Fermionic fields on \({\mathbb{Z}}_ N\)-curves (Q1110603)

A \({\mathbb{Z}}_ N\)-curve is an N-sheeted ramified covering \(X\to {\mathbb{C}}P^ 1\) which possesses a global \({\mathbb{Z}}_ N\)-symmetry - this generalises the hyperelliptic Riemann surfaces \((N=2)\). This paper continues the authors' work on specific conformal field theories associated with \({\mathbb{Z}}_ N\)-curves begun in Int. J. Mod. Phys. A 2, 165-178 (1987). Suppose \(a_ 1,a_ 2,...,a_{\ell}\) are branch points each of order N and L is a line bundle of degree \( g-1\) on X of genus g whose divisor is an integer combination of the \(a_ i's\). Then the determinant of the Dirac operators on L can be represented as correlation functions of some associated conformal fields (`twist operators', `\(\sigma\)-fields') and these may be evaluated in terms of the branch points. The calculation is comparable with some calculations in independent work of \textit{V. G. Knizhnik} [Commun. Math. Phys. 112, 567- 590 (1987)]. As an application to the theory of \({\mathbb{Z}}_ N\)-curves, a generalisation of Thomae's formula is derived by comparing the previous expression for the determinant of the Dirac operator with the well-known expression in terms of theta constants. Such a formula - by analogy with the hyperelliptic case - might lead to Frobenius relations amongst the period matrices of \({\mathbb{Z}}_ N\)-curves.