On \(S\)-duality in abelian gauge theory (Q1900245)

The author establishes electro-magnetic duality for abelian gauge theory on a Riemannian 4-manifold \(X\) and discusses some generalization of the theory to the non-abelian case. The theory is defined by the action \[ \begin{aligned} I&= 1/8\pi \int_X (4\pi/ g^2\langle F,F \rangle+ i\theta/ 4\pi\langle F,*F \rangle)\;d \text{ vol}\\ &=i/8\pi \int_X (\tau \langle F^+, F^+ \rangle- \langle F^-, F^-\rangle)\;d \text{ vol},\end{aligned} \] where \(F\) is the curvature of a connection \(A\) on a line bundle \(L\) over \(X\); \(F^+\), \(F^-\) are selfdual and anti-selfdual parts of \(F\); \(g\), \(\theta\) are parameters of the theory (theta angle and gauge coupling constant) and \(\tau= \theta/ 2\pi+ 4\pi i/ g^2\). The duality means that the partition function \(Z(\tau)\) is a modular form: it is periodic \(\text{mod } 1\) if \(X\) is spin manifold or \(\text{mod } 2\) in the opposite case and satisfies the relation \[ Z(-1/ \tau)= \tau^u\overline\tau^v Z(\tau), \] where \((u,v)= ((\chi+ \sigma)/4\), \((\chi- \sigma) /4)\), \(\chi\), \(\sigma\) the Euler characteristic and the signature of \(X\), respectively. Using the embedding of SO(2) into SU(2) and SO(3), the author derives from this duality some properties of non-abelian gauge theory on a 4- manifold with structure group SU(2) and SO(3). A new physical field is introduced and its relations with Donaldson invariants of 4-manifolds with \(b^+_2\leq 1\) are discussed. The dependence of Donaldson invariants on the second Stiefel-Whitney class are analysed.