Buscher procedure

The Buscher procedure derives T-dual backgrounds by replacing the derivative of an isometric target coordinate with an independent worldsheet one-form and imposing its flatness with a Lagrange multiplier. Integrating out either field yields the original or dual sigma model.

Replace the derivative of an isometric coordinate by an independent one-form $A$ and impose $dA=0$ with a Lagrange multiplier. In signature $(-,+)$ with ${ϵ}^{\tau \sigma }=1$, its equation is $V{A}^{\nu }={ϵ}^{\mu \nu }{\partial }_{\mu }\tilde{z}$. Eliminating $A$ from the full action, including the multiplier term, gives $\frac{1}{2}{V}^{-1}{\partial }_{\mu }\tilde{z}{\partial }^{\mu }\tilde{z}$. Omitting the multiplier term during substitution would give the wrong sign. This derives the block-diagonal metric inversion in the Buscher rules.

The quantum measure in abelian T-duality changes the conventional dilaton by ${\phi }^{\prime }=\phi -\frac{1}{2}\log g_{yy}$ in alpha-prime-one units for a spacelike isometry. The regulated Gaussian integration over the auxiliary gauge field produces this curvature coupling. It is consistent with invariance of the string-frame density $e^{-2\phi }\sqrt{\det g}$ under the local Buscher rules.

The flat polar metric $d{r}^2+r^{2}d{z}^2$ has a circle isometry away from $r=0$. Its local Buscher rules give the displayed dual metric and dilaton. The dual Ricci tensor has components $R_{rr}=-2/r^2$ and $R_{\tilde{z}\tilde{z}}=-2/r^4$, while the dilaton Hessian has components $1/r^2$ and $1/r^4$. Thus the leading metric-dilaton Weyl condition $R_{ab}+2{\nabla }_a{\nabla }_b\Phi =0$ holds despite nonzero curvature. Flat spectators complete a critical target; the scalar anomaly condition also holds because $|\nabla \Phi {|}^2=1/r^2$, $\square \Phi =2/r^2$ and $R=-4/r^2$. The construction is local on $r>0$, excluding the degenerating circle.

The Buscher rules invert the metric component along an Abelian isometry and transform the other metric and B-field components. The Gaussian functional determinant also shifts the dilaton; when the metric is block diagonal with $G_{zz}=V$, $\tilde{\Phi }=\Phi -\frac{1}{2}\log V$.

For a nondegenerate isometry direction $y$ and initially zero two-form, the local T-dual fields in alpha-prime-one units are $g_{yy}^{\prime }=1/g_{yy}$, $g_{yi}^{\prime }=0$, $g_{ij}^{\prime }=g_{ij}-g_{yi}{g}_{yj}/g_{yy}$, $B_{yi}^{\prime }=g_{yi}/g_{yy}$ and $B_{ij}^{\prime }=0$. Gauging the isometry and eliminating its auxiliary connection derives these rules. The spectator metric is a Schur complement. The sign of the mixed two-form follows the multiplier and dual-coordinate orientation convention.