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The method of coadjoint orbits; An algorithm for the construction of invariant actions

Journal Article · · International Journal of Modern Physics A; (United States)
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Inst. for Theoretical Physics, State Univ. of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY (US)
  2. Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, IA (US)

The method of coadjoint orbits produces for any infinite dimensional Lie (super) algebra A with nontrivial central charge an action for scalar (super) fields which has at least the symmetry A. In this article, the authors try to make this method accessible to a larger audience by analyzing several examples in more detail than in the literature. After working through the Kac-Moody and Virasoro cases, we apply the method to the super Virasoro algebra and reobtain the super-symmetric extension of Polyakov's local nonpolynomial action for two-dimensional quantum gravity. As in the Virasoro case this action corresponds to the coadjoint orbit of a pure central extension. The authors further consider the actions corresponding to the other orbits of the super Virasoro algebra. As a new result the authors construct the actions for the N = 2 super Virasoro algebra.

OSTI ID:
5615398
Journal Information:
International Journal of Modern Physics A; (United States), Journal Name: International Journal of Modern Physics A; (United States) Vol. 5:20; ISSN IMPAE; ISSN 0217-751X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English