The Cohomology Algebra of the Semi-Infinite Weil Complex

In 1993, Lian-Zuckerman constructed two cohomology operations on the BRST complex of a conformal vertex algebra with central charge 26. They gave explicit generators and relations for the cohomology algebra equipped with these operations in the case of the c = 1 model. In this paper, we describe another such example, namely, the semi-infinite Weil complex of the Virasoro algebra. The semi-infinite Weil complex of a tame -graded Lie algebra was defined in 1991 by Feigin-Frenkel, and they computed the linear structure of its cohomology in the case of the Virasoro algebra. We build on this result by giving an explicit generator for each non-zero cohomology class, and describing all algebraic relations in the sense of Lian-Zuckerman, among these generators.     

Transitive Novikov Algebras on Four-Dimensional Nilpotent Lie Algebras

Novikov algebras were introduced in connection with the Poisson brackets (of hydrodynamic type) and Hamiltonian operators in the formal variational calculus. The commutator of a Novikov algebra is a Lie algebra, and the radical of a finite-dimensional Novikov algebra is transitive. In this paper, we give a classification of transitive Novikov algebras on four-dimensional nilpotent Lie algebras based on Kim (1986, Journal of Differential Geometry 24, 373–394).     

Inverse backscattering in two dimensions

We interpretN=2 superconformal field theories (SCFTs) formulated by Kazama and Suzuki via Goddard-Kent-Olive (GKO) construction from a viewpoint of the Lie algebra cohomology theory for the affine Lie algebra. We determine the cohomology group completely in terms of a certain subset of the affine Weyl group. We find that this subset describing the cohomology group can be obtained from its classical counterpart by the action of the Dynkin diagram automorphisms. Some algebra automorphisms of theN=2 superconformal algebra are also formulated. Utilizing the algebra automorphisms, we study the field identification problem for the branching coefficient modules in the GKO-construction. Also the structure of the Poincaré polynomial defined for eachN=2 theory is revealed.Dedicated to Professor Noboru Tanaka on his sixtieth birthday     

Differential Graded Cohomology and Lie Algebras¶of Holomorphic Vector Fields

This article continues work of B. L. Feigin [5] and N. Kawazumi [15] on the Gelfand-Fuks cohomology of the Lie algebra of holomorphic vector fields on a complex manifold. As this is not always an interesting Lie algebra (for example, it is 0 for a compact Riemann surface of genus greater than 1), one looks for other objects having locally the same cohomology. The answer is a cosimplicial Lie algebra and a differential graded Lie algebra (well known in Kodaira–Spencer deformation theory). We calculate the corresponding cohomologies and the result is very similar to the result of A. Haefliger [12], R. Bott and G. Segal [2] in the case of vector fields. Applications are in conformal field theory (for Riemann surfaces), deformation theory and foliation theory. Received: 25 February 1999 / Accepted: 20 July 1999     

Chiral Equivariant Cohomology of a Point: A First Look

The chiral equivariant cohomology contains and generalizes the classical equivariant cohomology of a manifold M with an action of a compact Lie group G. For any simple G, there exist compact manifolds with the same classical equivariant cohomology, which can be distinguished by this invariant. When M is a point, this cohomology is an interesting conformal vertex algebra whose structure is still mysterious. In this paper, we scratch the surface of this object in the case G = SU(2).     

A bicovariant differential algebra of a quantum group

A bicovariant differential algebra of four basic objects (coordinate functions, differential 1-forms, Lie derivatives and inner derivations) within a differential calculus on a quantum group is shown to be produced by a direct application of the cross-product construction to the Woronowicz differential complex, whose Hopf algebra properties account for the bicovariance of the algebra. A correspondence with classical differential calculus, including Cartan identity, and some other useful relations are considered. An explicit construction of a bicovariant differential algebra on GL_q(N) is given and its (co)module properties are discussed.     

Essential Variational Poisson Cohomology

In our recent paper “The variational Poisson cohomology” (2011) we computed the dimension of the variational Poisson cohomology for any quasiconstant coefficient ℓ × ℓ matrix differential operator K of order N with invertible leading coefficient, provided that is a normal algebra of differential functions over a linearly closed differential field. In the present paper we show that, for K skewadjoint, the -graded Lie superalgebra is isomorphic to the finite dimensional Lie superalgebra . We also prove that the subalgebra of “essential” variational Poisson cohomology, consisting of classes vanishing on the Casimirs of K, is zero. This vanishing result has applications to the theory of bi-Hamiltonian structures and their deformations. At the end of the paper we consider also the translation invariant case.     

Semiinfinite Cohomology of Quantum Groups

We define a new cohomology theory of associative algebras called semiinfinite cohomology in the derived categories' setting. We investigate the case of a small quantum group u, calculate semiinfinite cohomology spaces of the trivial u-module and express them in terms of local cohomology of the nilpotent cone for the corresponding semisimple Lie algebra. We discuss the connection between the semiinfinite homology of u and the conformal blocks' spaces. Received: 14 October 1996 / Accepted: 25 February 1997     

Locally Conformal Dirac Structures and Infinitesimal Automorphisms

We study the main properties of locally conformal Dirac bundles, which include Dirac structures on a manifold and locally conformal symplectic manifolds. It is proven that certain locally conformal Dirac bundles induce Jacobi structures on quotient manifolds. Furthermore we show that, given a locally conformal Dirac bundle over a smooth manifold M, there is a Lie homomorphism between a subalgebra of the Lie algebra of infinitesimal automorphisms and the Lie algebra of admissible functions. We also show that Dirac manifolds can be obtained from locally conformal Dirac bundles by using an appropriate covering map. Finally, we extend locally conformal Dirac bundles to the context of Lie algebroids.     

Symplectic reduction,BRS cohomology,and infinite-dimensional Clifford algebras

This paper gives the mathematical foundations for the BRS quantization procedure. We first discuss the classical finite dimensional BRS procedure and relate it to Marsden-Weinstein reduction. This leads to interesting relations between Lie algebras and Clifford algebras and a novel way of computing Lie algebra cohomology in terms of the spin representation. We then discuss infinite-dimensional Clifford algebras and their spin representations. We find that in the infinite-dimensional case, the analog of the finite-dimensional construction of Lie algebra cohomology breaks down, the obstruction (anomaly) being the Kac-Peterson class which is the cohomology class associated to the representation of the Lie algebra on spinors which is now only a projective representation. Tensoring by a projective representation of opposite class kills the obstruction and gives rise to a cohomology theory and a quantization procedure. We discuss the gradings and Hermitian structures on the absolute and relative complexes.     

Quantum Lie Algebras, Their Existence, Uniqueness and q-Antisymmetry

Quantum Lie algebras are generalizations of Lie algebras which have the quantum parameter h built into their structure. They have been defined concretely as certain submodules of the quantized enveloping algebras . On them the quantum Lie product is given by the quantum adjoint action. Here we define for any finite-dimensional simple complex Lie algebra an abstract quantum Lie algebra independent of any concrete realization. Its h-dependent structure constants are given in terms of inverse quantum Clebsch-Gordan coefficients. We then show that all concrete quantum Lie algebras are isomorphic to an abstract quantum Lie algebra . In this way we prove two important properties of quantum Lie algebras: 1) all quantum Lie algebras associated to the same are isomorphic, 2) the quantum Lie product of any is q-antisymmetric. We also describe a construction of which establishes their existence. Received: 23 May 1996 / Accepted: 17 October 1996     

BRST Cohomology and Phase Space Reduction in Deformation Quantization

In this article we consider quantum phase space reduction when zero is a regular value of the momentum map. By analogy with the classical case we define the BRST cohomology in the framework of deformation quantization. We compute the quantum BRST cohomology in terms of a "quantum" Chevalley-Eilenberg cohomology of the Lie algebra on the constraint surface. To prove this result, we construct an explicit chain homotopy, both in the classical and quantum case, which is constructed out of a prolongation of functions on the constraint surface. We have observed the phenomenon that the quantum BRST cohomology cannot always be used for quantum reduction, because generally its zero part is no longer a deformation of the space of all smooth functions on the reduced phase space. But in case the group action is "sufficiently nice", e.g. proper (which is the case for all compact Lie group actions), it is shown for a strongly invariant star product that the BRST procedure always induces a star product on the reduced phase space in a rather explicit and natural way. Simple examples and counterexamples are discussed.     

BRST cohomology for certain reducible topological symmetries

In this paper, two different definitions of the BRST complex are connected. We obtain the BRST complex of topological quantum field theories (leading to equivariant cohomology) from the standard definition of the classical BRST complex (leading to Lie algebra cohomology) provided that we include ghosts for ghosts. Hereby, we use a finite dimensional model with a semi-direct product action ofH DiffM on a configuration spaceM, whereH is a compact Lie group representing the gauge symmetry in this model.     

Homology of Lie algebra of supersymmetries and of super Poincaré Lie algebra

We study the homology and cohomology groups of super Lie algebras of supersymmetries and of super Poincaré Lie algebras in various dimensions. We give complete answers for (non-extended) supersymmetry in all dimensions ?11. For dimensions D=10,11 we describe also the cohomology of reduction of supersymmetry Lie algebra to lower dimensions. Our methods can be applied to extended supersymmetry Lie algebras.     

Two-dimensional topological gravity and equivariant cohomology

The analogy between topological string theory and equivariant cohomology for differentiable actions of the circle group on manifolds has been widely remarked on. One of our aims in this paper is to make this analogy precise. We show that topological string theory is the derived functor of semi-relative cohomology, just as equivariant cohomology is the derived functor of basic cohomology. That homological algebra finds a place in the study of topological string theory should not surprise the reader, granted that topological string theory is the conformal field theorist's algebraic topology.In [7], we have shown that the cohomology of a topological conformal field theory carries the structure of a batalin-Vilkovisky algebra (actually, two commuting such structures, corresponding to the two chiral sectors of the theory). In the second part of this paper, we describe the analogous algebraic structure on the equivariant cohomology of a topological conformal field theory: we call this structure a gravity algebra. This algebraic structure is a certain generalization of a Lie algebra, and is distinguished by the fact that it has an infinite sequence of independent operations {a ₁, ...,a _k },k2, satisfying quadratic relations generalizing the Jacobi rule. (The operad underlying the category of gravity algebras has been studied independently by Ginzburg-Kapranov [9].)The author is grateful to M. Bershadsky, E. Frenkel, M. Kapranov, G. Moore, R. Plesser and G. Zuckerman for the many ways in which they helped in the writing of this paper; also to the Department of Mathematics at Yale University for its hospitality while part of this paper was written.The author is partially supported by a fellowship of the Sloan Foundation and a research grant of the NSF.     

Explicit form and convergence of 1-differential formal deformations of the poisson Lie algebra

Introducing the notion of an admissible graded Lie subalgebra A of the Nijenhui-Richardson algebra A(V) of the vector space V, it is shown that each cohomology class of a subcomplex C _A of the Chevalley-Eilenberg complex (C ⁰ M), extends in a cononical way as a graded cohomology class of weight — 1 of A. Applying this when V is the space N of smooth functions of a smooth manifold M, shows that the de Rham cohomology of M is induced by the graded cohomology of weight — 1 of the Schouten graded Lie algebra of M. This allows us to construct explicitly all 1-differential, nc formal deformations of the Poisson bracket of a symplectic manifold. The construction also applies for an arbitrary Poisson manifold but leads to only part of these deformations when the structure degenerates, as shown by an example.