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Marco Benini

Publications and source records attributed to Marco Benini.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Computational homological methods for integrable field theories

We develop explicit computational tools for the recent homological approach to the construction of $2$-dimensional integrable field theories on $\Sigma$ from $4$-dimensional semi-holomorphic Chern-Simons theory on $\Sigma \times C$. In this framework, the operation of integrating out the spectral curve $C$ is realized by homotopy transfer of a cyclic $L_\infty$-algebra associated with the $4$-dimensional theory with prescribed singularities and boundary conditions. We construct explicit strong deformation retracts for divisor-twisted Dolbeault complexes on $C=\mathbb{C}P^1$ and use them to make the transferred $L_\infty$-structure computationally accessible. As an application, we study the choice of meromorphic $1$-form corresponding to the principal chiral model with a Wess-Zumino term. We compute the transferred Maurer-Cartan action and the associated Lax connection, showing that the former resums to the standard principal chiral model action with a Wess-Zumino term and that the latter reproduces the usual Lax connection.

hep-th↗
arXiv2026

On the structure of higher-dimensional integrable field theories

We propose a general framework for integrable field theories in arbitrary spacetime dimension $d+1$ which is based on $d$-term $L_\infty$-algebras. Specifically, we introduce cyclic $L_\infty$-algebras describing topological-holomorphic higher Chern-Simons theories on $M \times \mathbb{C}P^1$ with suitable singularity structures and boundary conditions, controlled by a meromorphic $1$-form on $\mathbb{C}P^1$. Using homological perturbation theory and homotopy transfer, we construct weakly equivalent models describing $(d+1)$-dimensional field theories on $M$. Their integrability is witnessed by a natural map to an $L_\infty$-algebra describing higher Lax connections, yielding conserved charges associated with higher-dimensional cycles in $M$. The resulting theories admit natural action functionals and recover the Costello-Yamazaki construction in $2$ dimensions.

hep-th↗
arXiv2026

Prefactorization algebras of superselection sectors

This paper revisits the theory of superselection sectors in algebraic quantum field theory from the modern perspective of prefactorization algebras. Under the standard assumptions of Haag duality and a locally faithful vacuum representation, it is shown that every AQFT defined over a filtered orthogonal category of spacetime regions, satisfying some mild additional geometric hypotheses, has an associated locally constant $C^\ast$-categorical prefactorization algebra of superselection sectors over the same orthogonal category. In the case of double cones in the $(n\geq 2)$-dimensional Minkowski spacetime, our approach provides a conceptual explanation for the well-known $\mathbb{E}_n$-monoidal structure on the $C^\ast$-category of superselection sectors as the combination, through Dunn-Lurie additivity $\mathbb{E}_n\simeq \mathbb{E}_1\otimes \mathbb{E}_{n-1}$, of the familiar $\mathbb{E}_1$-monoidal structure from Haag duality and an $\mathbb{E}_{n-1}$-monoidal structure from Lorentzian geometry. A refinement of our results to equivariant contexts under a discrete group $G$ is also provided.

math-ph↗
arXiv2026

The homological algebra of 2d integrable field theories

This article provides a detailed and rigorous study of $4d$ semi-holomorphic Chern-Simons theories and their associated $2d$ integrable field theories from the homological perspective of $L_\infty$-algebras. Through the use of homotopy transfer techniques, it is shown precisely how both the integrable field theory and its corresponding Lax connection emerge from the $4d$ theory, which results in a novel perspective on Lax connections in terms of $L_\infty$-morphisms.

hep-th↗
arXiv2025

$C^\ast$-categorical prefactorization algebras for superselection sectors and topological order

This paper presents a conceptual and efficient geometric framework to encode the algebraic structures on the category of superselection sectors of an algebraic quantum field theory on the $n$-dimensional lattice $\mathbb{Z}^n$. It is shown that, under the typical assumption of Haag duality, the monoidal $C^\ast$-categories of localized superselection sectors carry the structure of a locally constant prefactorization algebra over the category of cone-shaped subsets of $\mathbb{Z}^n$. Employing techniques from higher algebra, one extracts from this datum an underlying locally constant prefactorization algebra defined on open disks in the cylinder $\mathbb{R}^1\times\mathbb{S}^{n-1}$. While the sphere $\mathbb{S}^{n-1}$ arises geometrically as the angular coordinates of cones, the origin of the line $\mathbb{R}^1$ is analytic and rooted in Haag duality. The usual braided (for $n=2$) or symmetric (for $n\geq 3$) monoidal $C^\ast$-categories of superselection sectors are recovered by removing a point of the sphere $\mathbb{R}^1\times(\mathbb{S}^{n-1}\setminus\mathrm{pt}) \cong\mathbb{R}^n$ and using the equivalence between $\mathbb{E}_n$-algebras and locally constant prefactorization algebras defined on open disks in $\mathbb{R}^n$. The non-trivial homotopy groups of spheres induce additional algebraic structures on these $\mathbb{E}_n$-monoidal $C^\ast$-categories, which in the case of $\mathbb{Z}^2$ is given by a braided monoidal self-equivalence arising geometrically as a kind of `holonomy' around the circle $\mathbb{S}^1$. The locally constant prefactorization algebra structures discovered in this work generalize, under some mild geometric conditions, to other discrete spaces and thereby provide a clear link between the geometry of the localization regions and the algebraic structures on the category of superselection sectors.

math-ph↗
arXiv2024

On the equivalence of AQFTs and prefactorization algebras

This paper revisits the equivalence problem between algebraic quantum field theories and prefactorization algebras defined over globally hyperbolic Lorentzian manifolds. We develop a radically new approach whose main innovative features are 1.) a structural implementation of the additivity property used in earlier approaches and 2.) a reduction of the global equivalence problem to a family of simpler spacetime-wise problems. When applied to the case where the target category is a symmetric monoidal $1$-category, this yields a generalization of the equivalence theorem from [Commun. Math. Phys. 377, 971 (2019)]. In the case where the target is the symmetric monoidal $\infty$-category of cochain complexes, we obtain a reduction of the global $\infty$-categorical equivalence problem to simpler, but still challenging, spacetime-wise problems. The latter would be solved by showing that certain functors between $1$-categories exhibit $\infty$-localizations, however the available detection criteria are inconclusive in our case.

math-ph↗
arXiv2024

Derived algebraic geometry of 2d lattice Yang-Mills theory

A derived algebraic geometric study of classical $\mathrm{GL}_n$-Yang-Mills theory on the $2$-dimensional square lattice $\mathbb{Z}^2$ is presented. The derived critical locus of the Wilson action is described and its local data supported in rectangular subsets $V =[a,b]\times [c,d]\subseteq \mathbb{Z}^2$ with both sides of length $\geq 2$ is extracted. A locally constant dg-category-valued prefactorization algebra on $\mathbb{Z}^2$ is constructed from the dg-categories of quasi-coherent complexes on the derived stacks of local data.

math-ph↗
arXiv2024

Haag-Kastler stacks

This paper provides an alternative implementation of the principle of general local covariance for algebraic quantum field theories (AQFTs) which is more flexible than the original one by Brunetti, Fredenhagen and Verch. This is realized by considering the $2$-functor $\mathsf{HK} : \mathbf{Loc}^\mathrm{op} \to \mathbf{CAT}$ which assigns to each Lorentzian manifold $M$ the category $\mathsf{HK}(M)$ of Haag-Kastler-style AQFTs over $M$ and to each embedding $f:M\to N$ a pullback functor $f^\ast = \mathsf{HK}(f) : \mathsf{HK}(N) \to \mathsf{HK}(M)$ restricting theories from $N$ to $M$. Locally covariant AQFTs are recovered as the points of the $2$-functor $\mathsf{HK}$. The main advantages of this new perspective are: 1.) It leads to technical simplifications, in particular with regard to the time-slice axiom, since global problems on $\mathbf{Loc}$ become families of simpler local problems on individual Lorentzian manifolds. 2.) Some aspects of the Haag-Kastler framework which previously got lost in locally covariant AQFT, such as a relative compactness condition on the open subsets in a Lorentzian manifold $M$, are reintroduced. 3.) It provides a radically new perspective on descent conditions in AQFT, i.e. local-to-global conditions which allow one to recover a global AQFT on a Lorentzian manifold $M$ from its local data in an open cover $\{U_i \subseteq M\}$.

math-ph↗
arXiv2024

Gluing algebraic quantum field theories on manifolds

It has been observed that, given an algebraic quantum field theory (AQFT) on a manifold $M$ and an open cover $\{M_\alpha\}$ of $M$, it is typically not possible to recover the global algebra of observables on $M$ by simply gluing the underlying local algebras subordinate to $\{M_\alpha\}$. Instead of gluing local algebras, we introduce a gluing construction for AQFTs subordinate to $\{M_\alpha\}$ and we show that for simple examples of AQFTs, constructed out of geometric data, gluing the local AQFTs subordinate to $\{M_\alpha\}$ recovers the global AQFT on $M$.

math-ph↗
arXiv2023

Obstructions to the existence of M{\o}ller maps

M{\o}ller maps are identifications between the observables of a perturbatively interacting physical system and the observables of its underlying free (i.e. non-interacting) system. This work studies and characterizes obstructions to the existence of such identifications. The main results are existence and importantly also non-existence theorems, which in particular imply that M{\o}ller maps do not exist for non-Abelian Chern-Simons and Yang-Mills theories on globally hyperbolic Lorentzian manifolds. These results are obtained through homological algebra techniques which are of independent interest in the analysis of classical field theories.

math-ph↗
arXiv2023

The linear CS/WZW bulk/boundary system in AQFT

This paper constructs in the framework of algebraic quantum field theory (AQFT) the linear Chern-Simons/Wess-Zumino-Witten system on a class of $3$-manifolds $M$ whose boundary $\partial M$ is endowed with a Lorentzian metric. It is proven that this AQFT is equivalent to a dimensionally reduced AQFT on a $2$-dimensional manifold $B$, whose restriction to the $1$-dimensional boundary $\partial B$ is weakly equivalent to a chiral free boson.

math-ph↗
arXiv2022

Quantization of Lorentzian free BV theories: factorization algebra vs algebraic quantum field theory

We construct and compare two alternative quantizations, as a time-orderable prefactorization algebra and as an algebraic quantum field theory valued in cochain complexes, of a natural collection of free BV theories on the category of $m$-dimensional globally hyperbolic Lorentzian manifolds. Our comparison is realized as an explicit isomorphism of time-orderable prefactorization algebras. The key ingredients of our approach are the retarded and advanced Green's homotopies associated with free BV theories, which generalize retarded and advanced Green's operators to cochain complexes of linear differential operators.

math-ph↗
arXiv2022

Strictification theorems for the homotopy time-slice axiom

It is proven that the homotopy time-slice axiom for many types of algebraic quantum field theories (AQFTs) taking values in chain complexes can be strictified. This includes the cases of Haag-Kastler-type AQFTs on a fixed globally hyperbolic Lorentzian manifold (with or without time-like boundary), locally covariant conformal AQFTs in two spacetime dimensions, locally covariant AQFTs in one spacetime dimension, and the relative Cauchy evolution. The strictification theorems established in this paper prove that, under suitable hypotheses that hold true for the examples listed above, there exists a Quillen equivalence between the model category of AQFTs satisfying the homotopy time-slice axiom and the model category of AQFTs satisfying the usual strict time-slice axiom.

math-ph↗
arXiv2022

Green hyperbolic complexes on Lorentzian manifolds

We develop a homological generalization of Green hyperbolic operators, called Green hyperbolic complexes, which cover many examples of derived critical loci for gauge-theoretic quadratic action functionals in Lorentzian signature. We define Green hyperbolic complexes through a generalization of retarded and advanced Green's operators, called retarded and advanced Green's homotopies, which are shown to be unique up to a contractible space of choices. We prove homological generalizations of the most relevant features of Green hyperbolic operators, namely that (1) the retarded-minus-advanced cochain map is a quasi-isomorphism, (2) a differential pairing (generalizing the usual fiber-wise metric) on a Green hyperbolic complex leads to covariant and fixed-time Poisson structures and (3) the retarded-minus-advanced cochain map is compatible with these Poisson structures up to homotopy.

math-ph↗
arXiv2022

A skeletal model for 2d conformal AQFTs

A simple model for the localization of the category $\mathbf{CLoc}_2$ of oriented and time-oriented globally hyperbolic conformal Lorentzian $2$-manifolds at all Cauchy morphisms is constructed. This provides an equivalent description of $2$-dimensional conformal algebraic quantum field theories (AQFTs) satisfying the time-slice axiom in terms of only two algebras, one for the $2$-dimensional Minkowski spacetime and one for the flat cylinder, together with a suitable action of two copies of the orientation preserving embeddings of oriented $1$-manifolds. The latter result is used to construct adjunctions between the categories of $2$-dimensional and chiral conformal AQFTs whose right adjoints formalize and generalize Rehren's chiral observables.

math-ph↗
arXiv2022

Quantization of derived cotangent stacks and gauge theory on directed graphs

We study the quantization of the canonical unshifted Poisson structure on the derived cotangent stack $T^\ast[X/G]$ of a quotient stack, where $X$ is a smooth affine scheme with an action of a (reductive) smooth affine group scheme $G$. This is achieved through an {\'e}tale resolution of $T^\ast[X/G]$ by stacky CDGAs that allows for an explicit description of the canonical Poisson structure on $T^\ast[X/G]$ and of the dg-category of modules quantizing it. These techniques are applied to construct a dg-category-valued prefactorization algebra that quantizes a gauge theory on directed graphs.

math-ph↗
arXiv2022

Homotopical analysis of 4d Chern-Simons theory and integrable field theories

This paper provides a detailed study of $4$-dimensional Chern-Simons theory on $\mathbb{R}^2 \times \mathbb{C}P^1$ for an arbitrary meromorphic $1$-form $ω$ on $\mathbb{C}P^1$. Using techniques from homotopy theory, the behaviour under finite gauge transformations of a suitably regularised version of the action proposed by Costello and Yamazaki is investigated. Its gauge invariance is related to boundary conditions on the surface defects located at the poles of $ω$ that are determined by isotropic Lie subalgebras of a certain defect Lie algebra. The groupoid of fields satisfying such a boundary condition is proved to be equivalent to a groupoid that implements the boundary condition through a homotopy pullback, leading to the appearance of edge modes. The latter perspective is used to clarify how integrable field theories arise from $4$-dimensional Chern-Simons theory.

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