Related papers: Surface observables and the Weyl anomaly
We consider a free two-form in six dimensions and calculate the conformal anomaly associated with a Wilson surface observable.
We make an exact field theoretical computation of the conformal anomaly for two-dimensional submanifold observables. By including a scalar field in the definition for the Wilson surface, as appropriate for a spontaneously broken A_1 theory,…
We compute the Weyl anomaly for an abelian Wilson surface by using a regularization that respects the gauge invariance. We then study the loop space on which lives a one-form connection. We restrict ourselves to the subsector consisting of…
Previously, Wilson surface observables were interpreted as a class of Poisson sigma models. We profit from this construction to define and study the super version of Wilson surfaces. We provide some `proof of concept' examples to illustrate…
Introduction to two dimensional conformal field theory on open and unoriented surfaces. The construction is illustrated in detail on the example of SU(2) WZW models.
We review our calculation of the Weyl anomaly for d-dimensional conformal field theories that have a description in terms of a (d + 1)-dimensional gravity theory.
We give a complete geometric description of conformal anomalies in arbitrary, (necessarily even) dimension. They fall into two distinct classes: the first, based on Weyl invariants that vanish at integer dimensions, arises from finite --…
Flat-space conformal invariance and curved-space Weyl invariance are simply related in dimensions greater than two. In two dimensions the Liouville theory presents an exceptional situation, which we here examine.
The 6d $\mathcal{N}=(2,0)$ theory has natural surface operator observables, which are akin in many ways to Wilson loops in gauge theories. We propose a definition of a "locally BPS" surface operator and study its conformal anomalies, the…
Guided by the paper hep-th/0002106 by Polyakov and Rychkov, we compute the second variational derivative of a wavy plane Wilson surface observable, to find that a necessary condition for a proposed surface equation to be satisfied in the…
We consider a free Maxwell field in four dimensions in the presence of a codimension two defect. Reflection positive, codimension two defects which preserve conformal symmetry in this context are very limited. We show only generalized free…
We calculate the Weyl anomaly for conformal field theories that can be described via the adS/CFT correspondence. This entails regularizing the gravitational part of the corresponding supergravity action in a manner consistent with general…
Conformally invariant massless field systems involving only dimensionless parameters are known to describe particle physics at very high energy. In the presence of an external gravitational field, the conformal symmetry may generalize to…
We calculate the conformal anomaly from 5d Weyl gravity (with broken conformal symmetry) which is conjectured to be supergravity dual to ${\cal N}=2$ superconformal field theory via AdS/CFT correspondence. Its comparison with ${\cal N}=2$…
We analyze the structure of the boundary terms in the conformal anomaly integrated over a manifold with boundaries. We suggest that the anomalies of type B, polynomial in the Weyl tensor, are accompanied with the respective boundary terms…
A new non-Abelian gauge transformation for two-forms is introduced. Construction is based on a fixed map from the spacetime to the loop space which attachs a closed loop to each point of the spacetime. It is argued that this set-up is…
Wilson lines in gauge theories admit several path integral descriptions. The first one (due to Alekseev-Faddeev-Shatashvili) uses path integrals over coadjoint orbits. The second one (due to Diakonov-Petrov) replaces a 1-dimensional path…
We explore the connection between the holographic Weyl anomaly and the superconformal index in six-dimensional $(1,0)$ theories. Using earlier results from holographic computations of the $\mathcal O(1)$ contributions $\delta a$ and…
An observable for nonabelian, higher-dimensional forms is introduced, its properties are discussed and its expectation value in BF theory is described. This is shown to produce potential and genuine invariants of higher-dimensional knots.
The algebra of linear and quadratic functions of basic observables on the phase space of either the free particle or the harmonic oscillator possesses a finite-dimensional anomaly. The quantization of these systems outside the critical…