Inequivalent quantizations for nonlinear \(\sigma\) model (Q921673)

The configurational manifold of the \(2+1\) dimensional O(3) sigma model is taken to be the space of smooth maps \(\Gamma\) from the genus g compact Riemann surface X to the unit sphere \(S^ 2\subset {\mathbb{R}}^ 3\) such that a fixed point of X goes to the north pole of \(S^ 2\) (say). Accordingly the canonical quantization scheme associates with \(\Gamma\) a Hilbert space H consisting of complex valued square integrable functions on \(\Gamma\). If \(\pi_ 1(\Gamma)\) is trivial, then one takes H to be the space of single-valued functions. However if \(\pi_ 1(\Gamma)\) is non- trivial, then there is a possibility H to be constructed by multivalued functions on \(\Gamma\). These multivalued functions are classified by unitary one-dimensional representations of \(\pi\) (\(\Gamma\)). In the paper under review the authors first present explicit description of \(\Gamma\), then they show that \(\Gamma\) splits into homotopically disjoint sectors \(\Gamma_ n\) which are in one-to-one correspondence with the group Z of integers and finally compute \(\pi_ 1(\Gamma_ n)\) of these sectors. The result is that \(\pi_ 1\) is an infinite group generated by \(2g+1\) generators satisfying a definite group multiplication law. All its unitary, irreducible representations are parametrized by continuous parameter(s) and so there are infinitely many inequivalent quantizations. The authors point out that this opens the door for ``exotic statistics'' of quantum systems.