The role of the spin connection in quantum Hall effect: A perspective from geometric quantization

Abstract

The topological terms of the bulk effective action for the integer quantum Hall effect, capturing the dynamics of gauge and gravitational fluctuations, reveal a curiosity, namely, the Abelian potential for the magnetic field appears in a particular combination with the Abelian spin connection. This seems to hold for quantum Hall effect on complex projective spaces of arbitrary dimensions. An interpretation of this in terms of the algebra of symplectic transformations is given. This can also be viewed in terms of the metaplectic correction in geometric quantization.