A Note on Semidensities in Antisymplectic Geometry

We revisit Khudaverdian's geometric construction of an odd nilpotent operator \Delta_E that sends semidensities to semidensities on an antisymplectic manifold. We find a local formula for the \Delta_E operator in arbitrary coordinates and we discuss its connection to Batalin-Vilkovisky quantization.Comment: 11 pages, LaTeX. v2: Added eqs. (4.1), (6.3), (6.4) & (6.5). v3: Sec. 6 expanded and ref. added. v4: Included a proof of the main statement in the appendices. v5: Flipped the sign convention for \nu^{(2)}. v6: Stylistic change

Odd Invariant Semidensity and Divergence-like Operators on an Odd Symplectic Superspace

The divergence-like operator on an odd symplectic superspace which acts invariantly on a specially chosen odd vector field is considered. This operator is used to construct an odd invariant semidensity in a geometrically clear way. The formula for this semidensity is similar to the formula of the mean curvature of hypersurfaces in Euclidean space.Comment: 18 pages, TeX fil

Batalin--Vilkovisky Formalism and Odd Symplectic Geometry

It is a review of some results in Odd symplectic geometry related to the Batalin-Vilkovisky FormalismComment: plain TeX, 39 pages, no figure

On the Geometry of the Batalin-Vilkovisky Formalism

An invariant definition of the operator $\Delta$ of the Batalin-Vilkovisky formalism is proposed. It is defined as the divergence of a Hamiltonian vector field with an odd Poisson bracket (antibracket). Its main properties, which follow from this definition, as well as an example of realization on K\"ahlerian supermanifolds, are considered. The geometrical meaning of the Batalin-Vilkovisky formalism is discussed.Comment: 11 pages , UGVA---DPT 1993/03--80

Functionals and the Quantum Master Equation

The quantum master equation is usually formulated in terms of functionals of the components of mappings from a space-time manifold M into a finite-dimensional vector space. The master equation is the sum of two terms one of which is the anti-bracket (odd Poisson bracket) of functionals and the other is the Laplacian of a functional. Both of these terms seem to depend on the fact that the mappings on which the functionals act are vector-valued. It turns out that neither this Laplacian nor the anti-bracket is well-defined for sections of an arbitrary vector bundle. We show that if the functionals are permitted to have their values in an appropriate graded tensor algebra whose factors are the dual of the space of smooth functions on M, then both the anti-bracket and the Laplace operator can be invariantly defined. Additionally, one obtains a new anti-bracket for ordinary functionals.Comment: 21 pages, Late

Even and odd symplectic and K\"ahlerian structures on projective superspaces

Supergeneralization of \DC P(N) provided by even and odd K\"ahlerian structures from Hamiltonian reduction are construct.Operator $\Delta$ which used in Batalin-- Vilkovisky quantization formalism and mechanics which are bi-Hamiltonian under corresponding even and odd Poisson brackets are considered.Comment: 19 page

Degenerate Odd Poisson Bracket on Grassmann Variables

A linear degenerate odd Poisson bracket (antibracket) realized solely on Grassmann variables is presented. It is revealed that this bracket has at once three nilpotent $\Delta$-like differential operators of the first, the second and the third orders with respect to the Grassmann derivatives. It is shown that these $\Delta$-like operators together with the Grassmann-odd nilpotent Casimir function of this bracket form a finite-dimensional Lie superalgebra.Comment: 5 pages, LATEX. Corrections of misprints. The relation (23) is adde

Algebras with Operator and Campbell--Hausdorff Formula

We introduce some new classes of algebras and estabilish in these algebras Campbell--Hausdorff like formula. We describe the application of these constructions to the problem of the connectivity of the Feynman graphs corresponding to the Green functions in Quantum Fields Theory.Comment: 12 page