Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

P. Bowcock

Publications and source records attributed to P. Bowcock.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2010

Boundary Giant Magnons and Giant Gravitons

We construct the full set of boundary giant magnons on $\mathbb{R}\times S^{2}$ attached to the maximal $Z=0$ giant graviton by mapping from the general solution to static sine-Gordon theory on the interval and compute the values of $Δ-J$ at finite $J$, including the leading order corrections when $J$ is large. We then consider the Born-Infeld theory of the giant graviton itself to construct BIon spike solutions that correspond to the world volume description of the boundary giant magnons at finite $J$.

hep-th↗
arXiv2005

Some aspects of jump-defects in the quantum sine-Gordon model

The classical sine-Gordon model permits integrable discontinuities, or jump-defects, where the conditions relating the fields on either side of a defect are Backlund transformations frozen at the defect location. The purpose of this article is to explore the extent to which this idea may be extended to the quantum sine-Gordon model and how the striking features of the classical model may translate to the quantum version. Assuming a positive defect parameter there are two types of defect. One type, carrying even charge, is stable, but the other type, carrying odd charge, is unstable and may be considered as a resonant bound state of a soliton and a stable defect. The scattering of solitons with defects is considered in detail, as is the scattering of breathers, and in all cases the jump-defect is purely transmitting. One surprising discovery concerns the lightest breather. Its transmission factor is independent of the bulk coupling - a property susceptible to a perturbative check, but not shared with any of the other breathers. It is argued that classical jump-defects can move and some comments are made concerning their quantum scattering matrix.

hep-th↗
arXiv2004

Affine Toda field theories with defects

A Lagrangian approach is proposed and developed to study defects within affine Toda field theories. In particular, a suitable Lax pair is constructed together with examples of conserved charges. It is found that only those models based on $a_r^{(1)}$ data appear to allow defects preserving integrability. Surprisingly, despite the explicit breaking of Lorentz and translation invariance, modified forms of both energy and momentum are conserved. Some, but apparently not all, of the higher spin conserved charges are also preserved after the addition of contributions from the defect. This fact is illustrated by noting how defects may preserve a modified form of just one of the spin 2 or spin -2 charges but not both of them.

hep-th↗
arXiv2003

Classically integrable field theories with defects

Some ideas and remarks are presented concerning a possible Lagrangian approach to the study of internal boundary conditions relating integrable fields at the junction of two domains. The main example given in the article concerns single real scalar fields in each domain and it is found that these may be free, of Liouville type, or of sinh-Gordon type.

hep-th↗
arXiv2002

The complex sine-Gordon model on a half line

In this paper, we examine the complex sine-Gordon model in the presence of a boundary, and derive boundary conditions that preserve integrability. We present soliton and breather solutions, investigate the scattering of particles and solitons off the boundary and examine the existence of classical solutions corresponding to boundary bound states.

hep-th↗
arXiv2001

Affine sl(2|1) and D(2|1;alpha) as Vertex Operator Extensions of Dual Affine sl(2) Algebras

We discover a realisation of the affine Lie superalgebra sl(2|1) and of the exceptional affine superalgebra D(2|1;alpha) as vertex operator extensions of two affine sl(2) algebras with dual levels (and an auxiliary level 1 sl(2) algebra). The duality relation between the levels is (k+1)(k'+1)=1. We construct the representation of sl(2|1) at level k' on a sum of tensor products of sl(2) at level k, sl(2) at level k' and sl(2) at level 1 modules and decompose it into a direct sum over the sl(2|1) spectral flow orbit. This decomposition gives rise to character identities, which we also derive. The extension of the construction to the affine D(2|1;k') at level k is traced to properties of sl(2)+sl(2)+sl(2) embeddings into D(2|1;alpha) and their relation with the dual sl(2) pairs. Conversely, we show how the level k' sl(2) representations are constructed from level k sl(2|1) representations.

hep-th↗
arXiv1999

Aspects of classical backgrounds and scattering for affine Toda theory on a half-line

In this paper we study various aspects of classical solutions to the affine Toda equations on a half-line with integrable boundary conditions. We begin by finding conditions that the theory has a stable vacuum by finding a Bogomolny bound on the energy, and analysing the possible singularities of the field at the boundary. Using these constraints and extensive numerical investigations we classify the vacuum configurations and reflection factors for A_r^(1) Toda theories up to r=5.

hep-th↗
arXiv1997

Characters of admissible representations of the affine superalgebra sl(2|1)

We calculate characters and supercharacters for irreducible, admissible representations of the affine superalgebra sl(2|1) in both the Ramond and Neveu-Schwarz sectors and discuss their modular properties in the special case of level k=-1/2. We also show that the non-degenerate integrable characters coincide with some N=4 superconformal characters.

hep-th↗
arXiv1996

Classical backgrounds and scattering for affine Toda theory on a half-line

We find classical solutions to the simply-laced affine Toda equations which satisfy integrable boundary conditions using solitons which are analytically continued from imaginary coupling theories. Both static `vacuum' configurations and the time-dependent perturbations about them which correspond to classical vacua and particle scattering solutions respectively are considered. A large class of classical scattering matrices are calculated and found to satisfy the reflection bootstrap equation.

hep-th↗
arXiv1996

Free field representations for the affine superalgebra sl(2|1)

Free field representations of the affine superalgebra $A(1,0)^{(1)}$ at level $k$ are needed in the description of the noncritical $N=2$ string. The superalgebra admits two inequivalent choices of simple roots. We give the Wakimoto representations corresponding to each of these and derive the relation between the two at the quantum level.

hep-th↗
arXiv1996

Representation theory of the affine Lie superalgebra sl(2|1) at fractional level

N=2 noncritical strings are closely related to the $\Slr/\Slr$ Wess-Zumino- Novikov-Witten model, and there is much hope to further probe the former by using the algebraic apparatus provided by the latter. An important ingredient is the precise knowledge of the $\hslc$ representation theory at fractional level. In this paper, the embedding diagrams of singular vectors appearing in $\hslc$ Verma modules for fractional values of the level ($k=p/q-1$, p and q coprime) are derived analytically. The nilpotency of the fermionic generators in $\hslc$ requires the introduction of a nontrivial generalisation of the MFF construction to relate singular vectors among themselves. The diagrams reveal a striking similarity with the degenerate representations of the $N=2$ superconformal algebra.

hep-th↗
arXiv1995

Background field boundary conditions for affine Toda field theories

Classical integrability is investigated for affine Toda field theories in the presence of a constant background tensor field. This leads to a further set of discrete possibilities for integrable boundary conditions depending upon the time-derivative of the fields at the boundary but containing no free parameters other than the bulk coupling constant.

hep-th↗
arXiv1994

Representation theory of a W-algebra from generalised DS reduction

We investigate the W-algebra resulting from Drinfel'd-Sokolov reduction of a $B_2$ WZW model with respect to the grading induced by a short root. The quantum algebra, which is generated by three fields of spin-2 and a field of spin-1, is explicitly constructed. A `free field' realisation of the algebra in terms of the zero-grade currents is given, and it is shown that these commute with a screening charge. We investigate the representation theory of the algebra using a combination of the explicit fusion method of Bauer et al. and free field methods. We discuss the fusion rules of degenerate primary fields, and give various character formulae and a Kac determinant formula for the algebra

hep-th↗
arXiv1993

Null vectors, 3-point and 4-point functions in conformal field theory

We consider 3-point and 4-point correlation functions in a conformal field theory with a W-algebra symmetry. Whereas in a theory with only Virasoro symmetry the three point functions of descendants fields are uniquely determined by the three point function of the corresponding primary fields this is not the case for a theory with $W_3$ algebra symmetry. The generic 3-point functions of W-descendant fields have a countable degree of arbitrariness. We find, however, that if one of the fields belongs to a representation with null states that this has implications for the 3-point functions. In particular if one of the representations is doubly-degenerate then the 3-point function is determined up to an overall constant. We extend our analysis to 4-point functions and find that if two of the W-primary fields are doubly degenerate then the intermediate channels are limited to a finite set and that the corresponding chiral blocks are determined up to an overall constant. This corresponds to the existence of a linear differential equation for the chiral blocks with two completely degenerate fields as has been found in the work of Bajnok~et~al.

hep-th↗
arXiv1992

Null vectors of the W_3 algebra

We construct $W_3$ null vectors of a restricted class explicitly in two different forms. The method we use is an extension of that of Bauer et al.~in the Virasoro case. Our results are analogous to the formulae of Benoit and St.~Aubin for the Virasoro null vectors. We derive in the Virasoro case some alternative formulae for the same null vectors involving only the $L_{-1}$ and $L_{-2}$ modes of the Virasoro algebra. }

hep-th↗
arXiv1992

Exceptional Superconformal Algebras

Reductive W-algebras which are generated by bosonic fields of spin-1, a single spin-2 field and fermionic fields of spin-3/2 are classified. Three new cases are found: a `symplectic' family of superconformal algebras which are extended by $su(2)\oplus sp(n)$, an $N=7$ and an $N=8$ superconformal algebra. The exceptional cases can be viewed as arising a Drinfeld-Sokolov type reduction of the exceptional Lie superalgebras $G(3)$ and $F(4)$, and have an octonionic description. The quantum versions of the superconformal algebras are constructed explicitly in all three cases.

hep-th↗
arXiv1991

On the classification of quantum W-algebras

In this paper we consider the structure of general quantum W-algebras. We introduce the notions of deformability, positive-definiteness, and reductivity of a W-algebra. We show that one can associate a reductive finite Lie algebra to each reductive W-algebra. The finite Lie algebra is also endowed with a preferred $sl(2)$ subalgebra, which gives the conformal weights of the W-algebra. We extend this to cover W-algebras containing both bosonic and fermionic fields, and illustrate our ideas with the Poisson bracket algebras of generalised Drinfeld-Sokolov Hamiltonian systems. We then discuss the possibilities of classifying deformable W-algebras which fall outside this class in the context of automorphisms of Lie algebras. In conclusion we list the cases in which the W-algebra has no weight one fields, and further, those in which it has only one weight two field.

hep-th↗