Dirac sigma models (Q814912)

The authors introduce a new kind of 2-dimensional topological sigma models (SM), generalizing simultaneously the Poisson sigma model and the \(G/G\)-WZW model and correspond to general Dirac structures including Poisson and presymplectic structures as partial cases. Their fields are bundle maps from the tangent bundle of a 2-dimensional world-sheet to a Dirac subbundle of an exact Courant algebroid over a tangent manifold. It is shown that \(\varphi\) solves the field equation, iff it respects the canonical Lie algebroid structures of \(T\sum\) and the Dirac structure \(D\), i.e. iff \(\varphi :T\sum\to D\) is a Lie algebroid morphism. As a regulator for the developed theory can serve the fact the Dirac SM has an inherently topological part and also a kinetic term which uses a metric on world-sheet and target. Hamiltonian structure of Dirac SM is determined while at least classically the gauge invariant content turns out to be independent of any additional structure. The droping of the kinetic term in the Poisson case gives the WZ-Poisson SM, that is sufficient for the morphism property establishing.