Batalin-Vilkovisky quantization and the algebraic index (Q2014004)

Based on deformation quantization, \textit{B. Fedosov} [Deformation quantization and index theory. Berlin: Akademie Verlag (1996; Zbl 0867.58061)] and \textit{R. Nest} and \textit{B. Tsygan} [Commun. Math. Phys. 172, No. 2, 223--262 (1995; Zbl 0887.58050)] developed an algebraic version of the famous Atiyah-Singer index theorem. In particular, the classical Atiyah-Singer index theorem can be recovered from this algebraic index theorem. Atiyah-Singer-like index theorems have a `physical interpretation' via path integrals. Specifically, the index of an elliptical operator \(D\) can be expressed as an infinite-dimensional path integral \[ \text{index}(D) = \lim _{\hbar \rightarrow \infty} \int e^{S_D\slash \hbar}\,, \] for some associated action functional \(S_D\). For topological quantum field theories, this path integral is independent of \(\hbar\) and so semi-classical methods (i.e., the limit in which \(\hbar\) tends to zero) can be employed. Using Feynman diagrams, the topological index can be calculated. However, we must remark that path integral methods generally lack mathematical rigour. In the paper under review, the authors study the relationship between these two approaches to index theorems. They construct a rigorous quantum field theory -- one-dimensional Chern-Simons theory -- that directly relates the algebraic index to the physical interpretation in terms of path integrals. The authors do this via extending Fedosov quantization to the bundle of Batalin-Vilkovisky algebras. This allows them to employ various tools from the theory of Batalin-Vilkovisky quantization to their one-dimensional sigma model. A prominent result here is Theorem 3.22 which states that Fedosov's abelian connections correspond to solutions of the quantum master equation. The algebraic index theorem is obtained by computing the trace induced by Batalin-Vilkovisky integration via a localization procedure. This all reduces to a semi-classical computation using one-loop Feynman diagrams.