We compute the Hermitian sector of the relative BRST cohomology of the spacelike and timelike Liouville theories with generic real central charge $c_L$ in each case, coupled to a spacelike Coulomb gas and a generic transverse CFT. This paper is a companion of arXiv:1905.12689, and its main goal is to completely characterize the cohomology of the timelike theory with $c_L \le 1$ which was defined there. We also apply our formulas to revisit the BRST cohomology of the spacelike Liouville theory with $c_L > 1$, which includes generalized minimal gravity. We prove a no-ghost theorem for the Hermitian sector in the timelike theory and for some spacelike models.
A proper definition of the path integral of quantum gravity has been a long-standing puzzle because the Weyl factor of the Euclidean metric has a wrong-sign kinetic term. We propose a definition of two-dimensional Liouville quantum gravity with cosmological constant using conformal bootstrap for the timelike Liouville theory coupled to supercritical matter. We prove a no-ghost theorem for the states in the BRST cohomology. We show that the four-point function constructed by gluing the timelike Liouville three-point functions is well defined and crossing symmetric (numerically) for external Lio…
We study the relation between the $SL(2,R)/U(1)$ black hole and the $c=1$ Liouville theory. A deformation, which interpolates the BRST operators of both models, is explicitly constructed. This interpolation is isomorphic, and the physical spectrum of the black hole is equivalent to that of the $c=1$ model tensored by a topological $U(1)/U(1)$ model. Some implications of the deformation are discussed.
We consider timelike Liouville theory with FZZT-like boundary conditions. The bulk one-point and boundary two-point structure constants on a disk are derived using bootstrap. We find that these structure constants are not the analytic continuations of their spacelike counterparts.
In a recent paper, D. Harlow, J. Maltz, and E. Witten showed that a particular proposal for the timelike Liouville three-point function, originally due to Al. Zamolodchikov and to I. Kostov and V. Petkova, can actually be computed by the original Liouville path integral evaluated on a new integration cycle. Here, we discuss a Coulomb gas computation of the timelike three-point function and show that an analytic extension of the Selberg type integral formulas involved reproduces the same expression, including the adequate normalization. A notable difference with the spacelike calculation is poi…
Liouville theory with a negative norm boson and no screening charge corresponds to an exact classical solution of closed bosonic string theory describing time-dependent bulk tachyon condensation. A simple expression for the two point function is proposed based on renormalization/analytic continuation of the known results for the ordinary (positive-norm) Liouville theory. The expression agrees exactly with the minisuperspace result for the closed string pair-production rate (which diverges at finite time). Puzzles concerning the three-point function are presented and discussed.
While the Euclidean two-dimensional gravitational path integral is in general highly fluctuating, it admits a semiclassical two-sphere saddle if coupled to a matter CFT with large and positive central charge. In Weyl gauge this gravity theory is known as timelike Liouville theory, and is conjectured to be a non-unitary two-dimensional CFT. We explore the semiclassical limit of timelike Liouville theory by calculating the two-sphere partition function from the perspective of the path integral to three-loop order, extending the work in 2106.01665. We also compare our result to the conjectured al…
Two-dimensional supergravity theory is quantized as an anomalous gauge theory. In the Batalin-Fradkin (BF) formalism, the anomaly-canceling super-Liouville fields are introduced to identify the original second-class constrained system with a gauge-fixed version of a first-class system. The BFV-BRST quantization applies to formulate the theory in the most general class of gauges. A local effective action constructed in the configuration space contains two super-Liouville actions; one is a noncovariant but local functional written only in terms of 2D supergravity fields, and the other contains t…
Based on a path integral prescription for anomaly calculation, we analyze an effective theory of the two-dimensional $N=2$ supergravity, i.e., $N=2$ super-Liouville theory. We calculate the anomalies associated with the BRST supercurrent and the ghost number supercurrent. From those expressions of anomalies, we construct covariant BRST and ghost number supercurrents in the effective theory. We then show that the (super-)coordinate BRST current algebra forms a superfield extension of the topological conformal algebra for an {\it arbitrary\/} type of conformal matter or, in terms of the string t…
The BRST invariance condition in a highest-weight representation of the topological ($\equiv$ twisted $N=2$) algebra captures the `invariant' content of two-dimensional gravity coupled to matter. The standard DDK formulation is recovered by splitting the topological generators into $c=-26$ reparametrization ghosts+matter +`Liouville', while a similar splitting involving $c=-2$ ghosts gives rise to the matter dressed in exactly the way required in order that the theory be equivalent to Virasoro constraints on the KP hierarchy. The two dressings of matter with the `Liouville' differ also by thei…
We show how by assuming at least 8 real timelike supersymmetries in the maximally supersymmetric three-dimensional ungauged supergravity and a further simplifying Ansatz, we are naturally led to a pair of Liouville field equations. We also show that there are no solutions that preserve only 6 real timelike supersymmetries. The solution relies on the classification of complex spinors of Spin(8) to which the problem quickly reduces.
Timelike Liouville theory admits the sphere $\mathbb{S}^{2}$ as a real saddle point, about which quantum fluctuations can occur. An issue occurs when computing the expectation values of specific types of quantities, like the distance between points. The problem being that the gauge redundancy of the path integral over metrics is not completely fixed even after fixing to conformal gauge by imposing $g_{μν} = e^{2\bϕ}\tilde{g}_{μν}$, where $ϕ$ is the Liouville field and $\tilde{g}_{μν}$ is a reference metric. The physical metric $g_{μν}$, and therefore the path integral over metrics still posses…
We generalize the ground ring structure to all special BRST invariant operators in the right branch in the c=1 Liouville theory. We also discuss correlation functions of special states on the sphere.
We reformulate the conditions of Liouville integrability in the language of Gozzi et al.'s quantum BRST anti-BRST description of classical mechanics. The Das-Okubo geometrical Lax equation is particularly suited to this approach. We find that the Lax pair and inverse scattering wavefunction appear naturally in certain sectors of the quantum theory.
We describe the (chiral) BRST-cohomology of matter with central charge $1<c_M<25$ coupled to a ``Liouville" theory, realized as a free field with a background charge $Q_L$ such that $c_M+c_L=26$. We consider two cases: a) matter is realized by one free field with an imaginary background charge, b) matter is realized by $D$ free fields: $c_M =D$. In case a) the cohomology states can be labelled by integers $r,s$ of a rotated $c_M =1$ theory, but hermiticity imposes $r=s$. Thus there is still a discrete set of momenta $p_M(r,r),\ p_L(r,r)$ such that there are non- trivial (relative) cohomology s…
The timelike boundary Liouville (TBL) conformal field theory consisting of a negative norm boson with an exponential boundary interaction is considered. TBL and its close cousin, a positive norm boson with a non-hermitian boundary interaction, arise in the description of the $c=1$ accumulation point of $c<1$ minimal models, as the worldsheet description of open string tachyon condensation in string theory and in scaling limits of superconductors with line defects. Bulk correlators are shown to be exactly soluble. In contrast, due to OPE singularities near the boundary interaction, the computat…
On the three-point functions in timelike N=1 Liouville CFT
School of Natural Sciences, Institute for Advanced Study（高等研究院自然科学院）；Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, CEA, Institut de Physique Théorique（巴黎萨克雷大学、法国国家科学研究中心、法国原子能和替代能源委员会、理论物理研究所）
We consider the M(2,3) Minimal Liouville gravity, whose states in the gravity sector are represented by irreducible modules of the Virasoro algebra. We present a recursive construction for BRST cohomology classes. This construction is based on using an explicit form of singular vectors in irreducible modules of the Virasoro algebra. We construct an algebra of operators acting on the BRST cohomology space. The operator algebra of physical states is established by use of these operators.
In this paper, we mainly investigate the $W_{2,s}^{M}\otimes W_{2,s}^{L}$ system, in which the matter and the Liouville subsystems generate $W_{2,s}^{M}$ and $W_{2,s}^L$ algebras respectively. We first give a brief discussion of the physical states for corresponding $W$ stings. The lower states are given by freezing the spin-2 and spin-$s$ currents. Then, introducing two pairs of ghost-like fields, we give the realizations of $W_{1,2,s}$ algebras. Based on these linear realizations, BRST operators for $W_{2,s}$ algebras are obtained. Finally, we construct new BRST charges of Liouville system f…
We study the BRST cohomology for two-dimensional supergravity coupled to $\hat c \leq 1$ superconformal matter in the conformal gauge. The super-Liouville and superconformal matters are represented by free scalar fields $ϕ^L$ and $ϕ^M$ and fermions $ψ^L$ and $ψ^M$, respectively, with suitable background charges, and these are coupled in such a way that the BRST charge is nilpotent. The physical states of the full theory are determined for NS and R sectors. It is shown that there are extra states with ghost number $N_{FP}=0,\pm 1$ for discrete momenta other than the degree of freedom correspond…
Motivated by recent works on the connection between 2D quantum gravity and timelike Liouville theory, we revisit the latter and clarify some aspects of the computation of its partition function: We present a detailed computation of the Liouville partition function on the fluctuating sphere at finite values of the central charge. The results for both the spacelike theory and the timelike theory are given, and their properties analyzed. We discuss the derivation of the partition function from the DOZZ formula, its derivation using the Coulomb gas approach, a semiclassical computation of it using…
The BRST cohomology analysis of Lian and Zuckerman leads to physical states at all ghost number for $c<1$ matter coupled to Liouville gravity. We show how these states are related to states at ghost numbers zero(pure vertex operator states -- DK states) and ghost number one(ring elements) by means of descent equations. These descent equations follow from the double cohomology of the String BRST and Felder BRST operators. We briefly discuss how the ring elements allow one to determine all correlation functions on the sphere.
The full cohomology ring of the Lian-Zuckerman type operators (states) in ${\hat c_M}<1$ Neveu-Schwarz-Ramond (NSR) string theory is argued to be generated by three elements $x$, $y$ and $w$ in analogy with the corresponding results in the bosonic case. The ground ring generators $x$ and $y$ are non-invertible and belong to the Ramond sector whereas the higher ghost number operators are generated by an invertible element $w$ with ghost number one less than that of the ground ring generators and belongs to either Neveu-Schwarz (NS) or Ramond (R) sector depending on whether we consider (even, ev…
We consider BRST quantized 2D gravity coupled to conformal matter with arbitrary central charge $c^M = c(p,q) < 1$ in the conformal gauge. We apply a Lian-Zuckerman $SO(2,\bbc)$ ($(p,q)$ - dependent) rotation to Witten's $c^M = 1$ chiral ground ring. We show that the ring structure generated by the (relative BRST cohomology) discrete states in the (matter $\otimes$ Liouville $\otimes$ ghosts) Fock module may be obtained by this rotation. We give also explicit formulae for the discrete states. For some of them we use new formulae for $c <1$ Fock modules singular vectors which we present in term…
We argue that the closed string energy in the bulk bouncing tachyon background is to be quantised in a simple manner as if strings were trapped in a finite time interval. We discuss it from three different viewpoints; (1) the timelike continuation of the sinh-Gordon model, (2) the dual matrix model description of the (1+1)-dimensional string theory with the bulk bouncing tachyon condensate, (3) the c_L=1 limit of the timelike Liouville theory with the dual Liouville potential turned on. There appears to be a parallel between the bulk bouncing tachyon and the full S-brane of D-brane decay. We f…
We investigate the cohomology structure of a general noncritical $W_N$-string. We do this by introducing a new basis in the Hilbert space in which the BRST operator splits into a ``nested'' sum of nilpotent BRST operators. We give explicit details for the case $N=3$. In that case the BRST operator $Q$ can be written as the sum of two, mutually anticommuting, nilpotent BRST operators: $Q=Q_0+Q_1$. We argue that if one chooses for the Liouville sector a $(p,q)$ $W_3$ minimal model then the cohomology of the $Q_1$ operator is closely related to a $(p,q)$ Virasoro minimal model. In particular, the…
We discuss a realization of the bosonic string as a noncritical $W_3$-string. The relevant noncritical $W_3$-string is characterized by a Liouville sector which is restricted to a (non-unitary) $(3,2)$ $W_3$ minimal model with central charge contribution $c_l = - 2$. Furthermore, the matter sector of this $W_3$-string contains $26$ free scalars which realize a critical bosonic string. The BRST operator for this $W_3$-string can be written as the sum of two, mutually anticommuting, nilpotent BRST operators: $Q = Q_0 + Q_1$ in such a way that the scalars which realize the bosonic string appear o…
The continuation of the Liouville conformal field theory to c<=1 is considered. The viability of an interpretation involving a timelike boson which is the conformal factor for two-dimensional asymptotically de Sitter geometries is examined. The conformal bootstrap leads to a three-point function with a unique analytic factor which is the same as that which appears along with the fusion coefficients in the minimal models. A corresponding non-analytic factor produces a well-defined metric on fields only when the central charge is restricted to those of the topological minimal models, and when th…
We study $c<1$ matter coupled to gravity in the Coulomb gas formalism using the double cohomology of the string BRST and Felder BRST charges. We find that states outside the primary conformal grid are related to the states of non-zero ghost number by means of descent equations given by the double cohomology. Some aspects of the Virasoro structure of the Liouville Fock space are studied. As a consequence, states of non-zero ghost number are easily constructed by ``solving'' these descent equations. This enables us to map ghost number conserving correlation functions involving non-zero ghost num…
The continuum (Liouville) approach to the two-dimensional (2-D) quantum gravity is reviewed with particular attention to the $c=1$ conformal matter coupling, and new results on a related problem of dilaton gravity are reported. After finding the physical states, we examine the procedure to compute correlation functions. The physical states in the relative cohomology show up as intermediate state poles of the correlation functions. The states in the absolute cohomology but not in the relative cohomology arise as auxiliary fields in string field theory. The Liouville approach is applied also to …
