In this thesis, we investigate sigma models and algebraic structures emerging from a Hamiltonian description of their dynamics, both in a classical and in a quantum setup. More specifically, we derive the phase space structures together with the Hamiltonians for the bosonic two-dimensional non-linear sigma model, and also for the N=1 and N=2 supersymmetric models. A convenient framework for describing these structures are Lie conformal algebras and Poisson vertex algebras. We review these concepts, and show that a Lie conformal algebra gives a weak Courant–Dorfman algebra. We further show that a Poisson vertex algebra generated by fields of conformal weight one and zero are in a one-to-one relationship with Courant–Dorfman algebras. Vertex algebras are shown to be appropriate for describing the quantum dynamics of supersymmetric sigma models. We give two definitions of a vertex algebra, and we show that these definitions are equivalent. The second definition is given in terms of a λ-bracket and a normal ordered product, which makes computations straightforward. We also review the manifestly supersymmetric N=1 SUSY vertex algebra. We also construct sheaves of N=1 and N=2 vertex algebras. We are specifically interested in the sheaf of N=1 vertex algebras referred to as the chiral de Rham complex. We argue that this sheaf can be interpreted as a formal quantization of the N=1 supersymmetric non-linear sigma model. We review different algebras of the chiral de Rham complex that one can associate to different manifolds. In particular, we investigate the case when the manifold is a six-dimensional Calabi–Yau manifold. The chiral de Rham complex then carries two commuting copies of the N=2 superconformal algebra with central charge c=9, as well as the Odake algebra, associated to the holomorphic volume form.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-159918 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Ekstrand, Joel |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Teoretisk fysik, Uppsala : Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary, info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Relation | Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology, 1651-6214 ; 867 |
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