Author: Philippe Francesco
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9780387947853
Category : Gardening
Languages : en
Pages : 922
Book Description
Filling an important gap in the literature, this comprehensive text develops conformal field theory from first principles. The treatment is self-contained, pedagogical, and exhaustive, and includes a great deal of background material on quantum field theory, statistical mechanics, Lie algebras and affine Lie algebras. The many exercises, with a wide spectrum of difficulty and subjects, complement and in many cases extend the text. The text is thus not only an excellent tool for classroom teaching but also for individual study. Intended primarily for graduate students and researchers in theoretical high-energy physics, mathematical physics, condensed matter theory, statistical physics, the book will also be of interest in other areas of theoretical physics and mathematics. It will prepare the reader for original research in this very active field of theoretical and mathematical physics.
Conformal Field Theory
Author: Philippe Francesco
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1461222567
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 908
Book Description
Filling an important gap in the literature, this comprehensive text develops conformal field theory from first principles. The treatment is self-contained, pedagogical, and exhaustive, and includes a great deal of background material on quantum field theory, statistical mechanics, Lie algebras and affine Lie algebras. The many exercises, with a wide spectrum of difficulty and subjects, complement and in many cases extend the text. The text is thus not only an excellent tool for classroom teaching but also for individual study. Intended primarily for graduate students and researchers in theoretical high-energy physics, mathematical physics, condensed matter theory, statistical physics, the book will also be of interest in other areas of theoretical physics and mathematics. It will prepare the reader for original research in this very active field of theoretical and mathematical physics.
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1461222567
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 908
Book Description
Filling an important gap in the literature, this comprehensive text develops conformal field theory from first principles. The treatment is self-contained, pedagogical, and exhaustive, and includes a great deal of background material on quantum field theory, statistical mechanics, Lie algebras and affine Lie algebras. The many exercises, with a wide spectrum of difficulty and subjects, complement and in many cases extend the text. The text is thus not only an excellent tool for classroom teaching but also for individual study. Intended primarily for graduate students and researchers in theoretical high-energy physics, mathematical physics, condensed matter theory, statistical physics, the book will also be of interest in other areas of theoretical physics and mathematics. It will prepare the reader for original research in this very active field of theoretical and mathematical physics.
W-symmetry
Author: P. Bouwknegt
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9789810217624
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 916
Book Description
W-symmetry is an extension of conformal symmetry in two dimensions. Since its introduction in 1985, W-symmetry has become one of the central notions in the study of two-dimensional conformal field theory. The mathematical structures that underlie W-symmetry are so-called W-algebras, which are higher-spin extensions of the Virasoro algebra. This book contains a collection of papers on W-symmetry, covering the period from 1985 through 1993. Its main focus is the construction of W-algebras and their representation theory. A recurrent theme is the intimate connection between W-algebras and affine Lie algebras. Some of the applications, in particular W-gravity, are also covered.The significance of this reprint volume is that there are no textbooks entirely devoted to the subject.
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9789810217624
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 916
Book Description
W-symmetry is an extension of conformal symmetry in two dimensions. Since its introduction in 1985, W-symmetry has become one of the central notions in the study of two-dimensional conformal field theory. The mathematical structures that underlie W-symmetry are so-called W-algebras, which are higher-spin extensions of the Virasoro algebra. This book contains a collection of papers on W-symmetry, covering the period from 1985 through 1993. Its main focus is the construction of W-algebras and their representation theory. A recurrent theme is the intimate connection between W-algebras and affine Lie algebras. Some of the applications, in particular W-gravity, are also covered.The significance of this reprint volume is that there are no textbooks entirely devoted to the subject.
EPFL Lectures on Conformal Field Theory in D ≥ 3 Dimensions
Author: Slava Rychkov
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319436260
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 81
Book Description
This primer develops Conformal Field Theory (CFT) from scratch, whereby CFT is viewed as any conformally-invariant theory that describes a fixed point of a renormalization group flow in quantum field theory. The book is divided into four lectures: Lecture 1 addresses the physical foundations of conformal invariance, while Lecture 2 examines the constraints imposed by conformal symmetry on the correlation functions of local operators, presented using the so-called projective null cone – a procedure also known as the embedding formalism. In turn, Lecture 3 focuses on the radial quantization and the operator product expansion, while Lecture 4 offers a very brief introduction to the conformal bootstrap. Derived from course-based notes, these lectures are intended as a first point of entry to this topic for Master and PhD students alike.
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319436260
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 81
Book Description
This primer develops Conformal Field Theory (CFT) from scratch, whereby CFT is viewed as any conformally-invariant theory that describes a fixed point of a renormalization group flow in quantum field theory. The book is divided into four lectures: Lecture 1 addresses the physical foundations of conformal invariance, while Lecture 2 examines the constraints imposed by conformal symmetry on the correlation functions of local operators, presented using the so-called projective null cone – a procedure also known as the embedding formalism. In turn, Lecture 3 focuses on the radial quantization and the operator product expansion, while Lecture 4 offers a very brief introduction to the conformal bootstrap. Derived from course-based notes, these lectures are intended as a first point of entry to this topic for Master and PhD students alike.
Vertex Algebras and Algebraic Curves
Author: Edward Frenkel
Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.
ISBN: 0821836749
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 418
Book Description
Vertex algebras are algebraic objects that encapsulate the concept of operator product expansion from two-dimensional conformal field theory. Vertex algebras are fast becoming ubiquitous in many areas of modern mathematics, with applications to representation theory, algebraic geometry, the theory of finite groups, modular functions, topology, integrable systems, and combinatorics. This book is an introduction to the theory of vertex algebras with a particular emphasis on the relationship with the geometry of algebraic curves. The notion of a vertex algebra is introduced in a coordinate-independent way, so that vertex operators become well defined on arbitrary smooth algebraic curves, possibly equipped with additional data, such as a vector bundle. Vertex algebras then appear as the algebraic objects encoding the geometric structure of various moduli spaces associated with algebraic curves. Therefore they may be used to give a geometric interpretation of various questions of representation theory. The book contains many original results, introduces important new concepts, and brings new insights into the theory of vertex algebras. The authors have made a great effort to make the book self-contained and accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Reviewers of the first edition anticipated that it would have a long-lasting influence on this exciting field of mathematics and would be very useful for graduate students and researchers interested in the subject. This second edition, substantially improved and expanded, includes several new topics, in particular an introduction to the Beilinson-Drinfeld theory of factorization algebras and the geometric Langlands correspondence.
Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.
ISBN: 0821836749
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 418
Book Description
Vertex algebras are algebraic objects that encapsulate the concept of operator product expansion from two-dimensional conformal field theory. Vertex algebras are fast becoming ubiquitous in many areas of modern mathematics, with applications to representation theory, algebraic geometry, the theory of finite groups, modular functions, topology, integrable systems, and combinatorics. This book is an introduction to the theory of vertex algebras with a particular emphasis on the relationship with the geometry of algebraic curves. The notion of a vertex algebra is introduced in a coordinate-independent way, so that vertex operators become well defined on arbitrary smooth algebraic curves, possibly equipped with additional data, such as a vector bundle. Vertex algebras then appear as the algebraic objects encoding the geometric structure of various moduli spaces associated with algebraic curves. Therefore they may be used to give a geometric interpretation of various questions of representation theory. The book contains many original results, introduces important new concepts, and brings new insights into the theory of vertex algebras. The authors have made a great effort to make the book self-contained and accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Reviewers of the first edition anticipated that it would have a long-lasting influence on this exciting field of mathematics and would be very useful for graduate students and researchers interested in the subject. This second edition, substantially improved and expanded, includes several new topics, in particular an introduction to the Beilinson-Drinfeld theory of factorization algebras and the geometric Langlands correspondence.
Ordinary Differential Equations in the Complex Domain
Author: Einar Hille
Publisher: Courier Corporation
ISBN: 9780486696201
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 514
Book Description
Graduate-level text offers full treatments of existence theorems, representation of solutions by series, theory of majorants, dominants and minorants, questions of growth, much more. Includes 675 exercises. Bibliography.
Publisher: Courier Corporation
ISBN: 9780486696201
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 514
Book Description
Graduate-level text offers full treatments of existence theorems, representation of solutions by series, theory of majorants, dominants and minorants, questions of growth, much more. Includes 675 exercises. Bibliography.
Higher Spin Gauge Theories
Author: Lars Brink
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9813144114
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 403
Book Description
Symmetries play a fundamental role in physics. Non-Abelian gauge symmetries are the symmetries behind theories for massless spin-1 particles, while the reparametrization symmetry is behind Einstein's gravity theory for massless spin-2 particles. In supersymmetric theories these particles can be connected also to massless fermionic particles. Does Nature stop at spin-2 or can there also be massless higher spin theories. In the past strong indications have been given that such theories do not exist. However, in recent times ways to evade those constraints have been found and higher spin gauge theories have been constructed. With the advent of the AdS/CFT duality correspondence even stronger indications have been given that higher spin gauge theories play an important role in fundamental physics.All these issues were discussed at a recent international workshop in Singapore where the leading scientists in the field participated. This volume presents an up-to-date, detailed overview of the theories including its historic background, as well as the latest accomplishments in understanding the foundational properties of higher spin physics.
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9813144114
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 403
Book Description
Symmetries play a fundamental role in physics. Non-Abelian gauge symmetries are the symmetries behind theories for massless spin-1 particles, while the reparametrization symmetry is behind Einstein's gravity theory for massless spin-2 particles. In supersymmetric theories these particles can be connected also to massless fermionic particles. Does Nature stop at spin-2 or can there also be massless higher spin theories. In the past strong indications have been given that such theories do not exist. However, in recent times ways to evade those constraints have been found and higher spin gauge theories have been constructed. With the advent of the AdS/CFT duality correspondence even stronger indications have been given that higher spin gauge theories play an important role in fundamental physics.All these issues were discussed at a recent international workshop in Singapore where the leading scientists in the field participated. This volume presents an up-to-date, detailed overview of the theories including its historic background, as well as the latest accomplishments in understanding the foundational properties of higher spin physics.
Higher Spin Gauge Theories
Author: Nicolas Boulanger
Publisher: MDPI
ISBN: 303842997X
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 459
Book Description
This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Higher Spin Gauge Theories" that was published in Universe
Publisher: MDPI
ISBN: 303842997X
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 459
Book Description
This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Higher Spin Gauge Theories" that was published in Universe
Lectures on Tensor Categories and Modular Functors
Author: Bojko Bakalov
Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.
ISBN: 0821826867
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
This book gives an exposition of the relations among the following three topics: monoidal tensor categories (such as a category of representations of a quantum group), 3-dimensional topological quantum field theory, and 2-dimensional modular functors (which naturally arise in 2-dimensional conformal field theory). The following examples are discussed in detail: the category of representations of a quantum group at a root of unity and the Wess-Zumino-Witten modular functor. The idea that these topics are related first appeared in the physics literature in the study of quantum field theory. Pioneering works of Witten and Moore-Seiberg triggered an avalanche of papers, both physical and mathematical, exploring various aspects of these relations. Upon preparing to lecture on the topic at MIT, however, the authors discovered that the existing literature was difficult and that there were gaps to fill. The text is wholly expository and finely succinct. It gathers results, fills existing gaps, and simplifies some proofs. The book makes an important addition to the existing literature on the topic. It would be suitable as a course text at the advanced-graduate level.
Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.
ISBN: 0821826867
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
This book gives an exposition of the relations among the following three topics: monoidal tensor categories (such as a category of representations of a quantum group), 3-dimensional topological quantum field theory, and 2-dimensional modular functors (which naturally arise in 2-dimensional conformal field theory). The following examples are discussed in detail: the category of representations of a quantum group at a root of unity and the Wess-Zumino-Witten modular functor. The idea that these topics are related first appeared in the physics literature in the study of quantum field theory. Pioneering works of Witten and Moore-Seiberg triggered an avalanche of papers, both physical and mathematical, exploring various aspects of these relations. Upon preparing to lecture on the topic at MIT, however, the authors discovered that the existing literature was difficult and that there were gaps to fill. The text is wholly expository and finely succinct. It gathers results, fills existing gaps, and simplifies some proofs. The book makes an important addition to the existing literature on the topic. It would be suitable as a course text at the advanced-graduate level.
Conformal Field Theory and Topology
Author: Toshitake Kohno
Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.
ISBN: 9780821821305
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 188
Book Description
Geometry and physics have been developed with a strong influence on each other. One of the most remarkable interactions between geometry and physics since 1980 has been an application of quantum field theory to topology and differential geometry. This book focuses on a relationship between two-dimensional quantum field theory and three-dimensional topology which has been studied intensively since the discovery of the Jones polynomial in the middle of the 1980s and Witten's invariantfor 3-manifolds derived from Chern-Simons gauge theory. An essential difficulty in quantum field theory comes from infinite-dimensional freedom of a system. Techniques dealing with such infinite-dimensional objects developed in the framework of quantum field theory have been influential in geometryas well. This book gives an accessible treatment for a rigorous construction of topological invariants originally defined as partition functions of fields on manifolds. The book is organized as follows: The Introduction starts from classical mechanics and explains basic background materials in quantum field theory and geometry. Chapter 1 presents conformal field theory based on the geometry of loop groups. Chapter 2 deals with the holonomy of conformal field theory. Chapter 3 treatsChern-Simons perturbation theory. The final chapter discusses topological invariants for 3-manifolds derived from Chern-Simons perturbation theory.
Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.
ISBN: 9780821821305
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 188
Book Description
Geometry and physics have been developed with a strong influence on each other. One of the most remarkable interactions between geometry and physics since 1980 has been an application of quantum field theory to topology and differential geometry. This book focuses on a relationship between two-dimensional quantum field theory and three-dimensional topology which has been studied intensively since the discovery of the Jones polynomial in the middle of the 1980s and Witten's invariantfor 3-manifolds derived from Chern-Simons gauge theory. An essential difficulty in quantum field theory comes from infinite-dimensional freedom of a system. Techniques dealing with such infinite-dimensional objects developed in the framework of quantum field theory have been influential in geometryas well. This book gives an accessible treatment for a rigorous construction of topological invariants originally defined as partition functions of fields on manifolds. The book is organized as follows: The Introduction starts from classical mechanics and explains basic background materials in quantum field theory and geometry. Chapter 1 presents conformal field theory based on the geometry of loop groups. Chapter 2 deals with the holonomy of conformal field theory. Chapter 3 treatsChern-Simons perturbation theory. The final chapter discusses topological invariants for 3-manifolds derived from Chern-Simons perturbation theory.
Conformal Mapping
Author: Zeev Nehari
Publisher: Courier Corporation
ISBN: 0486145034
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 418
Book Description
Conformal mapping is a field in which pure and applied mathematics are both involved. This book tries to bridge the gulf that many times divides these two disciplines by combining the theoretical and practical approaches to the subject. It will interest the pure mathematician, engineer, physicist, and applied mathematician. The potential theory and complex function theory necessary for a full treatment of conformal mapping are developed in the first four chapters, so the reader needs no other text on complex variables. These chapters cover harmonic functions, analytic functions, the complex integral calculus, and families of analytic functions. Included here are discussions of Green's formula, the Poisson formula, the Cauchy-Riemann equations, Cauchy's theorem, the Laurent series, and the Residue theorem. The final three chapters consider in detail conformal mapping of simply-connected domains, mapping properties of special functions, and conformal mapping of multiply-connected domains. The coverage here includes such topics as the Schwarz lemma, the Riemann mapping theorem, the Schwarz-Christoffel formula, univalent functions, the kernel function, elliptic functions, univalent functions, the kernel function, elliptic functions, the Schwarzian s-functions, canonical domains, and bounded functions. There are many problems and exercises, making the book useful for both self-study and classroom use. The author, former professor of mathematics at Carnegie-Mellon University, has designed the book as a semester's introduction to functions of a complex variable followed by a one-year graduate course in conformal mapping. The material is presented simply and clearly, and the only prerequisite is a good working knowledge of advanced calculus.
Publisher: Courier Corporation
ISBN: 0486145034
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 418
Book Description
Conformal mapping is a field in which pure and applied mathematics are both involved. This book tries to bridge the gulf that many times divides these two disciplines by combining the theoretical and practical approaches to the subject. It will interest the pure mathematician, engineer, physicist, and applied mathematician. The potential theory and complex function theory necessary for a full treatment of conformal mapping are developed in the first four chapters, so the reader needs no other text on complex variables. These chapters cover harmonic functions, analytic functions, the complex integral calculus, and families of analytic functions. Included here are discussions of Green's formula, the Poisson formula, the Cauchy-Riemann equations, Cauchy's theorem, the Laurent series, and the Residue theorem. The final three chapters consider in detail conformal mapping of simply-connected domains, mapping properties of special functions, and conformal mapping of multiply-connected domains. The coverage here includes such topics as the Schwarz lemma, the Riemann mapping theorem, the Schwarz-Christoffel formula, univalent functions, the kernel function, elliptic functions, univalent functions, the kernel function, elliptic functions, the Schwarzian s-functions, canonical domains, and bounded functions. There are many problems and exercises, making the book useful for both self-study and classroom use. The author, former professor of mathematics at Carnegie-Mellon University, has designed the book as a semester's introduction to functions of a complex variable followed by a one-year graduate course in conformal mapping. The material is presented simply and clearly, and the only prerequisite is a good working knowledge of advanced calculus.