On Global Analysis of Duality Maps

Abstract

A global analysis of duality transformations is presented. It is shown that duality between quantum field theories exists only when the geometrical structure of the quantum configuration spaces of the theories comply with certain precise conditions. Applications to S-dual actions and to T duality of string theories and D-branes are briefly discussed.It is shown that a new topological term in the dual open string actions is required. We also study an extension of the procedure to construct duality maps among abelian gauge theories to the non abelian case.