We investigate a string theoretic cosmological model in the context of the gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten model. Our model is based on a product of non-compact coset space and a spectator flat space; $[SL(2,R)/U(1)]_k \times {\bf R}^2$. We extend the formerly studied semiclassical consideration with infinite Kac-Moody level $k$ to a finite one. In this case, the tachyon field appears in the effective action, and we solve the Einstein equation to determine the behavior of tachyon as a function of time. We find that tachyon field dominates over dilaton field in early times. In particular, we consider the energy conditions of the matter fields consisting of the dilaton and the tachyon which affect the initial singularity. We find that not only the strong energy but also the null energy condition is violated.
Gluing conditions are proposed to characterize the D-branes in gauged WZW models. From them the boundary conditions for the group-valued and the subgroup-valued fields are determined. We construct a gauged WZW action for open strings that coincides classically with those written previously, when the gluing conditions are imposed.
Some remarks are made about free anomaly groups in gauged WZW models. Considering a quite general action, anomaly cancellation is analyzed. The possibility of gauging left and right sectors independently in some cases is remarked. In particular Toda theories can be seen as such a kind of models.
Gauged WZW and coset models are known to be useful to prove holomorphic factorization of the partition function of WZW and coset models. In this note we show that these gauged models can be also important to quantize the theory in the context of the Berezin formalism. For gauged coset models Berezin quantization procedure also admits a further holomorphic factorization in the complex structure of the moduli space.
As shown by Witten the N=1 supersymmetric gauged WZW model based on a group G has an extended N=2 supersymmetry if the gauged subgroup H is so chosen that G/H is Kahler. We extend Witten's result and prove that the N=1 supersymmetric gauged WZW models over G X U(1) are actually invariant under N=4 superconformal transformations if the gauged subgroup H is such that G/HXSU(2) is a quaternionic symmetric space. A previous construction of "maximal" N=4 superconformal algebras with SU(2)XSU(2)XU(1) symmetry is reformulated and further developed so as to relate them to the N=4 gauged WZW models. Ba…
We consider two different versions of gauged WZW theories with the exceptional groups and gauged with any of theirs null subgroups. By constructing suitable automorphism, we establish the equivalence of these two theories. On the other hand our automorphism, relates the two dual irreducible Riemannian globally symmetric spaces with different characters based on the corresponding exceptional Lie groups.
The Wess-Zumino-Witten (WZW) theory has a global symmetry denoted by $G_L\otimes G_R$. In the standard gauged WZW theory, vector gauge fields (\ie\ with vector gauge couplings) are in the adjoint representation of the subgroup $H \subset G$. In this paper, we show that, in the conformal limit in two dimensions, there is a gauged WZW theory where the gauge fields are chiral and belong to the subgroups $H_L$ and $H_R$ where $H_L$ and $H_R$ can be different groups. In the special case where $H_L=H_R$, the theory is equivalent to vector gauged WZW theory. For general groups $H_L$ and $H_R$, an exa…
Dynamics of D-branes on $SU(2)/U(1)$ gauged WZW model are investigated. We find the effective action for infinite $k$, where $k$ is the level of WZW model. We also consider finite $k$ correction to the effective action which is compatible with Fedosov's deformation quantization of the background.
Following recent work on the effective quantum action of gauged WZW models, we suggest such an action for {\it chiral} gauged WZW models which in many respects differ from the usual gauged WZW models. Using the effective action we compute the conformally exact expressions for the metric, the antisymmetric tensor, and the dilaton fields in the $\s$-model arising from a general {\it chiral } gauged WZW model. We also obtain the general solution of the geodesic equations in the exact geometry. Finally we consider in some detail a three dimensional model which has certain similarities with the thr…
We study the "topological gauged WZW model associated with $SU(2)/U(1)$",which is defined as the twisted version of the corresponding supersymmetric gauged WZW model. It is shown that this model is equivalent to a topological conformal field theory characterized by two independent topological conformal algebras, one of which is the "twisted Kazama-Suzuki type" and the other is "twisted Coulomb gas type". We further show that our formalism of this gauged WZW model naturally reduces to the well-known formulations of 2D gravity coupled with conformal matter; one of the gauge choices leads to the …
It is known that Liouville theory can be represented as an SL(2,R) gauged WZW model. We study a two dimensional field theory which can be obtained by analytically continuing some of the variables in the SL(2,R) gauged WZW model. We can derive Liouville theory from the analytically continued model, ( which is a gauged SL(2,C)/SU(2) model, ) in a similar but more rigorous way than from the original gauged WZW model. We investigate the observables of this gauged SL(2,C)/SU(2) model. We find infinitely many extra observables which can not be identified with operators in Liouville theory. We concen…
It is proved that Liouville theory and the two dimensional SO(2,1) gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten term are on-shell equivalent. This shed light on a possible higher dimensional generalization of the former theory.
The algebraic classification of Cardy for boundary states on a $G/H$ coset CFT of a compact group G, is geometrically realized on the corresponding manifold resulting from gauging the WZW model. The branes consist of H orbits of quantized G conjugacy classes shifted by quantized H conjugacy classes.
In this note we examine some semiclassical features of D-branes in the SL(2)/U(1) gauged WZW model and determine the small fluctuation spectra for one class of branes. We compare our results with expectations from the CFT side.
We review the construction of extended ( N=2 and N=4 ) superconformal algebras over triple systems and the gauged WZW models invariant under them. The N=2 superconformal algebras (SCA) realized over Freudenthal triple systems (FTS) admit extension to ``maximal'' N=4 SCA's with SU(2)XSU(2)XU(1) symmetry. A detailed study of the construction and classification of N=2 and N=4 SCA's over Freudenthal triple systems is given. We conclude with a study and classification of gauged WZW models with N=4 superconformal symmetry.
The two flavour, four dimensional WZW model coupled to electromagnetism, is treated as a constraint system in the context of the Faddeev-Jackiw approach. No approximation is made. Detailed exposition of the calculations is given. Solution of the constraints followed by proper Darboux's transformations leads to an unconstrained Coulomb-gauge Lagrangian density.
We suggest how to derive the exact (all order in $\a'$) expressions for the background fields for string solutions corresponding to gauged WZW models directly at the $2d$ field theory level. One is first to replace the classical gauged WZW action by the quantum effective one and then to integrate out the gauge field. We find the explicit expression for the gauge invariant non-local effective action of the gauged WZW model. The two terms (corresponding to the group and subgroup) which appear with the same coefficients in the classical action get different $k$-dependent coefficients in the effec…
We construct D-branes in the Nappi-Witten (NW) and Guadagnini-Martellini-Mintchev (GMM) gauged WZW models. For the $SL(2,R)\times SU(2)/U(1)\times U(1)$ NW and $SU(2)\times SU(2)/U(1)$ GMM models we present the explicit equations describing the D-brane hypersurfaces in their target spaces. In the latter case we show that the D-branes are classified according to the Cardy theorem. We also present the semiclassical mass computation and find its agreement with the CFT predictions.
The two-flavor Wess-Zumino model coupled to electromagnetism is treated as a constraint system using the Faddeev-Jackiw method. Expanding into series of powers of the pion fields and keeping terms up to second and third order we obtain Coulomb- gauge Lagrangeans containing non-local terms.
We present a derivation of the N=1 and N=2 superconformal coset constructions starting from a supersymmetric WZW model where a diagonal subgroup has been gauged. We work in the general framework of self-dual (not necessarily reductive) Lie algebras; but even in the reductive case these results are new. We show that the BRST cohomology of the gauged supersymmetric WZW model contains the N=1 (and if it exists also the N=2) coset generators. We also extend the BRST analysis to show that the BRST cohomology of the supersymmetric WZW model agrees with that of an ordinary bosonic WZW model (in a rep…
We discuss the four-dimensional target-space interpretation of bosonic strings based on gauged WZW models, in particular of those based on the non-compact coset space $SL(2,{\bf R})\times SO(1,1)^2 /SO(1,1)$. We show that these theories lead, apart from the recently broadly discussed black-hole type of backgrounds, to cosmological string backgrounds, such as an expanding Universe. Which of the two cases is realized depends on the sign of the level of the corresponding Kac-Moody algebra. We discuss various aspects of these new cosmological string backgrounds.
We consider Hanany-Witten setups of 3- and 5-branes in type IIB string theory that realize N=(1,0),(2,0) and (1,1) gauged WZW models in 1+1 dimensions. The gauged WZW models arise as theories residing on the boundary of D3 branes ending on D5 branes. From the point of view of low energy dynamics the D5 branes play the role of half-BPS co-dimension-1 defects (domain walls) in 3d N=1 or N=2 Chern-Simons theories. Extending the analysis of previous works on the subject of boundary conditions in (supersymmetric) Chern-Simons theory, we discuss in detail the field theory construction of a large cla…
The problem of computing systematically the gauge invariant extension of WZW term through equivariant cohomology is addressed. The analysis done by Witten in the two-dimensional case is extended to the four-dimensional ones. While Cartan's model is used to find the anomaly cancelation condition. It is shown that the Weil model is more appropriated to find the gauge invariant extension of the WZW term. In the process we point out that Weil's and Cartan's models are also useful to stress some connections with the abelian anomaly.
We show that one can construct D-branes in parafermionic and WZW theories (and their orbifolds) which have very natural geometrical interpretations, and yet are not automatically included in the standard Cardy construction of D-branes in rational conformal field theory. The relation between these theories and their T-dual description leads to an analogy between these D-branes and the familiar A-branes and B-branes of N=2 theories.
The four dimensional SU(3) WZW model coupled to electromagnetism is treated as a constrained system in the context of Batalin-Fradkin- Vilkovisky formalism. It is shown that this treatment is equivalent to the Faddeev-Jackiw (FJ) approach. It is also shown that the field redefinitions that transform the fields of the model into BRST and $σ$ closed are actually the Darboux's transformations used in the FJ formalism.
The four dimensional SU(2) WZW model coupled to elecromagnetism is treated as a constraint system in the context of the BFV approach. We show that the Darboux's transformations which are used to diagonalize the canonical one-form in the Faddeev-Jackiw formalism, transform the fields of the model into BRST invariant ones. The same analysis is also carried out in the case of spinor electrodynamics.
We consider WZW models based on the non-semi-simple algebras that they were recently constructed as contractions of corresponding algebras for semi-simple groups. We give the explicit expression for the action of these models, as well as for a generalization of them, and discuss their general properties. Furthermore we consider gauged WZW models based on these non-semi-simple algebras and we show that there are equivalent to non-abelian duality transformations on WZW actions. We also show that a general non-abelian duality transformation can be thought of as a limiting case of the non-abelian …
It is shown that the asymmetric chiral gauging of the WZW models give rise to consistent string backgrounds. The target space structure of the ${[{SL(2,\Re)/ {SO(1,1)}}]}_L \bigotimes {[{SL(2,\Re)/U(1)}]}_R$ model is analyzed and the presence of a hidden isometry in this background is demonstrated. A nonlinear coordinate transformation is obtained which transforms the asymmetric model to the symmetric one, analyzed recently by two of the present authors.
Witten recently gave further evidence for the conjectured relationship between the $A$ series of the $N=2$ minimal models and certain Landau-Ginzburg models by computing the elliptic genus for the latter. The results agree with those of the $N=2$ minimal models, as can be calculated from the known characters of the discrete series representations of the $N=2$ superconformal algebra. The $N=2$ minimal models also have a Lagrangian representation as supersymmetric gauged WZW models. We calculate the elliptic genera, interpreted as a genus one path integral with twisted boundary conditions, for s…
We construct D-branes in a left-right asymmetrically gauged WZW model, with the gauge subgroup embedded differently on the left and the right of the group element. The symmetry-preserving boundary conditions for the group-valued field $g$ are described, and the corresponding action is found. When the subgroup $H=U(1)$, we can implement T-duality on the axially gauged WZW action; an orbifold of the vectorially gauged theory is produced. For the parafermion $SU(2)/U(1)$ coset model, a $σ$-model is obtained with vanishing gauge field on D-branes. We show that a boundary condition surviving from t…
We modify the $SL(2,{\bf R})/U(1)$ WZW theory, which was shown to describe strings in a 2D black hole, to be invariant under chiral $U(1)$ gauge symmetry by introducing a Steukelberg field. We impose several interesting gauge conditions for the chiral $U(1)$ symmetry. In a paticular gauge the theory is found to be reduced to the Liouville theory coupled to the $c=1$ matter perturbed by the so-called black hole mass operator. Also we discuss the physical states in the models briefly.
We study quantum intergrable systems of interacting particles from the point of view, proposed in our previous paper. We obtain Calogero-Moser and Sutherland systems as well their Ruijsenaars relativistic generalization by a Hamiltonian reduction of integrable systems on the cotangent bundles over semi-simple Lie algebras, their affine algebras and central extensions of loop groups respectively. The corresponding 2d field theories form a tower of deformations. The top of this tower is gauged G/G WZW model on a cylinder with inserted Wilson line in appropriate representation.
To any non-trivial embedding of sl(2) in a (super) Lie algebra, one can associate an extension of the Virasoro algebra. We realize the extended Virasoro algebra in terms of a WZW model in which a chiral, solvable group is gauged, the gauge group being determined by the sl(2) embedding. The resulting BRST cohomology is computed and the field content of the extended Virasoro algebra is determined. The (quantum) closure of the extended Virasoro algebra is shown. Applications such as the quantum Miura transformation and the effective action of the associated extended gravity theory are discussed i…
We investigate the G/G gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten model on a Riemann surface from the point of view of the algebraic Bethe Ansatz for the phase model. After localization procedure is applied to the G/G gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten model, the diagonal components for group elements satisfy Bethe Ansatz equations for the phase model. We show that the partition function of the G/G gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten model is identified as the summation of norms with respect to all the eigenstates of the Hamiltonian with the fixed number of particles in the phase model. We also consider relations between the Che…
We consider a class of sigma models that appears from a generalisation of the gauged WZW model parametrised by a constant matrix $Q$. Particular values of $Q$ correspond to the standard gauged WZW models, chiral gauged WZW models and a bosonised version of the non-abelian Thirring model. The condition of conformal invariance of the models (to one loop or $1/k$-order but exactly in $Q$) is derived and is represented as an algebraic equation on $Q$. Solving this equation we demonstrate explicitly the conformal invariance of the sigma models associated with arbitrary $G/H$ gauged and chiral gauge…
We study D-branes in the Nappi-Witten model, which is a gauged WZW model based on (SL(2,R) x SU(2)) / (U(1) x U(1)). The model describes a four dimensional space-time consisting of cosmological regions with big bang/big crunch singularities and static regions with closed time-like curves. The aim of this paper is to investigate by D-brane probes whether there are pathologies associated with the cosmological singularities and the closed time-like curves. We first classify D-branes in a group theoretical way, and then examine DBI actions for effective theories on the D-branes. In particular, we …
We construct various kinds of gauged noncommutative WZW models. In particular, axial gauged noncommutative U(2)/U(1) WZW model is studied and by integrating out the gauge fields, we obtain a noncommutative non-linear $σ$-model.
A general Lagrangian formulation of integrably deformed G/H-coset models is given. We consider the G/H-coset model in terms of the gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten action and obtain an integrable deformation by adding a potential energy term $Tr(gTg^{-1}\Tb )$, where algebra elements $T, \Tb $ belong to the center of the algebra {\bf h} associated with the subgroup H. We show that the classical equation of motion of the deformed coset model can be identified with the integrability condition of certain linear equations which makes the use of the inverse scattering method possible. Using the linear equ…
We study systems of multiple localized closed string tachyons and the phenomena associated with their condensation, in C3/ZN nonsupersymmetric noncompact orbifold singularities using gauged linear sigma model constructions, following hep-th/0406039. Our study reveals close connections between the combinatorics of nonsupersymmetric flip transitions (between topologically distinct resolutions of the original singularity), the physics of tachyons of different degrees of relevance and the singularity structure of the corresponding residual endpoint geometries. This in turn can be used to study the…
We present an effective quantum action for the gauged WZW model $G_{-k}/H_{-k}$. It is conjectured that it is valid to all orders of the central extension $(-k)$ on the basis that it reproduces the exact spacetime geometry of the zero modes that was previously derived in the algebraic Hamiltonian formalism. Besides the metric and dilaton, the new results that follow from this approach include the exact axion field and the solution of the geodesics in the exact geometry. It is found that the axion field is generally non-zero at higher orders of $1/k$ even if it vanishes at large $k$. We work ou…
We investigate the Kac-Moody algebra of noncommutative Wess-Zumino-Witten model and find its structure to be the same as the commutative case. Various kinds of gauged noncommutative WZW models are constructed. In particular, noncommutative $U(2)/U(1)$ WZW model is studied and by integrating out the gauge fields, we obtain a noncommutative non-linear $σ$-model.
We study some aspects of Gauged Linear Sigma Models corresponding to orbifold singularities of the form $\BC^r/Γ$, for $r=2,3$ and $Γ= \BZ_n$ and $\BZ_n\times \BZ_m$. These orbifolds might be tachyonic in general. We compute expressions for the multi parameter sigma model Lagrangians for these orbifolds, in terms of their toric geometry data. Using this, we analyze some aspects of the phases of generic orbifolds of $\BC^r$.
The three-flavour Wess-Zumino model coupled to electromagnetism is treated as a constraint system using the Faddeev-Jackiw method. Expanding into series of powers of the Goldstone boson fields and keeping terms up to second and third order we obtain Coulomb-gauge hamiltonian densities.
In this paper we investigate gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten models for space-time groups as gravitational theories, following the trend of recent work by Anabalon, Willison and Zanelli. We discuss the field equations in any dimension and study in detail the simplest case of two space-time dimensions and gauge group SO(2,1). For this model we study black hole solutions and we calculate their mass and entropy which resulted in a null value for both.
The tensionless limit of gauged WZW models arises when the level of the underlying Kac-Moody algebra assumes its critical value, equal to the dual Coxeter number, in which case the central charge of the Virasoro algebra becomes infinite. We examine this limit from the world-sheet and target space viewpoint and show that gravity decouples naturally from the spectrum. Using the two-dimensional black-hole coset SL(2,R)_k/U(1) as illustrative example, we find for k=2 that the world-sheet symmetry is described by a truncated version of W_{\infty} generated by chiral fields with integer spin s \geq …
We construct an exact CFT as an SL(2,R)xSU(2)/U(1)^2 gauged WZW model, which describes a black hole in 4 dimensions. Another exact solution, describing a black membrane in 4D (in the sense that the event horizon is an infinite plane) is found as an SL(2,R)xU(1)^2/U(1) gauged WZW model. Finally, we construct an exact solution of a 4D black hole with electromagnetic field, as an SL(2,R)xSU(2)xU(1)/U(1)^2 gauged WZW model. This black hole carries both electric and axionic charges.
We investigate the correspondence between two dimensional topological gauge theories and quantum integrable systems discovered by Moore, Nekrasov, Shatashvili. This correspondence means that the hidden quantum integrable structure exists in the topological gauge theories. We showed the correspondence between the G/G gauged WZW model and the phase model in JHEP 11 (2012) 146 (arXiv:1209.3800). In this paper, we study a one-parameter deformation for this correspondence and show that the G/G gauged WZW model coupled to additional matters corresponds to the q-boson model. Furthermore, we investiga…
In this paper two things are done. First it is shown how a four dimensional gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten term arises from the five dimensional Einstein-Hilbert plus Gauss-Bonnet lagrangian with a special choice of the coefficients. Second, the way in which the equations of motion of four-dimensional General Relativity arise is exhibited.
The orientifolds of SU(2)/U(1) gauged WZW models are investigated. In particular, we construct the new type orientifolds and identify their geometries. We closely follow the analysis of D-branes in the SU(2)/U(1) WZW models, which was given by Maldacena, Moore and Seiberg.
We study D-branes in the Lorentzian signature 2D black hole string theory. We use the technique of gauged WZW models to construct the associated boundary conformal field theories. The main focus of this work is to discuss the (semi-classical) world-volume geometries of the D-branes. We also discuss comparison of our work with results in related gauged WZW models.
We construct hybrid linear models in which the chiral anomaly of a gauged linear sigma model is canceled by the classical anomaly of a gauged WZW model. Semi-classically, this corresponds to fibering the WZW model over the naive target space of the sigma model. When the gauge group is abelian, we recover known non-Kahler compactifications; non-abelian models describe novel quasi-geometric flux vacua of the heterotic string.
We construct the Lax-pair, the classical monodromy matrix and the corresponding solution of the Yang--Baxter equation, for a two-parameter deformation of the Principal chiral model for a simple group. This deformation includes as a one-parameter subset, a class of integrable gauged WZW-type theories interpolating between the WZW model and the non-Abelian T-dual of the principal chiral model. We derive in full detail the Yangian algebra using two independent methods: by computing the algebra of the non-local charges and alternatively through an expansion of the Maillet brackets for the monodrom…
We have examined effective theory induced by gauged WZW models, in which the tachyon field is added as a marginal operator. Due to this operator added, we must further add the higher order corrections, which modifies the original configuration, to make the theory full-conformally invariant. It has been found that 2d is a critical dimension in the sense that the metric obtained from gauged WZW is modified by the tachyon condensation for $d>2$, but not for $d\le 2$.
We develop a field-theoretical approach to determination of the background target space fields corresponding to general $G/H$ coset conformal theories described by gauged WZW models. The basic idea is to identify the effective action of a gauged WZW theory with the effective action of a sigma model. The derivation of the quantum effective action in the gauged WZW theory is presented in detail, both in the bosonic and in the supersymmetric cases. We explain why and how one can truncate the effective action by omitting most of the non-local terms (thus providing a justification for some previous…
A class of two-dimensional topological conformal field theories (TCFTs) is studied within the framework of gauged WZW models in order to gain some insights on the global geometrical nature of TCFTs. The BRST quantizations of topological G/H gauged WZW models (the twisted versions of SUSY gauged WZW models) are given under fixed back-ground gauge fields. The BRST-cohomology of the system is investigated and the correlation functions among these physical observables are considered under the instanton back-grounds. As a consequence, two-dimensional BF gauge theoretical aspects of TCFTs are reveal…
We study two-dimensional WZW models with target space a nonreductive Lie group. Such models exist whenever the Lie group possesses a bi-invariant metric. We show that such WZW models provide a lagrangian description of the nonreductive (affine) Sugawara construction. We investigate the gauged WZW models and we prove that gauging a diagonal subgroup results in a conformal field theory which can be identified with a coset construction. A large class of exact four-dimensional string backgrounds arise in this fashion. We then study the topological conformal field theory resulting from the $G/G$ co…
In hep-th/9506151 we started a programme devoted to the systematic study of the conformal field theories derived from WZW models based on nonreductive Lie groups. In this, the second part, we continue this programme with a look at the N=1 and N=2 superconformal field theories which arise from both gauged and ungauged supersymmetric WZW models. We extend the supersymmetric (affine) Sugawara and coset constructions, as well as the N=2 Kazama--Suzuki construction to general self-dual Lie algebras.
We study what we call the all-loop anisotropic bosonized Thirring sigma model. This interpolates between the WZW model and the non-Abelian T-dual of the principal chiral model for a simple group. It has an invariance involving the inversion of the matrix parametrizing the coupling constants. We compute the general renormalization group flow equations which assume a remarkably simple form and derive its properties. For symmetric couplings, they consistently truncate to previous results in the literature. One of the examples we provide gives rise to a first order system of differential equations…
