Manin pairs and topological field theory

Abstract

Kazama has described an extension of the N=2 superconformal algebra in which the operator product of G^- with itself is singular. In this paper, we relate actions of this chiral algebra to Drinfeld's theory of Manin pairs, or equivalently, quasi-Lie bialgebras. We also show how to couple topological conformal field theories with this symmetry to topological gravity. As an application, we demonstrate the equivalence of the SL(2)/SL(2) model to a deformed SL(2)/SO(2) model tensored with a free field theory. (Revisions correct some minor errors.)