Current algebras in \(d+1\)-dimensions and determinant bundles over infinite-dimensional Grassmannians (Q1105061)

This paper is an attempt to generalize the construction of highest weight representations of loop groups LG, the group of maps of the circle S 1 into a compact Lie group G, to groups of maps of higher-dimensional spheres into G. In the loop group case, one embeds LG into the general linear group \(GL_ 1\) of Hilbert space H, consisting of operators whose block decomposition \(\begin{pmatrix} a&b\\ c&d \end{pmatrix}\), with respect to a polarization \(H=H_+\oplus H_-\), has b, c in the Schatten class \(I_ 2\) \((=\) Hilbert-Schmidt). The group \(GL_ 1\) has an associated Grassmannian \(Gr_ 1\) and a holomorphic line bundle \(Det_ 1\) over \(Gr_ 1\). A central extension of \(GL_ 1\) by \(C^{\times}\) acts holomorphically on \(Det_ 1\) and hence on the space of holomorphic sections of \(Det^*_ 1\). Restricting this to LG gives the desired representation. To generalize this, let \(GL_ 2\) consist of the operators whose off- diagonal blocks are in \(I_ 4\). Then \(Map(S 3,G)\) embeds in \(GL_ 2\). There is an associated Grassmannian \(Gr_ 2\) and line bundle \(Det_ 2\) (defined by using regularized determinants), but now the action of \(GL_ 2\) on \(Gr_ 2\) lifts only to an action of an abelian, but non-central, extension \(\hat GL_ 2\) of \(GL_ 2\) by \(Map(Gr_ 2,C^{\times})\). Moreover, \(\hat GL_ 2\) does not preserve the holomorphic structure of \(Det_ 2\), so one must consider the action of \(GL_ 2\) on the \(C^{\infty}\)-sections of \(Det^*_ 2\). Restricting this to \(Map(S 3,G)\) gives the desired representation. - It is proved in a subsequent paper by the first author that this representation is not unitary, in contrast to the loop group case.