Conformal field theories and critical phenomena

In this article we present a brief review of the conformal symmetry and the two-dimensional conformal quantum field theories. As concrete applications of the conformal theories to the critical phenomena in statistical systems, we calculate the value of central charge and the anomalous scale dimensions of the Z ₂ symmetric quantum chain with boundary condition. The results are compatible with the prediction of the conformal field theories.     

Conformal field theories and modular invariant partition functions for parafermion field theories

Parafermion conformal field theories with D_2N discrete symmetry are examined in detail. The structure of field space of parafermion field theories is studied with the help of a projection operator G. Characters of the representations of the twist sector of parafermion algebra and projected characters are given. A new class of modular invariant partition functions, therefore conformal field theories, for parafermion theories are found. We argue that the principal theories correspond to the generic critical SOS models of Andrew, Baxter and Forrest.     

Conformal field theories via Hamiltonian reduction

Constraining theSL(3) WZW-model we construct a reduced theory which is invariant with respect to the new chiral algebraW ₃ ² . This symmetry is generated by the stress-energy tensor, two bosonic currents with spins 3/2 and theU(1) current. We conjecture a Kac formula that describes the highly reducible representation for this algebra. We also discuss the quantum Hamiltonian reduction for the general type of constraints that leads to the new extended conformal algebras.Address after September 1990: Lyman Laboratory, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA     

Conformal field theories in six-dimensional twistor space

This article gives a study of the higher-dimensional Penrose transform between conformally invariant massless fields on space–time and cohomology classes on twistor space, where twistor space is defined to be the space of projective pure spinors of the conformal group. We focus on the six-dimensional case in which twistor space is the 6-quadric Q$Q$ in CP⁷${\mathbb{C}\mathbb{P}}^7$ with a view to applications to the self-dual (0,2)$(0,2)$-theory. We show how spinor-helicity momentum eigenstates have canonically defined distributional representatives on twistor space (a story that we extend to arbitrary dimension). These yield an elementary proof of the surjectivity of the Penrose transform. We give a direct construction of the twistor transform between the two different representations of massless fields on twistor space (H²$H^2$ and H³$H^3$) in which the H³$H^3$s arise as obstructions to extending the H²$H^2$s off Q$Q$ into CP⁷${\mathbb{C}\mathbb{P}}^7$.     

Soliton quantization in lattice field theories

Quantization of solitons in terms of Euclidean region functional integrals is developed, and Osterwalder-Schrader reconstruction is extended to theories with topological solitons. The quantization method is applied to several lattice field theories with solitons, and the particle structure in the soliton sectors of such theories is analyzed. A construction of magnetic monopoles in the four-dimensional, compactU(1)-model, in the QED phase, is indicated as well.     

Gauge covariance in lattice field theories

We consider in detail the gauge invariance constraints in Hamiltonian lattice gauge theories, focusing mainly on pureSU(2) Yang-Mills theory in 2+1 dimensions. We present matrix and partial differential representations of the Hamiltonian in which all gauge constraints have been taken fully into account. The applicability of this formulation is demonstrated on small lattices.     

Gauge field theories on a lattice

We begin a rigorous, nonperturbative investigation of quantum field theories with local internal symmetries. We discuss the lattice approximation of Yang-Mills fields and of fermion fields in the Euclidean setup and we verify physical positivity for the Schwinger functions of these approximations. This implies the existence of a positive self-adjoint transfer matrix. We then prove existence and analyticity of the infinite volume limit of strongly coupled Yang-Mills theories on the lattice and we verify Wilson's confinement bound. Finally we present a rigorous treatment of the Higgs mechanism in lattice gauge theories.     

Constraints on representations of conformal field theories

We consider conformal field theories with generalized blocks which satisfy Ising-type algebras. By requiring the correct analytic properties of the correlators, we find constraints on the central charge and conformal dimensions of the fields.     

Conformal field theories near a boundary in general dimensions

The implications of restricted conformal invariance under conformal transformations preserving a plane boundary are discussed for general dimensions d. Calculations of the universal function of a conformal invariant ξ which appears in the two-point function of scalar operators in conformally invariant theories with a plane boundary are undertaken to first order in the ge = 4 − d expansion for the operator φ² in φ⁴ theory. The form for the associated functions of ξ for the two-point functions for the basic field φ^α and the auxiliary field λ in the N → ∞ limit of the O(N) nonlinear sigma model for any d in the range 2 < d < 4 are also rederived. These results are obtained by integrating the two-point functions over planes parallel to the boundary, defining a restricted two-point function which may be obtained more simply. Assuming conformal invariance this transformation can be inverted to recover the full two-point function. Consistency of the results is checked by considering the limit d → 4 and also by analysis of the operator product expansions for φ^αφ^β and λλ. Using this method the form of the two-point function for the energy-momentum tensor in the conformal O(N) model with a plane boundary is also found. General results for the sum of the contributions of all derivative operators appearing in the operator product expansion, and also in a corresponding boundary operator expansion, to the two-point functions are also derived making essential use of conformal invariance.     

Integrable quantum field theories and conformal field theories from lattice models in the light-cone approach

The light-cone lattice approach to two-dimensional quantum field theories is generalized to a large class of vertex models with any number of possible states per link and any simple Lie group of symmetry. Starting from a given lattice model, different scaling limits are defined leading to conformal field theories or to massive integrable quantum field theories, for which the lattice hamiltonian, momentum and currents are constructed. For a large set of models, the complete mass spectrum is also exhibited. Our approach applies equally well to chiral fermionic theories (like the chiral Gross-Neveu) and to bosonic models like the principal chiral model.     

Bogoliubov transformations and fermion condensates in lattice field theories

We apply generalized Bogoliubov transformations to the transfer matrix of relativistic field theories regularized on a lattice. We derive the conditions these transformations must satisfy to factorize the transfer matrix into two terms which propagate fermions and antifermions separately, and we solve the relative equations under some conditions. We relate these equations to the saddle point approximation of a recent bosonization method and to the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformations which separate positive from negative energy states in the Dirac Hamiltonian.     

Renormalization group approach to lattice gauge field theories

We study four-dimensional pure gauge field theories by the renormalization group approach. The analysis is restricted to small field approximation. In this region we construct a sequence of localized effective actions by cluster expansions in one step renormalization transformations. We construct also -functions and we define a coupling constant renormalization by a recursive system of renormalization group equations.     

Renormalization group approach to lattice gauge field theories

The fluctuation field integral, constructed in Part I, is represented by the exponentiated cluster expansion. It is proved that the terms of the expansion satisfy the inductive assumptions. This completes the construction of the sequence of effective actions in the small field approximation.Work supported in part by the Air Force under Grant AFOSR-86-0229 and by the National Science Foundation under Grant DMS-86-02207     

Conformal theories and punctured surfaces

We define conformal theories as realizations of certain operations involving punctured Riemann surfaces (with coordinates chosen at the punctures) in a Hilbert space. We describe the connections of our formalism with other formulations of conformal theories.     

Conformal invariance and scalar-tensor theories

A new generalisation of Einstein’s theory is proposed which is invariant under conformal mappings. Two scalar fields are introduced in addition to the metric tensor field, so that two special choices of gauge are available for physical interpretation, the ‘Einstein gauge’ and the ‘atomic gauge’. The theory is not unique but contains two adjustable parameters ζ anda. Witha=1 the theory viewed from the atomic gauge is Brans-Dicke theory (ω=−3/2+ζ/4). Any other choice ofa leads to a creation-field theory. In particular the theory given by the choicea=−3 possesses a cosmological solution satisfying Dirac’s ‘large numbers’ hypothesis.     

Higher order mean field expansions for lattice gauge theories

The leading contribution to the free energy of lattice gauge theories is evaluated in the mean field expansion to the two-loop level. The methods are general but we only deal with theU(1) case in this paper. The corrections improve the agreement with Monte Carlo calculations. We show that in order to obtain a satisfactory formalism it is necessary to include a new redundant parameter, γ, in the mean field expansion. For γ→0 we recover the usual mean field expansion whereas for γ→∞ we obtain the weak coupling expansion. Thus γ measures the amount of resummation that is done by the mean field formalism.     

On representations of conformal field theories and the construction of orbifolds

We consider representations of meromorphic bosonic chiral conformal field theories and demonstrate that such a representation is completely specified by a state within the theory. The necessary and sufficient conditions upon this state are derived and, because of their form, we show that we may extend the representation to a representation of a suitable larger conformal field theory. In particular, we apply this procedure to the (untwisted) lattice conformal field theories (i.e. corresponding to the propagation of a bosonic string on a torus), and deduce that Dong's proof of the uniqueness of the twisted representation for the reflection-twisted projection of the Leech lattice conformal field theory generalises to an arbitrary even (self-dual) lattice. As a consequence, we see that the reflection-twisted lattice theories of Dolan, Goddard and Montague are truly self-dual, extending the analogies with the theories of lattices and codes which were being pursued. Some comments are also made on the general concept of the definition of an orbifold of a conformal field theory in relation to this point of view.