Duality relations for M coupled Potts models

Abstract

We establish explicit duality transformations for systems of M q-state Potts models coupled through their local energy density, generalising known results for M=1,2,3. The M-dimensional space of coupling constants contains a selfdual sub-manifold of dimension D_M = [M/2]. For the case M=4, the variation of the effective central charge along the selfdual surface is investigated by numerical transfer matrix techniques. Evidence is given for the existence of a family of critical points, corresponding to conformal field theories with an extended S_M symmetry algebra.