MS Seminar (Mathematics - String Theory)

Speaker: Constantin Teleman (U of Oxford / UC Berkeley)
Title: Kramers-Wannier and electromagnetic duality in lattice field theory
Date (JST): Tue, Dec 05, 2017, 13:15 - 14:45
Place: Seminar Room A
Abstract: We relate the Kramers-Wannier duality of the Ising and related lattice models in 2 dimensions with 3-dimensional electromagnetic duality with finite gauge group. The relation is mediated by the notion of boundary field theory: Ising models are boundary theories for pure gauge theory in one higher dimension. For instance, the Ising order/disorder operators are endpoints of the Wilson/'t~Hooft defects of gauge theory. In the process, we describe lattice theories as (extended) topological field theories with boundaries and defects. This generalises the KW duality to non-abelian groups and finite, semi-simple Hopf algebras. This is joint work with Dan Freed.