Topological gauge theories and group cohomology
Abstract
We show that three dimensional Chern-Simons gauge theories with a compact gauge group G (not necessarily connected or simply connected) can be classified by the integer cohomology group H 4( BG, Z). In a similar way, possible Wess-Zumino interactions of such a group G are classified by H 3( G, Z). The relation between three dimensional Chern-Simons gauge theory and two dimensional sigma models involves a certain natural map from H 4( BG, Z) to H 3( G, Z). We generalize this correspondence to topological “spin” theories, which are defined on three manifolds with spin structure, and are related to what might be called Z 2 graded chiral algebras (or chiral superalgebras) in two dimensions. Finally we discuss in some detail the formulation of these topological gauge theories for the special case of a finite group, establishing links with two dimensional (holomorphic) orbifold models.
- Publication:
-
Communications in Mathematical Physics
- Pub Date:
- April 1990
- DOI:
- 10.1007/BF02096988
- Bibcode:
- 1990CMaPh.129..393D