On higher order geometric and renormalisation group flows

Let $(\mathcal{M},g)$ be a closed Riemannian manifold. The $\textit{ second order approximation}$ to the perturbative renormalization group flow for the nonlinear sigma model (RG-2 flow) is given by : \[ \frac{\partial }{\partial t} \, g(t) \, =\, -2 \mathrm{Ric}(t) \, -\, \frac{\alpha}{2} \mathrm{Rm}^2(t), \] where $ g = \mathrm{Riemannian \ metric}, \mathrm{Ric} = \mathrm{Ricci \ curvature, } \ \mathrm{Rm}^2_{ij}:=\mathrm{R}_{irmk}\mathrm{R}_j^{rmk},$ and $\alpha\ge 0$ is...

We review the main aspects of Ricci flows as they arise in physics and mathematics. In field theory they describe the renormalization group equations of the target space metric of two dimensional sigma models to lowest order in the perturbative expansion. As such they provide an off-shell approach to the problem of tachyon condensation and vacuum selection in closed string theory in the weak gravitational regime. In differential geometry they introduce a systematic framework ...

The geometric evolution equations provide new ways to address a variety of non-linear problems in Riemannian geometry, and, at the same time, they enjoy numerous physical applications, most notably within the renormalization group analysis of non-linear sigma models and in general relativity. They are divided into classes of intrinsic and extrinsic curvature flows. Here, we review the main aspects of intrinsic geometric flows driven by the Ricci curvature, in various forms, a...

We study non-linear sigma models on target manifolds with constant (positive or negative) curvature using the functional renormalization group and the background field method. We pay particular attention to the splitting Ward identities associated to the invariance under reparametrization of the background field. Implementing these Ward identities imposes to use the curvature as a formal expansion parameter, which allows us to close the flow equation of the (scale-dependent) ...

I discuss certain applications of the Ricci flow in physics. I first review how it arises in the renormalization group (RG) flow of a nonlinear sigma model. I then review the concept of a Ricci soliton and recall how a soliton was used to discuss the RG flow of mass in 2-dimensions. I then present recent results obtained with Oliynyk on the flow of mass in higher dimensions. The final section discusses one way in which Ricci flow may arise in general relativity, particularly ...

The renormalization group equations of two-dimensional sigma models describe geometric deformations of their target space when the world-sheet length changes scale from the ultra-violet to the infra-red. These equations, which are also known in the mathematics literature as Ricci flows, are analyzed for the particular case of two-dimensional target spaces, where they are found to admit a systematic description as Toda system. Their zero curvature formulation is made possible ...

We study the renormalization group flows of two-dimensional metrics in sigma models and demonstrate that they provide a continual analogue of the Toda field equations based on the infinite dimensional algebra G(d/dt;1). The resulting Toda field equation is a non-linear generalization of the heat equation, which is integrable in target space and shares the same dissipative properties in time. We provide the general solution of the renormalization group flows in terms of free f...

Using Wilsonian methods, we study the renormalization group flow of the Nonlinear Sigma Model in any dimension $d$, restricting our attention to terms with two derivatives. At one loop we always find a Ricci flow. When symmetries completely fix the internal metric, we compute the beta function of the single remaining coupling, without any further approximation. For $d>2$ and positive curvature, there is a nontrivial fixed point, which could be used to define an ultraviolet li...

We consider the renormalization group flow equation for the two-dimensional sigma models with the K\"ahler target space. The first-order formulation allows us to treat perturbations in these models as current-current deformations. We demonstrate, however, that the conventional first-order formalism misses certain anomalies in the measure, and should be amended. We reconcile beta functions obtained within the conformal perturbation theory for the current-current deformations w...

The Renormalization Group equation describing the evolution of the metric of the nonlinear sigma model poses some nice mathematical problems involving functional analysis, differential geometry and numerical analysis. In this article we briefly report some results obtained from the numerical study of the solutions in the case of a two dimensional target space (deformation of the $O(3)$ sigma model). In particular, our analysis shows that the so-called sausages define an attra...