Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2006 / iii / Paper 56 (Solitons and Instantons)

The Euler-Lagrange equation is obtained by varying the scalar field, integrating the derivative terms by parts, and requiring the coefficient of an arbitrary compactly supported variation to vanish:The canonical momentum is $\pi ={\varphi }_t$, so the Hamiltonian density and conserved energy areIndeed,Thus $dE/dt=[{\varphi }_t{\varphi }_x{]}_{-\infty }^{+\infty }=0$ for the finite-energy boundary conditions with no flux at infinity. The scalar-field vacua are the constant fields $2\pi m$, $m\in \mathbb{Z}$.

For a static field, multiply ${\varphi }^{\prime \prime }=\sin \varphi$ by ${\varphi }^{\prime }$ to obtain $\frac{1}{2}{\varphi }^{\prime 2}+\cos \varphi =C$. The vacuum limits fix $C=1$, so on the increasing interval $0<\varphi <2\pi$,ConsequentlyIts derivative is $2\mathrm{sech}(x-a)$, and its energy is $\int 4{\mathrm{sech}}^2(x-a)dx=8$. The increasing sign cannot change inside $(0,2\pi )$ because the derivative does not vanish there. This proves uniqueness up to translation for the prescribed boundary conditions.

There are continuously many translated static solutions with those same endpoints, but only one modulo translations. In the full theory, the adjacent-vacuum kinks and antikinks areTheir endpoints are $2\pi m$ and $2\pi (m+\sigma )$. Thus there are countably many adjacent-vacuum boundary sectors, each with a continuous center parameter; integer field shifts and reflection relate their shapes. A Lorentz boost gives moving kinks, replacing $x-a$ by $(x-vt-a)/\sqrt{1-v^2}$, with energy $8/\sqrt{1-v^2}$. There is no finite static kink joining nonadjacent scalar-field vacua: reaching an intermediate vacuum at finite $x$ would give both the equilibrium value and zero derivative, forcing a constant solution by uniqueness of the second-order initial value problem. Dynamical multisolitons are a different matter.

The printed Sine-Gordon Bäcklund transformation has a normalization error. With precisely the printed coordinates $\tau =x+t$, $\rho =x-t$,is the field equation. Put $s=({\varphi }_1+{\varphi }_0)/2$, $d=({\varphi }_1-{\varphi }_0)/2$. The printed relations give $d_{\rho }=b\sin s$ and $s_{\tau }=b^{-1}\sin d$, henceAdding and subtracting yieldsThese are the equations with mass squared four, not the unit-mass equation derived from the Lagrangian. A concrete counterexample is the seed ${\varphi }_0=0$, parameter $b=1$, and transformed field ${\varphi }_1=4\arctan e^{2x}$. It obeys both printed first-order relations but satisfies ${\varphi }_{1,xx}=4\sin {\varphi }_1$, so its unit-mass field-equation residual is $-3\sin {\varphi }_1$, which is not identically zero. The requested preservation claim is false with the printed normalization.

There are two equivalent repairs. Keep the printed first-order coefficients but take $\tau =(x+t)/2$, $\rho =(x-t)/2$; then ${\partial }_{\tau }{\partial }_{\rho }={\partial }_x^2-{\partial }_t^2$ and the preceding calculation proves preservation. Alternatively keep the printed coordinates and replace the coefficients $2b,2b^{-1}$ by $b,b^{-1}$. Then $d_{\rho }=(b/2)\sin s$, $s_{\tau }=(b^{-1}/2)\sin d$, and the differentiated equations carry a factor $1/4$, giving exactly ${\varphi }_{j,\tau \rho }=\frac{1}{4}\sin {\varphi }_j$. This is the light-cone normalization of the sine-Gordon Bäcklund transformation. For a zero seed it gives ${\varphi }_1=4\arctan \exp [(b\rho +b^{-1}\tau )/2]$; $b=1$ recovers the unit-width static kink.

Use $D_x={\partial }_x+A_x$, $D_y={\partial }_y+A_y$, acting on columns. Expanding the two compositions and cancelling their ordinary derivative terms givesCompatibility means local solvability for arbitrary initial vectors, equivalently the existence of an invertible parallel bundle frame $S$ with $D_{x}S=D_{y}S=0$. Such a bundle frame gives $F_{xy}S=0$, hence $F_{xy}=0$. A single specified parallel vector only implies $F_{xy}v=0$: for example $A_x=0$, $A_y=x\mathrm{diag}(1,0)$ and $v=(0,1{)}^T$ have $D_{x}v=D_{y}v=0$ although $F_{xy}=\mathrm{diag}(1,0)\ne 0$. This is why arbitrary-data compatibility is the necessary interpretation of “consistent.”

Conversely assume $F_{xy}=0$. On $x=0$, solve ${\partial }_{y}S=-A_{y}S$ with $S(0,0)=1$. For each $y$, extend it along $x$ by ${\partial }_{x}S=-A_{x}S$. Linear ordinary differential equations with smooth coefficients give global invertible matrices on these finite coordinate paths. Put $R=D_{y}S$. Since $D_{x}S=0$,Uniqueness of the homogeneous transport equation gives $R=0$. Thus $S$ is a full parallel bundle frame. This proves the parallel-frame compatibility criterion without assuming a nonzero vector spans the whole fiber.

Geometrically $A=A_{x}dx+A_{y}dy$ is a gauge connection on the trivial real rank-$n$ vector bundle, and $F_{xy}dx\wedge dy$ is its gauge curvature. The displayed nonlinear equation is flat connection. Writing $g=S^{-1}$ gives its general solution on ${\mathbb{R}}^2$:Conversely substitution, or the Maurer-Cartan equation, proves that every such gauge potential is flat. The parallel sections are $v=g^{-1}c$ for constant columns $c$. Multiplying $g$ on the left by a constant matrix leaves $A$ unchanged. On a nonsimply connected domain a flat connection can have nontrivial holonomy, so a single-valued global pure-gauge expression needs an extra holonomy condition; the specified plane has no such obstruction.

For the Bogomolny equations, complexify the auxiliary vector space and introduce the spectral parameter $\lambda$. Let $\Phi$ denote multiplication by the Higgs matrix, while $D_i\Phi$ denotes its adjoint gauge covariant derivative. Define the Lax pair for the Bogomolny equationsThe auxiliary equations are $L_0(\lambda )\psi =L_1(\lambda )\psi =0$. To check their compatibility, use $[D_i,D_j]=F_{ij}$ and $[D_i,\Phi ]=D_i\Phi$. PutThe constant, linear and quadratic terms in the matrix commutator are respectivelyThus vanishing for every $\lambda$ forces $a=0$, $b=0$, $c=0$, and those conditions also make the matrix commutator zero. They are exactly $\frac{1}{2}{ϵ}_{ijk}{F}_{jk}=D_i\Phi$. No spectral-parameter derivative is needed. Homogenizing in the two projective coordinates of $\lambda \in {\mathbb{CP}}^1$ includes the point at infinity.

The dimensional-reduction interpretation is equally explicit. On Euclidean ${\mathbb{R}}^4$ with orientation $1234$, take fields independent of $x^4$ and set $A_4=-\Phi$. Then $F_{i4}=-D_i\Phi$. Anti-self-duality of gauge curvature says $F_{12}=-F_{34}$, $F_{23}=-F_{14}$, and $F_{31}=-F_{24}$, which reduce to the same three Bogomolny equations. Translation symmetry reduction therefore turns the four-dimensional ASDYM zero-curvature system into the parameter-dependent three-dimensional system above.

A Yang-Mills instanton is a localized finite-action Euclidean gauge field with self-dual or anti-self-dual gauge curvature. It is a four-dimensional space-time event, rather than a static three-dimensional finite-energy monopole. Take gauge group $SU(2)$ first, with Skew-Hermitian generators $T_a=-i{\sigma }_a/2$, $[T_a,T_b]={ϵ}_{abc}{T}_c$, and $\mathrm{tr}(T_a{T}_b)=-{\delta }_{ab}/2$. Writeand fix orientation $d{x}^1\wedge d{x}^2\wedge d{x}^3\wedge d{x}^4$. The positive Euclidean action isVarying $F$ gives $\delta F=D\delta A$. Integration by parts makes stationarity equivalent to $D_{\mu }{F}_{\mu \nu }=0$. The Bianchi identity $DF=0$ follows by expanding $F=dA+A\wedge A$, using $d^2=0$, and cancelling the remaining matrix commutator terms. Consequently $F=\pm \ast F$ implies the Yang-Mills equations: $D\ast F=\pm DF=0$. Self-duality of gauge curvature is an extra first-order condition, not a property of every finite-action gauge connection.

For the usual instanton decay conditions, the field is asymptotically pure gauge, $A\sim h^{-1}dh$ on the sphere at infinity. The boundary map $h:S^3\to SU(2)\simeq S^3$ has an integer degree. With the present trace convention define the instanton number byThe identityturns this integral into a boundary winding integral: for $A=h^{-1}dh$, the three-form in parentheses is $-\frac{1}{3}\mathrm{tr}(h^{-1}dh{)}^3$, giving $k=(24{\pi }^2{)}^{-1}{\int }_{S^3}\mathrm{tr}(h^{-1}dh{)}^3$, with the chosen boundary orientation. The normalized invariant three-form computes the degree of $h$, so $k\in \mathbb{Z}$. Equivalently the gauge bundle extends across conformal infinity to a bundle on $S^4$, and this is its Second Chern number convention. A smooth deformation preserving the boundary class cannot change this integer.

Square completion gives the Yang-Mills instanton Bogomolny bound:Self-dual gauge curvature saturates the bound for $k>0$, and anti-self-dual gauge curvature for $k<0$. These are Yang-Mills action minima within their topological sectors. Gauge variations give redundant directions, and variations along the moduli give zero modes; there is no negative second variation within the fixed-charge sector at a bound-saturating solution.

An explicit charge-one solution is the BPST instanton. Put $y=x-a$, $r^2=y_{\mu }{y}_{\mu }$, $d=r^2+{\rho }^2$, with $\rho >0$. The self-dual 't Hooft symbols are defined by ${\eta }_{ij}^a={ϵ}_{aij}$ and ${\eta }_{i4}^a={\delta }_{ai}$, extended antisymmetrically. ThenFor completeness, differentiation supplies $-4{\eta }_{\mu \nu }^a/d-4K_{\mu \nu }^a/d^2$, where $K_{\mu \nu }^a={\eta }_{\nu \lambda }^a{y}_{\lambda }{y}_{\mu }-{\eta }_{\mu \lambda }^a{y}_{\lambda }{y}_{\nu }$. The matrix commutator term supplies $4C_{\mu \nu }^a/d^2$, and the symbol identityreduces their sum to the stated gauge curvature. Since $\ast {\eta }^a={\eta }^a$, it is self-dual and solves the Yang-Mills equations. The gauge potential is regular at the center in this gauge, and gauge curvature falls as $r^{-4}$ at infinity.

The squared-symbol sum is 12, soThe second integral follows from $d^{4}x=2{\pi }^2{r}^{3}dr$ and the substitution $u=r^2$. ThusReplacing the symbols by their anti-self-dual counterparts reverses the charge and gives an anti-instanton. A compact non-Abelian group with an $SU(2)$ subgroup admits corresponding embedded examples.

The center $a\in {\mathbb{R}}^4$ gives four position moduli and $\rho >0$ gives one size modulus. In a framed instanton moduli space, gauge transformations are required to approach the identity at infinity, so three global $SU(2)$ orientation parameters remain, making eight real parameters for one instanton. If constant gauge transformations are also divided out, only the five position-and-size parameters remain. The size costs no classical Yang-Mills action: under $A_{\mu }(x)\mapsto \lambda A_{\mu }(\lambda x)$, gauge curvature scales by ${\lambda }^2$ and the four-dimensional volume by ${\lambda }^{-4}$. As $\rho \to 0$, gauge curvature concentrates at the center; the limiting object is a singular bubbling boundary of moduli space, not a smooth zero-size solution.

Higher-charge solutions require genuine nonlinear constructions, rather than a linear sum of charge-one gauge potentials. The ADHM construction gives a finite-dimensional description. For $V={\mathbb{C}}^{\ell }$, $W={\mathbb{C}}^N$, take $B_1,B_2\in \mathrm{End}(V)$, $I:W\to V$, $J:V\to W$, satisfyingmodulo the natural group action of $U(\ell )$. Here $\ell$ is the charge magnitude, avoiding confusion with the signed $k$ above. Regularity requires the following matrix to have full row rank everywhere:The complex constraint kills the off-diagonal block of ${\mathcal{D}}_z{\mathcal{D}}_z^{†}$, while the real constraint equates its diagonal blocks. Thus ${\mathcal{D}}_z{\mathcal{D}}_z^{†}=1_2\otimes f^{-1}$. Choose an orthonormal matrix of kernel columns $\Psi$, with ${\Psi }^{†}\Psi =1_N$, and define $A={\Psi }^{†}d\Psi$.

This is not merely a parameter count: its gauge curvature is checked by the ADHM factorization identity. The complementary orthogonal projection is ${\mathcal{D}}_z^{†}(1_2\otimes f){\mathcal{D}}_z$. Differentiating ${\mathcal{D}}_z\Psi =0$ in the identity $F=d{\Psi }^{†}(1-\Psi {\Psi }^{†})\wedge d\Psi$ givesThe space-time differential two-forms appearing here are generated by $d{z}_1\wedge d{\bar{z}}_1-d{z}_2\wedge d{\bar{z}}_2$, $d{z}_1\wedge d{\bar{z}}_2$, and $d{\bar{z}}_1\wedge d{z}_2$. For orientation $1234$ these are anti-self-dual. Hence the construction yields anti-self-dual gauge connections, of charge $k=-\ell$ in the present convention; the reversed construction gives positive charge. Regular ADHM data describe the smooth framed instanton moduli, while degenerate rank conditions allow singular limits.

There are $4{\ell }^2+4\ell N$ real data parameters. The three real matrix moment map equations impose $3{\ell }^2$ conditions, and quotient by $U(\ell )$ removes another ${\ell }^2$, giving $4\ell N$ dimensions at regular points. For $SU(2)$ this is $8\ell$ framed dimensions and $8\ell -3$ unframed dimensions on the irreducible locus. This explains how the one-instanton parameters fit into the higher-charge family.

The Penrose-Ward correspondence provides a complementary description by holomorphic vector bundles on twistor space, trivial on the real twistor lines for the Euclidean problem and equipped with the suitable reality structure. Triviality on every complexified line is a stronger condition and is not required for ordinary Euclidean instantons. Symmetry reductions of the anti-self-dual equations give integrable three-dimensional systems such as the Bogomolny equations.

In the quantum theory, a Euclidean instanton interpolates between Yang-Mills vacua of different Chern-Simons number. Choosing Euclidean time $x^1$ and spatial orientation $234$, its signed charge is the final Chern-Simons number minus the initial one, so it describes quantum tunnelling between winding sectors. Semiclassical contributions are suppressed by $\exp [-8{\pi }^2|k|/g^2]$; a Yang-Mills theta term adds a phase $\exp (i\vartheta k)$. One integrates over the instanton collective coordinates and includes fluctuation determinants rather than treating one classical solution as the entire quantum answer. Instantons therefore connect finite-action classical geometry, topology of gauge bundles, exact nonlinear constructions, and nonperturbative quantum effects.

On complexified Minkowski spacetime, use the twistor incidence relationThe harmless factor $i$ is a conventional choice; omitting it corresponds to rescaling the complexified coordinates. For fixed $x$, projectivizing the nonzero two-component spinors $\pi$ gives a twistor line $L_x\simeq {\mathbb{CP}}^1$. The two stated patches cover all these incidence lines; they describe the affine-space-time twistor domain with the line $\pi =0$ removed from full projective twistor space.

Since $E{|}_{L_x}$ is holomorphically trivial, choose a global bundle frame on that line. Comparing its columns with the bundle frames in the two patch trivializations gives invertible matrices $H(x,\pi )$ and $\tilde{H}(x,\pi )$, holomorphic on their respective patches, withThis is the holomorphic splitting of a twistor patching matrix. It follows directly from existence of the global bundle frame, rather than from an arbitrary factorization of an arbitrary matrix: nontrivial line bundles would obstruct such a nonsingular splitting.

The factors can be chosen holomorphically in $x$ near any given $x_0$. An explicit local argument is useful. Normalize the known splitting at $x_0$ and set $Q(x,\lambda )=\tilde{H}(x_0,\lambda {)}^{-1}F(x,\lambda )H(x_0,\lambda )$ on a fixed circular contour in the overlap. It is close to the identity when $x$ is close to $x_0$. Let $P_{+}$ select strictly positive Laurent powers, and seek $q=1+$ positive powers satisfyingIn a holomorphic contour-function norm the operator has norm below one for sufficiently small variation, so its Neumann series converges and is holomorphic in $x$. Then $Qq=\tilde{q}$ has only nonpositive powers and is holomorphic on the exterior patch including infinity. Both factors are close to the identity and invertible. They extend over their full patches through $Q$ and its inverse. Taking $H=H(x_0)q$ and $\tilde{H}=\tilde{H}(x_0)\tilde{q}$ gives the required local family. This is also the elementary Laurent series reason that $H^1({\mathbb{CP}}^1,\mathcal{O})=0$ leaves no infinitesimal obstruction.

Raise primed two-component spinor indices with the antisymmetric two-component spinor form and define $V_A={\pi }^{A^{\prime }}{\partial }_{A{A}^{\prime }}$, holding $\pi$ fixed. Incidence givesThus $V_{A}F=0$ for a pulled-back function depending only on twistor coordinates. Differentiating the splitting and multiplying by the inverse factors givesThe left expression is holomorphic on one two-component spinor patch, the right on the other, and each is homogeneous of degree one in $\pi$. They therefore glue to a global matrix-valued section of $\mathcal{O}(1)$ on the line.

Such a section is linear in its homogeneous coordinates. To see this explicitly, set $\lambda ={\pi }_{0^{\prime }}/{\pi }_{1^{\prime }}$ on $U$. The normalized expression is an entire matrix function of $\lambda$; on the other patch its quotient by $\lambda$ is holomorphic at infinity. Hence it has at most linear growth. Cauchy estimates force all its derivatives of order at least two to vanish. Entry by entry it is $a_A(x)+\lambda b_A(x)$, or invariantlyThe coefficients are holomorphic in $x$. This proves existence of the desired space-time one-form, with no remaining dependence on $\pi$ in its coefficients.

A second splitting must differ by right multiplication $H\mapsto Hg(x)$ and $\tilde{H}\mapsto \tilde{H}g(x)$. Indeed the comparison matrix is holomorphic on both patches of a compact complex projective line and therefore constant along the line. The resulting transformation isthe gauge connection transformation law. Local coefficient matrices consequently glue to a holomorphic gauge connection on the bundle whose fiber at $x$ is the space of holomorphic sections of $E{|}_{L_x}$. If a single global matrix-valued one-form is wanted on all $M_{\mathbb{C}}\simeq {\mathbb{C}}^4$, choose a basis at the origin and parallel-transport it along the straight radial paths to each $x$. Linear transport exists on every finite path and varies holomorphically with $x$; this gives a global holomorphic bundle frame. The assertion does not require flat connection in all four directions, only a fixed choice of paths for a trivialization. On more general space-time domains the intrinsic object is a gauge connection with these gauge-related local one-forms.

Finally put $D_{A{A}^{\prime }}={\partial }_{A{A}^{\prime }}+{\Phi }_{A{A}^{\prime }}$ and ${\mathcal{D}}_A(\pi )={\pi }^{A^{\prime }}{D}_{A{A}^{\prime }}$. From the defining identity,Thus the columns of $H^{-1}$ are an invertible parallel bundle frame in the two alpha-plane directions. Their matrix commutator must annihilate that bundle frame, soUse the spinor decomposition of gauge curvaturewhere both gauge curvature two-component spinors are symmetric. The second term vanishes under contraction with ${\pi }^{A^{\prime }}{\pi }^{B^{\prime }}$. The first is a quadratic polynomial in the two two-component spinor components; vanishing for every two-component spinor forces each of its coefficients to vanish. Thereforewhich is precisely the ASDYM equation in the convention where the primed symmetric two-component spinor is the self-dual part. Equivalently, the gauge connection is flat when restricted to every alpha-plane. This completes the forward Penrose-Ward correspondence, including both the existence of the gauge connection and its anti-self-duality of gauge curvature.