ENGLISH

The W₃ algebra: modules, semi-infinite cohomology, and BV algebras

By Peter Bouwknegt , Jim McCarthy , Krzysztof Pilch

Book information

Publisher
Springer
Year
1996
ISBN
9783540615286, 3540615288
LCC
QC20.7.C14 B68 1996
Open Library ID
OL9061911M
Language
english
Format
PDF
Filesize
5 MB (5097875 bytes)
Series
Lecture Notes in Physics New Series M
Pages
213\213
Topic
Mathematics Algebra
Time added
2009-08-06 05:14:26

Description

W algebras are nonlinear generalizations of Lie algebras that arise in the context of two-dimensional conformal field theories when one explores higher-spin extensions of the Virasoro algebra. They provide the underlying symmetry algebra of certain string generalizations which allow the extended world sheet gravity. This book presents such gravity theories, concentrating on the algebra of physical operators determined from an analysis of the corresponding BRST cohomology. It develops the representation theory of W algebras needed to extend the standard techniques which were so successful in treating linear algebras. For certain strings corresponding to WN gravity we show that the operator cohomology has a natural geometric model. This result suggests new directions for the study of W geometry.

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