Schwarz Type Topological Quantum Field Theories
High Energy Physics - Theory
2007-05-23 v3
Abstract
Topological quantum field theories can be used to probe topological properties of low dimensional manifolds. A class of these theories known as Schwarz type theories, comprise of Chern-Simons theories and BF theories. In three dimensions both capture the properties of knots and links leading to invariants characterising them. These can also be used to construct three-manifold invariants. Three dimensional gravity is described by these field theories. BF theories exist also in higher dimensions. In four dimensions, these describe two-dimensional generalization of knots as well as Donaldson invariants.
Cite
@article{arxiv.hep-th/0504100,
title = {Schwarz Type Topological Quantum Field Theories},
author = {R. K. Kaul and T. R. Govindarajan and P. Ramadevi},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/0504100},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
20 pages, Prepared for Encyclopedia of Mathematical Physics, paragraph added minor corrections and few references added