Renormalization and BRST symmetry in Donaldson-Witten theory (Q2273631)

The presence of a BRST symmetry in topologically twisted gauge theories allows a feasible precise analysis of these theories. While the global BRST symmetry suggests that correlation functions of BRST exact observables vanish, this decoupling might be obstructed due to a contribution from the boundary of the field space. Motivated by divergent BRST exact observables on the Coulomb branch of the Donaldson-Witten theory, the authors promote a new prescription for the renormalization of correlation functions on the Coulomb branch. This renormalization is based on the relation between Coulomb branch integrals and integrals over a modular fundamental domain, and establishes that the BRST exact observables decouple in Donaldson-Witten theory.