Quantum gauge fields and flat connections in 2-dimensional BF theory

The 2-dimensional BF theory is both a gauge theory and a topological Poisson $\sigma$-model corresponding to a linear Poisson bracket. In \cite{To1}, Torossian discovered a connection which governs correlation functions of the BF theory with sources for the $B$-field. This connection is flat, and it is a close relative of the KZ connection in the WZW model. In this paper, we show that flatness of the Torossian connection follows from (properly regularized) quantum equations of motion of the BF theory.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure

Goldman-Turaev formality from the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov connection

For an oriented 2-dimensional manifold $\Sigma$ of genus $g$ with $n$ boundary components the space $\mathbb{C}\pi_1(\Sigma)/[\mathbb{C}\pi_1(\Sigma), \mathbb{C}\pi_1(\Sigma)]$ carries the Goldman-Turaev Lie bialgebra structure defined in terms of intersections and self-intersections of curves. Its associated graded (under the natural filtration) is described by cyclic words in $H_1(\Sigma)$ and carries the structure of a necklace Schedler Lie bialgebra. The isomorphism between these two structures in genus zero has been established in [G. Massuyeau, Formal descriptions of Turaev's loop operations] using Kontsevich integrals and in [A. Alekseev, N. Kawazumi, Y. Kuno and F. Naef, The Goldman-Turaev Lie bialgebra in genus zero and the Kashiwara-Vergne problem] using solutions of the Kashiwara-Vergne problem. In this note we give an elementary proof of this isomorphism over $\mathbb{C}$. It uses the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov connection on $\mathbb{C}\backslash\{ z_1, \dots z_n\}$. The proof of the isomorphism for Lie brackets is a version of the classical result by Hitchin. Surprisingly, it turns out that a similar proof applies to cobrackets.Comment: 12 pages, 1 figure, section 3 adde

Equivariant cohomology and current algebras

Let M be a manifold and g a Lie algebra acting on M. Differential forms Omega(M) carry a natural action of Lie derivatives L(x) and contractions I(x) of fundamental vector fields for x \in g. Contractions (anti-) commute with each other, [I(x), I(y)]=0. Together with the de Rham differential, they satisfy the Cartan's magic formula [d, I(x)]=L(x). In this paper, we define a differential graded Lie algebra Dg, where instead of commuting with each other, contractions form a free Lie superalgebra. It turns out that central extensions of Dg are classified (under certain assumptions) by invariant homogeneous polynomials p on g. This construction gives a natural framework for the theory of twisted equivariant cohomology and a new interpretation of Mickelsson-Faddeev-Shatashvili cocycles of higher dimensional current algebras. As a topological application, we consider principal G-bundles (with G a Lie group integrating g), and for every homogeneous polynomial p on g we define a lifting problem with the only obstruction the corresponding Chern-Weil class cw(p).Comment: 33 pages; v2-substantially extende

Linearization of Poisson Lie group structures

We show that for any coboundary Poisson Lie group G, the Poisson structure on G^* is linearizable at the group unit. This strengthens a result of Enriquez-Etingof-Marshall, who had established formal linearizability of G^* for quasi-triangular Poisson Lie groups G. We also prove linearizability properties for the group multiplication in G^* and for Poisson Lie group morphisms, with similar assumptions

On triviality of the Kashiwara-Vergne problem for quadratic Lie algebras

We show that the Kashiwara-Vergne (KV) problem for quadratic Lie algebras (that is, Lie algebras admitting an invariant scalar product) reduces to the problem of representing the Campbell-Hausdorff series in the form ln(e^xe^y)=x+y+[x,a(x,y)]+[y,b(x,y)], where a(x,y) and b(x,y) are Lie series in x and y. This observation explains the existence of explicit rational solutions of the quadratic KV problem (see M. Vergne, C.R.A.S. 329 (1999), no. 9, 767--772 and A. Alekseev, E. Meinrenken, C.R.A.S. 335 (2002), no. 9, 723--728 arXiv:math/0209346), whereas constructing an explicit rational solution of the full KV problem would probably require the knowledge of a rational Drinfeld associator. It also gives, in the case of quadratic Lie algebras, a direct proof of the Duflo theorem (implied by the KV problem).Comment: 8 page