On the Cohomology of the Noncritical WW-string

We investigate the cohomology structure of a general noncritical $W_N$-string. We do this by introducing a new basis in the Hilbert space in which the BRST operator splits into a ``nested'' sum of nilpotent BRST operators. We give explicit details for the case $N=3$. In that case the BRST operator $Q$ can be written as the sum of two, mutually anticommuting, nilpotent BRST operators: $Q=Q_0+Q_1$. We argue that if one chooses for the Liouville sector a $(p,q)$ $W_3$ minimal model then the cohomology of the $Q_1$ operator is closely related to a $(p,q)$ Virasoro minimal model. In particular, the special case of a (4,3) unitary $W_3$ minimal model with central charge $c=0$ leads to a $c=1/2$ Ising model in the $Q_1$ cohomology. Despite all this, noncritical $W_3$ strings are not identical to noncritical Virasoro strings.Comment: 38 pages, UG-7/93, ITP-SB-93-7

A BRST Analysis of WW-symmetries

We perform a classical BRST analysis of the symmetries corresponding to a generic $w_N$-algebra. An essential feature of our method is that we write the $w_N$-algebra in a special basis such that the algebra manifestly has a ``nested'' set of subalgebras $v_N^N \subset v_N^{N-1} \subset \dots \subset v_N^2 \equiv w_N$ where the subalgebra $v_N^i\ (i=2, \dots ,N)$ consists of generators of spin $s=\{i,i+1,\dots ,N\}$, respectively. In the new basis the BRST charge can be written as a ``nested'' sum of $N-1$ nilpotent BRST charges. In view of potential applications to (critical and/or non-critical) $W$-string theories we discuss the quantum extension of our results. In particular, we present the quantum BRST-operator for the $W_4$-algebra in the new basis. For both critical and non-critical $W$-strings we apply our results to discuss the relation with minimal models.Comment: 32 pages, UG-4/9

W-Gravity

The geometric structure of theories with gauge fields of spins two and higher should involve a higher spin generalisation of Riemannian geometry. Such geometries are discussed and the case of $W_\infty$-gravity is analysed in detail. While the gauge group for gravity in $d$ dimensions is the diffeomorphism group of the space-time, the gauge group for a certain $W$-gravity theory (which is $W_\infty$-gravity in the case $d=2$) is the group of symplectic diffeomorphisms of the cotangent bundle of the space-time. Gauge transformations for $W$-gravity gauge fields are given by requiring the invariance of a generalised line element. Densities exist and can be constructed from the line element (generalising $\sqrt { \det g_{\mu \nu}}$) only if $d=1$ or $d=2$, so that only for $d=1,2$ can actions be constructed. These two cases and the corresponding $W$-gravity actions are considered in detail. In $d=2$, the gauge group is effectively only a subgroup of the symplectic diffeomorphism group. Some of the constraints that arise for $d=2$ are similar to equations arising in the study of self-dual four-dimensional geometries and can be analysed using twistor methods, allowing contact to be made with other formulations of $W$-gravity. While the twistor transform for self-dual spaces with one Killing vector reduces to a Legendre transform, that for two Killing vectors gives a generalisation of the Legendre transform.Comment: 49 pages, QMW-92-