A Hopf laboratory for symmetric functions

An analysis of symmetric function theory is given from the perspective of the underlying Hopf and bi-algebraic structures. These are presented explicitly in terms of standard symmetric function operations. Particular attention is focussed on Laplace pairing, Sweedler cohomology for 1- and 2-cochains, and twisted products (Rota cliffordizations) induced by branching operators in the symmetric function context. The latter are shown to include the algebras of symmetric functions of orthogonal and symplectic type. A commentary on related issues in the combinatorial approach to quantum field theory is given.Comment: 29 pages, LaTeX, uses amsmat

Lattice worldline representation of correlators in a background field

We use a discrete worldline representation in order to study the continuum limit of the one-loop expectation value of dimension two and four local operators in a background field. We illustrate this technique in the case of a scalar field coupled to a non-Abelian background gauge field. The first two coefficients of the expansion in powers of the lattice spacing can be expressed as sums over random walks on a d-dimensional cubic lattice. Using combinatorial identities for the distribution of the areas of closed random walks on a lattice, these coefficients can be turned into simple integrals. Our results are valid for an anisotropic lattice, with arbitrary lattice spacings in each direction.Comment: 54 pages, 14 figure

Wilsonian renormalization, differential equations and Hopf algebras

In this paper, we present an algebraic formalism inspired by Butcher's B-series in numerical analysis and the Connes-Kreimer approach to perturbative renormalization. We first define power series of non linear operators and propose several applications, among which the perturbative solution of a fixed point equation using the non linear geometric series. Then, following Polchinski, we show how perturbative renormalization works for a non linear perturbation of a linear differential equation that governs the flow of effective actions. Then, we define a general Hopf algebra of Feynman diagrams adapted to iterations of background field effective action computations. As a simple combinatorial illustration, we show how these techniques can be used to recover the universality of the Tutte polynomial and its relation to the $q$-state Potts model. As a more sophisticated example, we use ordered diagrams with decorations and external structures to solve the Polchinski's exact renormalization group equation. Finally, we work out an analogous construction for the Schwinger-Dyson equations, which yields a bijection between planar $\phi^{3}$ diagrams and a certain class of decorated rooted trees.Comment: 42 pages, 26 figures in PDF format, extended version of a talk given at the conference "Combinatorics and physics" held at Max Planck Institut fuer Mathematik in Bonn in march 2007, some misprints correcte

A Proof of a Generalization of Niven\u27s Theorem Using Algebraic Number Theory

Niven’s theorem states that the sine, cosine, and tangent functions are rational for only a few rational multiples of π. Specifically, for angles θ that are rational multiples of π, the only rational values of sin(θ) and cos(θ) are 0, ±½, and ±1. For tangent, the only rational values are 0 and ±1. We present a proof of this fact, along with a generalization, using the structure of ideals in imaginary quadratic rings. We first show that the theorem holds for the tangent function using elementary properties of Gaussian integers, before extending the approach to other imaginary quadratic rings. We then show for which rational multiples of π the squares of the sine, cosine, and tangent functions are rational, providing a generalized form of Niven’s theorem. We end with a discussion of a few related combinatorial identities

String Partition Functions, Hilbert Schemes, and Affine Lie Algebra Representations on Homology Groups

This review paper contains a concise introduction to highest weight representations of infinite dimensional Lie algebras, vertex operator algebras and Hilbert schemes of points, together with their physical applications to elliptic genera of superconformal quantum mechanics and superstring models. The common link of all these concepts and of the many examples considered in the paper is to be found in a very important feature of the theory of infinite dimensional Lie algebras: the modular properties of the characters (generating functions) of certain representations. The characters of the highest weight modules represent the holomorphic parts of the partition functions on the torus for the corresponding conformal field theories. We discuss the role of the unimodular (and modular) groups and the (Selberg-type) Ruelle spectral functions of hyperbolic geometry in the calculation of elliptic genera and associated $q$-series. For mathematicians, elliptic genera are commonly associated to new mathematical invariants for spaces, while for physicists elliptic genera are one-loop string partition function (therefore they are applicable, for instance, to topological Casimir effect calculations). We show that elliptic genera can be conveniently transformed into product expressions which can then inherit the homology properties of appropriate polygraded Lie algebras.Comment: 56 pages, review paper, in honour of J.S.Dowker. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:0905.1285, arXiv:math/0006201, arXiv:math/0412089, arXiv:math/0403547 by other author

The Combinatorics of Iterated Loop Spaces

It is well known since Stasheff's work that 1-fold loop spaces can be described in terms of the existence of higher homotopies for associativity (coherence conditions) or equivalently as algebras of contractible non-symmetric operads. The combinatorics of these higher homotopies is well understood and is extremely useful. For $n \ge 2$ the theory of symmetric operads encapsulated the corresponding higher homotopies, yet hid the combinatorics and it has remain a mystery for almost 40 years. However, the recent developments in many fields ranging from algebraic topology and algebraic geometry to mathematical physics and category theory show that this combinatorics in higher dimensions will be even more important than the one dimensional case. In this paper we are going to show that there exists a conceptual way to make these combinatorics explicit using the so called higher nonsymmetric $n$-operads.Comment: 23 page