The imaginary Toda field theory

Abstract

We consider the two-dimensional ${\mathfrak{sl}}_n$ quantum Toda field theory with an imaginary background charge. This conformal field theory has a higher spin symmetry ($W_n$ algebra), a central charge $c\le n-1$ and a continuous spectrum. Using the conformal bootstrap, we compute structure constants involving two arbitrary scalar fields and a semi-degenerate field of Wyllard type. The solution obtained is not the analytic continuation of the usual Toda three-point function. Non-scalar primary fields and their three-point functions are also discussed. Non-scalar primary fields are classified by conjugacy classes of the permutation group ${\mathfrak{S}}_n$, and their structure constants are computed explicitly, up to an overall factor.

25 pages, 1 figure