota bilinear equation.

hep-th↗

arXiv1993

The Braiding of Chiral Vertex Operators with Continuous Spins in 2D Gravity

Chiral vertex-operators are defined for continuous quantum-group spins $J$ from free-field realizations of the Coulomb-gas type. It is shown that these generalized chiral vertex operators satisfy closed braiding relations on the unit circle, which are given by an extension in terms of orthogonal polynomials of the braiding matrix recently derived by Cremmer, Gervais and Roussel. This leads to a natural extension of the Liouville exponentials to continuous powers that remain local.

hep-th↗

arXiv1993

Light-Cone Parametrizations for KÄhler Manifolds

It is shown that, for any Kähler manifold, there exist parametrizations such that the metric takes a block-form identical to the light-cone metric introduced by Polyakov for two-dimensional gravity. Besides its possible relevence for various aspects of Kählerian geometry, this fact allows us to change gauge in W gravities, and explicitly go from the conformal (Toda) gauge to the light-cone gauge using the W-geometry we proposed earlier (this will be discussed in detail in a forthcoming article).

hep-th↗

arXiv1993

The Quantum Group Structure of 2D Gravity and Minimal Models II: The Genus-Zero Chiral Bootstrap

The F and B matrices associated with Virasoro null vectors are derived in closed form by making use of the operator-approach suggested by the Liouville theory, where the quantum-group symmetry is explicit. It is found that the entries of the fusing and braiding matrices are not simply equal to quantum-group symbols, but involve additional coupling constants whose derivation is one aim of the present work. Our explicit formulae are new, to our knowledge, in spite of the numerous studies of this problem. The relationship between the quantum-group-invariant (of IRF type) and quantum-group-covariant (of vertex type) chiral operator-algebras is fully clarified, and connected with the transition to the shadow world for quantum-group symbols. The corresponding 3-j-symbol dressing is shown to reduce to the simpler transformation of Babelon and one of the author (J.-L. G.) in a suitable infinite limit defined by analytic continuation. The above two types of operators are found to coincide when applied to states with Liouville momenta going to $\infty$ in a suitable way. The introduction of quantum-group-covariant operators in the three dimensional picture gives a generalisation of the quantum-group version of discrete three-dimensional gravity that includes tetrahedra associated with 3-j symbols and universal R-matrix elements. Altogether the present work gives the concrete realization of Moore and Seiberg's scheme that describes the chiral operator-algebra of two-dimensional gravity and minimal models.

hep-th↗

arXiv1992

Recent Progress of the Liouville Approach to 2D Gravity and its Toda (W) Generalizations

These lecture notes review current progress on the class of conformal theories which may be studied by quantizing the conformal Toda dynamics. After summarizing recent developments in undertanding the quantum group structure of the Liouville theory, one recalls how classically, two-dimensional black holes come out from the non-abelian Toda systems, and reviews the geometrical interpretation of the classical $A_n$-Toda theories, just put forward, that relates W-geometries with the external geometries of holomorphic surfaces in complex projective spaces.

hep-th↗

arXiv1992

Gauge Conditions for the Constrained-WZNW--Toda Reductions

There is a constrained-WZNW--Toda theory for any simple Lie algebra equipped with an integral gradation. It is explained how the different approaches to these dynamical systems are related by gauge transformations. Combining Gauss decompositions in relevent gauges, we unify formulae already derived, and explictly determine the holomorphic expansion of the conformally reduced WZNW solutions - whose restriction gives the solutions of the Toda equations. The same takes place also for semi-integral gradations. Most of our conclusions are also applicable to the affine Toda theories.

hep-th↗

arXiv1992

Supersymmetric Black Holes from Toda Theories

On the example of nonabelian Toda type theory associated with the Lie superalgebra $osp(2|4)$ we show that this integrable dynamical system is relevant to a black hole background metric in the corresponding target space. In the even sector the model under consideration reduces to the exactly solvable conformal theory (nonabelian $B_2$ Toda system) in the presence of a black hole recently proposed in the article "Black holes from non-abelian Toda theories" by the last two authors (hep-th 9203039).

hep-th↗

arXiv1992

Gravity-Matter Couplings from Liouville Theory

The three-point functions for minimal models coupled to gravity are derived in the operator approach to Liouville theory which is based on its $U_q(sl(2))$ quantum group structure. The result is shown to agree with matrix-model calculations on the sphere. The precise definition of the corresponding cosmological constant is given in the operator solution of the quantum Liouville theory. It is shown that the symmetry between quantum-group spins $J$ and $-J-1$ previously put forward by the author is the explanation of the continuation in the number of screening operators discovered by Goulian and Li. Contrary to the previous discussions of this problem, the present approach clearly separates the emission operators for each leg. This clarifies the structure of the dressing by gravity. It is shown, in particular that the end points are not treated on the same footing as the mid point. Since the outcome is completely symmetric this suggests the existence of a picture-changing mechanism in two dimensional gravity.

hep-th↗

arXiv1992

Black Holes from Non-Abelian Toda Theories

NON-ABELIAN TODA THEORIES are shown to provide EXACTLY SOLVABLE conformal systems in the presence of a BLACK HOLE which may be regarded as describing a string propagating in target space with a black-hole metric. These theories are associated with non-canonical $\bf Z$-gradations of simple algebras, where the gradation-zero subgroup is non-abelian. They correspond to gauged WZNW models where the gauge group is nilpotent and are thus basically different from the ones currently considered following Witten. The non-abelian Toda potential gives a cosmological term which may be exactly integrated at the classical level.

hep-th↗

arXiv1992

Classical A_n--W-Geometry

This is a detailed development for the $A_n$ case, of our previous article entitled "W-Geometries" to be published in Phys. Lett. It is shown that the $A_n$--W-geometry corresponds to chiral surfaces in $CP^n$. This is comes out by discussing 1) the extrinsic geometries of chiral surfaces (Frenet-Serret and Gauss-Codazzi equations) 2) the KP coordinates (W-parametrizations) of the target-manifold, and their fermionic (tau-function) description, 3) the intrinsic geometries of the associated chiral surfaces in the Grassmannians, and the associated higher instanton- numbers of W-surfaces. For regular points, the Frenet-Serret equations for $CP^n$--W-surfaces are shown to give the geometrical meaning of the $A_n$-Toda Lax pair, and of the conformally-reduced WZNW models, and Drinfeld-Sokolov equations. KP coordinates are used to show that W-transformations may be extended as particular diffeomorphisms of the target-space. This leads to higher-dimensional generalizations of the WZNW and DS equations. These are related with the Zakharov- Shabat equations. For singular points, global Plücker formulae are derived by combining the $A_n$-Toda equations with the Gauss-Bonnet theorem written for each of the associated surfaces.

hep-th↗

arXiv1991

W-Geometries

It is shown that, classically, the W-algebras are directly related to the extrinsic geometry of the embedding of two-dimensional manifolds with chiral parametrisation (W-surfaces) into higher dimensional Kähler manifolds. We study the local and the global geometries of such embeddings, and connect them to Toda equations. The additional variables of the related KP hierarchy are shown to yield a specific coordinate system of the target-manifold, and this allows us to prove that W-transformations are simply particular diffeomorphisms of this target space. The W-surfaces are shown to be instantons of the corresponding non-linear $σ$-models.

hep-th↗