2005/06/14 by Ichiro Oda, M. Tonin, Mario Tonin · 1 citation
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Homotopy and Cohomology in Algebraic Topology #Nonlinear Waves and Solitons #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2005.07.037
published as Phys.Lett. B623 (2005) 155-164 · 12 pages, no figures, references added
arxiv created 2005/06/14 · openalex publication_date 2005/07/23 · arxiv updated 2010/04/05 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We present a worldline description of topological non-Abelian BF theory in arbitrary space–time dimensions. It is shown that starting with a trivial classical action defined on the worldline, the BRST cohomology has a natural representation as the sum of the de Rham cohomology. Based on this observation, we construct a second-quantized action of the BF theory. Interestingly enough, this theory naturally gives us a minimal solution to the Batalin–Vilkovisky master equation of the BF theory. Our formalism sheds some light not only on an interplay between the Witten-type and the Schwarz-type topological quantum field theories but also on the role of the Batalin–Vilkovisky anti-fields and ghosts as geometrical and elementary objects.