Explicit quantization of the Chern-Simons action

We quantize the three-dimensional Chern-Simons action explicitly. We found that the geometric quantization of the action strongly depends on the topology of the (fixed-time) Riemann surface. On the disk the phase space and the symplectic structure are the same as those of the (chiral) Wess-Zumino-Witten model. On the torus the Hilbert space is the vector space of characters of Kac-Moody algebras. The fusion rules of the primary fields are derived from theclassical matching condition of the holonomy. In general case, the wave-functional of the theory is the generating function of the current insertion in Wess-Zumino-Witten model.     

A Note on Colored HOMFLY Polynomials for Hyperbolic Knots from WZW Models

Using the correspondence between Chern-Simons theories and Wess-Zumino-Witten models, we present the necessary tools to calculate colored HOMFLY polynomials for hyperbolic knots. For two-bridge hyperbolic knots we derive the colored HOMFLY invariants in terms of crossing matrices of the underlying Wess-Zumino-Witten model. Our analysis extends previous works by incorporating non-trivial multiplicities for the primaries appearing in the crossing matrices, so as to describe colorings of HOMFLY invariants beyond the totally symmetric or anti-symmetric representations of SU(N). The crossing matrices directly relate to 6j-symbols of the quantum group \({\mathcal{U}_{q}su(N)}\). We present powerful methods to calculate such quantum 6j-symbols for general N. This allows us to determine previously unknown colored HOMFLY polynomials for two-bridge hyperbolic knots. We give explicitly the HOMFLY polynomials colored by the representation {2, 1} for two-bridge hyperbolic knots with up to eight crossings. Yet, the scope of application of our techniques goes beyond knot theory; e.g., our findings can be used to study correlators in Wess-Zumino-Witten conformal field theories or—in the limit to classical groups—to determine color factors for Yang Mills amplitudes.     

Elliptic Wess-Zumino-Witten model from elliptic Chern-Simons theory

This Letter continues the program aimed at analysing of the scalar product of states in the Chern-Simons theory. It treats the elliptic case with group SU₂. The formal scalar product is expressed as a multiple finite-dimensional integral which, if convergent for every state, provides the space of states with a Hilbert space structure. The convergence is checked for states with a single Wilson line where the integral expressions encode the Bethe Ansatz solutions of the Lamé equation. In relation to the Wess-Zumino-Witten conformal field theory, the scalar product renders unitary the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov-Bernard connection and gives a pairing between conformal blocks used to obtain the genus-one correlation functions.     

Classical BV Theories on Manifolds with Boundary

In this paper we extend the classical BV framework to gauge theories on spacetime manifolds with boundary. In particular, we connect the BV construction in the bulk with the BFV construction on the boundary and we develop its extension to strata of higher codimension in the case of manifolds with corners. We present several examples including electrodynamics, Yang-Mills theory and topological field theories coming from the AKSZ construction, in particular, the Chern-Simons theory, the BF theory, and the Poisson sigma model. This paper is the first step towards developing the perturbative quantization of such theories on manifolds with boundary in a way consistent with gluing.     

On non-Abelian Thomas-Fermi screening

The Thomas-Fermi screening of non-Abelian gauge fields by fermions or screening of gluon fields in quark matter is discussed. It is described by an effective mass term which is, as with hard thermal loops, related to the eikonal for a Chern-Simons theory and the Wess-Zumino-Witten action.     

Bundle Gerbes for Chern-Simons and Wess-Zumino-Witten Theories

We develop the theory of Chern-Simons bundle 2-gerbes and multiplicative bundle gerbes associated to any principal G-bundle with connection and a class in H⁴(BG, ℤ) for a compact semi-simple Lie group G. The Chern-Simons bundle 2-gerbe realises differential geometrically the Cheeger-Simons invariant. We apply these notions to refine the Dijkgraaf-Witten correspondence between three dimensional Chern-Simons functionals and Wess-Zumino-Witten models associated to the group G. We do this by introducing a lifting to the level of bundle gerbes of the natural map from H⁴(BG, ℤ) to H³(G, ℤ). The notion of a multiplicative bundle gerbe accounts geometrically for the subtleties in this correspondence for non-simply connected Lie groups. The implications for Wess-Zumino-Witten models are also discussed.The authors acknowledge the support of the Australian Research Council. ALC thanks MPI für Mathematik in Bonn and ESI in Vienna and BLW thanks CMA of Australian National University for their hospitality during part of the writing of this paper.     

Chern-Simons and WZW anomaly cancelations across dimensions

The WZW functional in D=4 can be derived directly from the Chern-Simons functional of a compactified D=5 gauge theory and the boundary fermions it supplants. A simple pedagogical model based on U(1) gauge groups illustrates how this works. A bulk-boundary system with the fermions eliminated manifestly evinces anomaly cancelations between CS and WZW terms.     

On fractional quantum Hall solitons in ABJM-like theory

Using D-brane physics, we study fractional quantum Hall solitons (FQHS) in ABJM-like theory in terms of type IIA dual geometries. In particular, we discuss a class of Chern-Simons (CS) quivers describing FQHS systems at low energy. These CS quivers come from R-R gauge fields interacting with D6-branes wrapped on 4-cycles, which reside within a blown up CP³ projective space. Based on the CS quiver method and mimicking the construction of del Pezzo surfaces in terms of CP², we first give a model which corresponds to a single layer model of FQHS system, then we propose a multi-layer system generalizing the doubled CS field theory, which is used in the study of topological defect in graphene.     

Chern-Simons gauge theory on orbifolds: Open strings from three dimensions

Chern-Simons gauge theory is formulated on three-dimensional $\text{Z}$₂ orbifolds. The locus of singular points on a given orbifold is equivalent to a link of Wilson lines. This allows one to reduce any correlation function on orbifolds to a sum of more complicated correlation functions in the simpler theory on manifolds. Chern-Simons theory on manifolds is known to be related to two-dimensional (2D) conformal field theory (CFT) on closed-string surfaces; here it is shown that the theory on orbifolds is related to 2D CFT of unoriented closed- and open-string models, i.e. to worldsheet orbifold models. In particular, the boundary components of the worldsheet correspond to the components of the singular locus in the 3D orbifold. This correspondence leads to a simple identification of the open-string spectra, including their Chan-Paton degeneration, in terms of fusing Wilson lines in the corresponding Chern-Simons theory. The correspondence is studied in detail, and some exactly solvable examples are presented. Some of these examples indicate that it is natural to think of the orbifold group $\text{Z}$₂ as a part of the gauge group of the Chern-Simons theory, thus generalizing the standard definition of gauge theories.     

Kauffman knot polynomials in classical abelian Chern-Simons field theory

Kauffman knot polynomial invariants are discovered in classical abelian Chern-Simons field theory. A topological invariant t^I(L) is constructed for a link L, where I is the abelian Chern-Simons action and t a formal constant. For oriented knotted vortex lines, t^I satisfies the skein relations of the Kauffman R-polynomial; for un-oriented knotted lines, t^I satisfies the skein relations of the Kauffman bracket polynomial. As an example the bracket polynomials of trefoil knots are computed, and the Jones polynomial is constructed from the bracket polynomial.     

Classical solutions to topologically massive Yang-Mills theory

Classical solutions to (2 + 1)-dimensional Yang-Mills theory in the presence of the Chern-Simons invariant are considered. The SO(3)-invariant solutions to the Euclidean field equations are complex, whereas the equations in Minkowski space-time possess real SO(2, 1)-invariant solutions. The field equations for time independent axially symmetric vector potentials are derived and some solutions are obtained. The behavior of general Euclidean spacetime solutions is discussed. It is also shown that, because of the gauge dependence of the Chern-Simons invariant, the reduced field equations cannot be uniquely obtained from the reduced action. Applications of the results to the infrared structure of finite temperature QCD are discussed; in particular, it is argued that the Chern-Simons invariant cannot be consistently incorporated as a gauge-invariant magnetic mass term in a three-dimensional effective long distance theory at high temperatures.     

SU (3) Chern-Simons field theory in three-manifolds

We present the solution of the non-Abelian SU (3) Chern-Simons field theory defined in a generic three-manifold which is closed, connected and orientable. The surgery rules, which permit us to solve the theory, are derived and several examples of vacuum expectation values of Wilson line operators are computed. The three-manifold invariant associated with the non-Abelian SU (3) Chern-Simons model is defined and its values are computed for various three-manifolds.     

0-extended supergravity and Chern-Simons theories

We give generalizations of extended Poincaré supergravity with arbitrarily many supersymmetries in the absence of central charges in three dimensions by gauging its intrinsic global SO(N) symmetry. We call these ₀ (Aleph-null) supergravity theories. We further couple a non-Abelian supersymmetric Chern-Simons theory and an Abelian topological BF theory to ₀ supergravity. Our result overcomes the previous difficulty for supersymmetrization of Chern-Simons theories beyond N = 4. This feature is peculiar to the Chern-Simons and BF theories including supergravity in three dimensions. We also show that dimensional reduction schemes for four-dimensional theories such as N = 1 self-dual supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory or N = 1 supergravity theory that can generate ₀ globally and locally supersymmetric theories in three dimensions. As an interesting application, we present ₀ supergravity Liouville theory in two dimensions after appropriate dimensional reduction from three dimensions.     

Anomalies,ambiguities and superstrings

It is shown that anomalies only change trivially if a covariant term is added to the gauge connection. As a result, for the superstring, the anomalies can be cancelled if the anti-symmetric tensor field strength H is modified by the Chern-Simons form of any spin-connection, possibly with torsion. The low-energy effective field theory is, then, not uniquely determined by requiring anomaly cancellation and supersymmetry. Implications for string compactifications are considered.     

0-extended supergravity and Chern-Simons theories

We give generalizations of extended Poincaré supergravity with arbitrarily many supersymmetries in the absence of central charges in three dimensions by gauging its intrinsic global SO(N) symmetry. We call these ₀ (Aleph-null) supergravity theories. We further couple a non-Abelian supersymmetric Chern-Simons theory and an Abelian topological BF theory to ₀ supergravity. Our result overcomes the previous difficulty for supersymmetrization of Chern-Simons theories beyond N = 4. This feature is peculiar to the Chern-Simons and BF theories including supergravity in three dimensions. We also show that dimensional reduction schemes for four-dimensional theories such as N = 1 self-dual supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory or N = 1 supergravity theory that can generate ₀ globally and locally supersymmetric theories in three dimensions. As an interesting application, we present ₀ supergravity Liouville theory in two dimensions after appropriate dimensional reduction from three dimensions.     

The Ka -Moody anomaly. An obstruction to a gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten model

We present a gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten model, in which the topological term is a difference of Chern-Simons forms. Part of the Ka -Moody currents become first-class constraints, thus generating local Ka -Moody symmetries. This model provides a lagrangian relization of the Goddard-Kent-Olive coset construction. At the quantum level, however, the Ka -Moody anomaly vanishes only for a negative value of the central charge k.     

Evolution of Nielsen-Olesen's String from Chern-Simons Field Theory

We study the topology of Nielsen-Olesen's local field theory of single dual string. Based on the Chern-Simons field theory in three dimensons, we find many strings that can form world sheets in four dimensions. These strings have important relation to the zero point of the complex scalar field. These world sheets of strings can be expressed by the topological invariant number, Hopf index, and Brower degree. Nambu-Goto's action is obtained from the Nielsen's action definitely by using φ-mapping theory.     

Topological particle field theory,general coordinate invariance and generalized Chern-Simons actions

We show that recently proposed generalized Chern-Simons action can be identified with the field theory action of a topological point particle. We find the crucial correspondence which makes it possible to derive the field theory actions from a special version of the generalized Chern-Simons actions. We provide arguments that the general coordinate invariance in the target space and the flat connection condition as a topological field theory can be accommodated in a very natural way. We propose series of new gauge invariant observables.     

Skein theory and topological quantum registers: Braiding matrices and topological entanglement entropy of non-Abelian quantum Hall states

We study topological properties of quasi-particle states in the non-Abelian quantum Hall states. We apply a skein-theoretic method to the Read-Rezayi state whose effective theory is the SU(2)_K Chern-Simons theory. As a generalization of the Pfaffian (K = 2) and the Fibonacci (K = 3) anyon states, we compute the braiding matrices of quasi-particle states with arbitrary spins. Furthermore we propose a method to compute the entanglement entropy skein-theoretically. We find that the entanglement entropy has a nontrivial contribution called the topological entanglement entropy which depends on the quantum dimension of non-Abelian quasi-particle intertwining two subsystems.