Conformal anomalies revisited: Closed form effective actions in D>=4
Abstract
We present closed-form coordinate invariant effective actions, for both types of Weyl anomalies, in all D≥4 that vary into the respective anomalies and confirm that their nonlocalities match (as they must) the underlying diagrammatics. In particular, despite contrary appearances, generalized Polyakov form type A actions both yield the correct anomalies and reproduce the lowest order pole structure. However, already to lowest order, these actions cannot be obtained from integrating out a physically acceptable local compensating field action. For type B, a previous candidate with the wrong analytic behavior indeed fails to vary properly. Instead, correct type B actions are given that reflects their UV origin and logarithmic scale dependence; they are constructed in terms of novel Weyl invariant tensor operators.
- Publication:
-
Nuclear Physics B Proceedings Supplements
- Pub Date:
- June 2000
- DOI:
- 10.1016/S0920-5632(00)00769-6
- Bibcode:
- 2000NuPhS..88..204D