RG flows of integrable $\sigma$-models and the twist function

Abstract

In the study of integrable non-linear $\sigma$-models which are assemblies and/or deformations of principal chiral models and/or WZW models, a rational function called the twist function plays a central role. For a large class of such models, we show that they are one-loop renormalizable, and that the renormalization group flow equations can be written directly in terms of the twist function in a remarkably simple way. The resulting equation appears to have a universal character when the integrable model is characterized by a twist function.