arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Roberto Zucchini.
We determine from 11D supergravity the quadratic bulk action for the physical bosonic fields relevant for the computation of correlation functions of normalized chiral operators in D=6, N=(0,2) and D=3, N=8 supersymmetric CFT in the large N limit, as dictated by the AdS/CFT duality conjecture.
We present a detailed algebraic study of the N=2 cohomological set--up describing the balanced topological field theory of Dijkgraaf and Moore. We emphasize the role of N=2 topological supersymmetry and $sl(2,R)$ internal symmetry by a systematic use of superfield techniques and of an $sl(2,R)$ covariant formalism. We provide a definition of N=2 basic and equivariant cohomology, generalizing Dijkgraaf's and Moore's, and of N=2 connection. For a general manifold with a group action, we show that: $i$) the N=2 basic cohomology is isomorphic to the tensor product of the ordinary N=1 basic cohomology and a universal $sl(2,R)$ group theoretic factor: $ii$) the affine spaces of N=2 and N=1 connections are isomorphic.
We show that 4--dimensional conformal field theory is most naturally formulated on Kulkarni 4--folds, i. e. real 4--folds endowed with an integrable quaternionic structure. This leads to a formalism that parallels very closely that of 2--dimensional conformal field theory on Riemann surfaces. In this framework, the notion of Fueter analyticity, the quaternionic analogue of complex analyticity, plays an essential role. Conformal fields appear as sections of appropriate either harmonic real or Fueter holomorphic quaternionic line bundles. In the free case, the field equations are statements of either harmonicity or Fueter holomorphicity of the relevant conformal fields. We obtain compact quaternionic expressions of such basic objects as the energy-momentum tensor and the gauge currents for some basic models in terms of Kulkarni geometry. We also find a concise expression of the conformal anomaly and a quaternionic 4--dimensional analogue of the Schwarzian derivative describing the covariance of the quantum energy-momentum tensor. Finally, we analyse the operator product expansions of free fields.
In spite of its simplicity and beauty, the Mathai-Quillen formulation of cohomological topological quantum field theory with gauge symmetry suffers two basic problems: $i$) the existence of reducible field configurations on which the action of the gauge group is not free and $ii$) the Gribov ambiguity associated with gauge fixing, i. e. the lack of global definition on the space of gauge orbits of gauge fixed functional integrals. In this paper, we show that such problems are in fact related and we propose a general completely geometrical recipe for their treatment. The space of field configurations is augmented in such a way to render the action of the gauge group free and localization is suitably modified. In this way, the standard Mathai--Quillen formalism can be rigorously applied. The resulting topological action contains the ordinary action as a subsector and can be shown to yield a local quantum field theory, which is argued to be renormalizable as well. The salient feature of our method is that the Gribov problem is inherent in localization, and thus can be dealt with in a completely equivariant setting, whereas gauge fixing is free of Gribov ambiguities. For the stratum of irreducible gauge orbits, the case of main interest in applications, the Gribov problem is solvable. Conversely, for the the strata of reducible gauge orbits, the Gribov problem cannot be solved in general and the obstruction may be described in the language of sheaf theory. The formalism is applied to the Donaldson--Witten model.
A lagrangian euclidean model of Drinfeld--Sokolov (DS) reduction leading to general $W$--algebras on a Riemann surface of any genus is presented. The background geometry is given by the DS principal bundle $K$ associated to a complex Lie group $G$ and an $SL(2,\Bbb C)$ subgroup $S$. The basic fields are a hermitian fiber metric $H$ of $K$ and a $(0,1)$ Koszul gauge field $A^*$ of $K$ valued in a certain negative graded subalgebra $\goth x$ of $\goth g$ related to $\goth s$. The action governing the $H$ and $A^*$ dynamics is the effective action of a DS field theory in the geometric background specified by $H$ and $A^*$. Quantization of $H$ and $A^*$ implements on one hand the DS reduction and on the other defines a novel model of $2d$ gravity, DS gravity. The gauge fixing of the DS gauge symmetry yields an integration on a moduli space of DS gauge equivalence classes of $A^*$ configurations, the DS moduli space. The model has a residual gauge symmetry associated to the DS gauge transformations leaving a given field $A^*$ invariant. This is the DS counterpart of conformal symmetry. Conformal invariance and certain non perturbative features of the model are discussed in detail.
In this paper, a novel method is presented for the study of the dependence of the functional determinant of the Laplace operator associated to a subbundle $F$ of a hermitian holomorphic vector bundle $E$ over a Riemann surface $Σ$ on the hermitian structure $(h,H)$ of $E$. The generalized Weyl anomaly of the effective action is computed and found to be expressible in terms of a suitable generalization of the Liouville and Donaldson actions. The general techniques worked out are then applied to the study of a specific model, the Drinfeld--Sokolov (DS) ghost system arising in $W$--gravity. The expression of generalized Weyl anomaly of the DS ghost effective action is found. It is shown that, by a specific choice of the fiber metric $H_h$ depending on the base metric $h$, the effective action reduces into that of a conformal field theory. Its central charge is computed and found to agree with that obtained by the methods of hamiltonian reduction and conformal field theory. The DS holomorphic gauge group and the DS moduli space are defined and their dimensions are computed.
Developing upon the ideas of ref. \ref{6}, it is shown how the theory of classical $W$ algebras can be formulated on a higher genus Riemann surface in the spirit of Krichever and Novikov. The basic geometric object is the Drinfeld--Sokolov principal bundle $L$ associated to a simple complex Lie group $G$ equipped with an $SL(2,\Bbb C)$ subgroup $S$, whose properties are studied in detail. On a multipunctured Riemann surface, the Drinfeld--Sokolov--Krichever--Novikov spaces are defined, as a generalization of the customary Krichever--Novikov spaces, their properties are analyzed and standard bases are written down. Finally, a WZWN chiral phase space based on the principal bundle $L$ with a KM type Poisson structure is introduced and, by the usual procedure of imposing first class constraints and gauge fixing, a classical $W$ algebra is produced. The compatibility of the construction with the global geometric data is highlighted.
It is shown how the theory of classical $W$--algebras can be formulated on a higher genus Riemann surface in the spirit of Krichever and Novikov. An intriguing relation between the theory of $A_1$ embeddings into simple Lie algebras and the holomorphic geometry of Riemann surfaces is exihibited.
Developing on the ideas of R. Stora and coworkers, a formulation of two dimensional field theory endowed with extended conformal symmetry is given, which is based on deformation theory of holomorphic and Hermitian spaces. The geometric background consists of a vector bundle $E$ over a closed surface $Σ$ endowed with a holomorphic structure and a Hermitian structure subordinated to it. The symmetry group is the semidirect product of the automorphism group ${\rm Aut}(E)$ of $E$ and the extended Weyl group ${\rm Weyl}(E)$ of $E$ and acts on the holomorphic and Hermitian structures. The extended Weyl anomaly can be shifted into an automorphism chirally split anomaly by adding to the action a local counterterm, as in ordinary conformal field theory. The dependence on the scale of the metric on the fiber of $E$ is encoded in the Donaldson action, a vector bundle generalization of the Liouville action. The Weyl and automorphism anomaly split into two contributions corresponding respectively to the determinant and projectivization of $E$. The determinant part induces an effective ordinary Weyl or diffeomorphism anomaly and the induced central charge can be computed.
I show that the generalized Beltrami differentials and projective connections which appear naturally in induced light cone $W_n$ gravity are geometrical fields parametrizing in one-to-one fashion generalized projective structures on a fixed base Riemann surface. I also show that $W_n$ symmetries are nothing but gauge transformations of the flat ${SL}(n,{\bf C})$ vector bundles canonically associated to the generalized projective structures. This provides an original formulation of classical light cone $W_n$ geometry. From the knowledge of the symmetries, the full BRS algebra is derived. Inspired by the results of recent literature, I argue that quantum $W_n$ gravity may be formulated as an induced gauge theory of generalized projective connections. This leads to projective field theory. The possible anomalies arising at the quantum level are analyzed by solving Wess-Zumino consistency conditions. The implications for induced covariant $W_n$ gravity are briefly discussed. The results presented, valid for arbitrary $n$, reproduce those obtained for $n=2,3$ by different methods.