Minimal models of field theories: SDYM and SDGR

Abstract

There exists a natural $L_\infty$-algebra or $Q$-manifold that can be associated to any (gauge) field theory. Perturbatively, it can be obtained by reducing the $L_\infty$-algebra behind the jet space BV-BRST formulation to its minimal model. We explicitly construct the minimal models of self-dual Yang-Mills and self-dual gravity theories, which also represents their equations of motion as Free Differential Algebras. The minimal model regains all relevant information about the field theory, e.g. actions, charges, anomalies, can be understood in terms of the corresponding $Q$-cohomology.