Lectures on W algebras and W gravity

C. N. Pope

Lectures on W algebras and W gravity

High Energy Physics - Theory 2007-05-23 v1

Authors: C. N. Pope

Abstract

We give a review of the extended conformal algebras, known as $W$ algebras, which contain currents of spins higher than 2 in addition to the energy-momentum tensor. These include the non-linear $W_N$ algebras; the linear $W_\infty$ and $W_{1+\infty}$ algebras; and their super-extensions. We discuss their applications to the construction of $W$ -gravity and $W$ -string theories.

Keywords

wess-zumino-witten models higher spin theory lie algebras and representations

Cite

@article{arxiv.hep-th/9112076,
  title  = {Lectures on W algebras and W gravity},
  author = {C. N. Pope},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/9112076},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

41 pages. This paper is based on a set of lectures given at the Trieste Summer School in High-Energy Physics, August 1991

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