The gauging of two-dimensional bosonic sigma models on world-sheets with defects

TL;DR

This paper extends the analysis of gauging symmetries in 2D bosonic sigma models to include world-sheets with defects, exploring non-anomalous couplings, obstructions, and classification of gauge field configurations.

Contribution

It introduces a framework for gauging bosonic sigma models with defects, addressing non-anomalous couplings and classifying possible gauge configurations.

Findings

Identifies conditions for non-anomalous coupling of sigma models with defects.

Classifies inequivalent gauge choices and obstructions.

Provides a structure for coupling to world-sheet gauge fields of arbitrary topology.

Abstract

We extend our analysis of the gauging of rigid symmetries in bosonic two-dimensional sigma models with Wess-Zumino terms in the action to the case of world-sheets with defects. A structure that permits a non-anomalous coupling of such sigma models to world-sheet gauge fields of arbitrary topology is analysed, together with obstructions to its existence, and the classification of its inequivalent choices.