scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1302604

Publication date 8 December 1999

abelian duality four-dimensional duality non-abelian monopoles Seiberg-Witten theory

Applications of global analysis to structures on manifolds (57R57) Topological field theories in quantum mechanics (81T45) Supersymmetric field theories in quantum mechanics (81T60)

Review text

The paper is devoted to some new developments in quantum field theory related to four-dimensional duality. These involve the Seiberg-Witten equations which provide an alternative to Donaldson's use of the self-dual Yang-Mills equations as a tool to explore 4-manifold topology. As introduction, the author recalls the Maxwell theory of electromagnetism. It is known that Maxwell's equations are unchanged under \(*\)-operation and this fact is the foundation of the duality ideas. In quantum mechanics certain quantities are quantized because they arise from representations of compact groups. The duality in the most questions is the duality or pairing between homology and cohomology. In non-abelian gauge theories there are smooth configurations which at large distances look like the Dirac monopoles. In the simplest case of \(SU(2)\) the Higgs field \(\phi(x)\) defines a map \(\phi_{\infty}\) the degree of which is identified with the magnetic charge. Using the natural \(U(1)\)-symmetry, the electric charge can be obtained by quantization. Similarly, for a compact semi-simple group \(G\) with maximal torus \(T\) \(H_2(G/T,Z)\) and \(H^2(G/T,Z)\) are naturally dual lattices and their pairing corresponds to the integer pairing of electric and magnetic charges. Then the author shortly concerns the conjecture on the duality of Montonen and Olive for \(N=4\) super-symmetric Yang-Mills theory for a group \(G\). This duality is supposed to interchange magnetic and electric charges. Further the twisted theories in which various spins are interchanged are mentioned in the connection with the interpretation of Donaldson theory. It is noted that there exists the consistence of this theories and the Seiberg-Witten theory discussed later. For \(N=2\) super-symmetric Yang-Mills theory Seiberg and Witten argue that the expected duality is not of usual form. It is conjectured that the Donaldson theory and Seiberg-Witten theory are equivalent in some sense. Moreover, the Seiberg-Witten classes are supposed to be the basic classes of Kronheimer and Mrowka. The equivalence between the two theories, predicted by quantum field theory, should be established mathematically. The duality in QFT is also considered as a part of a larger picture involving modular invariance. In conclusion, the author appeals to the investigations that permit a better understanding of the duality from the mathematical point of view. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0906.00020].

Recommendations

Cited in

(16)

This page was built for publication:

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q4249149)