Handle Operators of Coset Models

Abstract

Several interesting features of coset models "without fixed points" are easily understood via Chern-Simons theory. In this paper we derive explicit formulae for the handle-squashing operator in these cosets. These operators are fixed, linear combinations of the irreducible representations of the coset. As a simple application of these curious formulae, we compute the traces of all genus-one operators for several common cosets. (1 Figure, at end in encapsulated postscript- to locate use 'find figs')