What are the details of the renormalization of Chern-Simons theory?


From nLab:renormalization: Of theories in BV-CS form:


In (Costello 07) a comparatively simple renormalization procedure is given that applies to theories that are given by action functionals which can be given in the form

$$ S(\phi) = \langle \phi , Q \phi \rangle + I(\phi) $$

where

  • the fields ϕ are sections of a graded field bundle E on which Q is a differential, ⟨−,−⟩ a compatible antibracket pairing such that (E,Q,⟨⟩) is a free field theory (as discussed there) in BV-BRST formalism;

  • I is an interaction that is at least cubic.

These are action functionals that are well adapted to BV-BRST formalism and for which there is a quantization to a factorization algebra of observables.

Most of the fundamental theories in physics are of this form, notably Yang-Mills theory. In particular also all theories of infinity-Chern-Simons theory-type coming from binary invariant polynomials are perturbatively of this form, notably ordinary Chern-Simons theory.

For a discussion of just the simple special case of 3d Chern-Simons theory see (Costello 11, chapter 5.4 and 5.14).


See

  1. The setup

  2. Operator (heat) kernels and propagators

  3. The renormalization group operator

  4. The path integral

  5. Renormalized action

  6. Renormalization