Extended conformal symmetries (Q687742)

Written in a nice pedagogical style this article provides a rigorous introduction into the subject of \(W\)-algebras. After a brief review of the basic properties of the Virasoro symmetries, the author discusses the most simple example of a higher-spin extension of the Virasoro algebra, namely the \(W_ 3\)-algebra, and further extends the analysis to the case of the (super-)\(W_ N\)-algebras. As a very suggestive example the \(N=2\) super-\(W_ \infty\)-algebra is treated in detail in close analogy with the \(W_ 3\)-algebra. The theoretical background created so far is exploited to discuss the gauging of \(W\)-symmetries and the structure of \(W\)-gravity theories. Finally, the author is mentioning two of the recent results obtained in the field of the applications of \(W\)-symmetries to physics: the new realizations of \(W_ 3\)-symmetry [\textit{E. Bergshoeff}, \textit{H. J. Boonstra} and \textit{M. de Roo}, Phys. Lett. B 292, 307-314 (1992)] and the self-dual supergravity theories in \(2+2\) dimensions [\textit{E. Bergshoeff} and \textit{E. Sezgin}, Phys. Lett. B 292, 87-92 (1992)].