General bosonic \(\sigma\) models and string effective actions (Q756229)

The author discusses the general renormalizable bosonic \(\sigma\) models with couplings (including the metric tensor, torsion and dilation field) and allowing for the definition of finite local dimension 2 composite operators and their products. A finite and well defined gauge invariant expression for the trace of the energy momentum tensor is derived. The Curci-Paffuti relation is obtained and a general formula for the action is constructed. Applications to gauged \(\sigma\)-models and to the \(\sigma\)-model on squashed \(S^ 3\) are discussed.