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Lectures on AKSZ Sigma Models for Physicists

High Energy Physics - Theory 2024-08-13 v6 Mathematical Physics Differential Geometry math.MP Symplectic Geometry

Abstract

This is an introductory review of topological field theories (TFTs) called AKSZ sigma models. The AKSZ construction is a mathematical formulation for the construction and analyses of a large class of TFTs, inspired by the Batalin-Vilkovisky formalism of gauge theories. We begin by considering a simple two-dimensional topological field theory and explain the ideas of the AKSZ sigma models. This construction is then generalized and leads to a mathematical formulation of a general topological sigma model. We review the mathematical objects, such as algebroids and supergeometry, that are used in the analysis of general gauge structures. The quantization of the Poisson sigma model is presented as an example of a quantization of an AKSZ sigma model.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1204.3714,
  title  = {Lectures on AKSZ Sigma Models for Physicists},
  author = {Noriaki Ikeda},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1204.3714},
  year   = {2024}
}

Comments

97 pages, version for proceeding, 'Noncommutative Geometry and Physics 4'. Typos fixed

R2 v1 2026-06-21T20:50:35.123Z