arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to P. Bouwknegt.
We generalize some of the standard homological techniques to $\cW$-algebras, and compute the semi-infinite cohomology of the $\cW_3$ algebra on a variety of modules. These computations provide physical states in $\cW_3$ gravity coupled to $\cW_3$ minimal models and to two free scalar fields.
We review various aspects of $\cW$-algebra symmetry in two-dimensional conformal field theory and string theory. We pay particular attention to the construction of $\cW$-algebras through the quantum Drinfeld-Sokolov reduction and through the coset construction.
We discuss the BSRT quantization of 2D $N=1$ supergravity coupled to superconformal matter with $\hat{c} \leq 1$ in the conformal gauge. The physical states are computed as BRST cohomology. In particular, we consider the ring structure and associated symmetry algebra for the 2D superstring ($\hat{c} = 1$).
We summarize some recent results on the BRST analysis of physical states of 2D gravity coupled to c<=1 conformal matter and the supersymmetric generalization.
We review some aspects of the free field approach to two-dimensional conformal field theories. Specifically, we discuss the construction of free field resolutions for the integrable highest weight modules of untwisted affine Kac-Moody algebras, and extend the construction to a certain class of admissible highest weight modules. Using these, we construct resolutions of the completely degenerate highest weight modules of W-algebras by means of the quantum Drinfeld-Sokolov reduction. As a corollary we derive character formulae for these degenerate highest weight modules.