Sigma Models, Minimal Surfaces and Some Ricci Flat Pseudo Riemannian Geometries

Abstract

We consider the sigma models where the base metric is proportional to the metric of the configuration space. We show that the corresponding sigma model equation admits a Lax pair. We also show that this type of sigma models in two dimensions are intimately related to the minimal surfaces in a flat pseudo Riemannian 3-space. We define two dimensional surfaces conformally related to the minimal surfaces in flat three dimensional geometries which enable us to give a construction of the metrics of some even dimensional Ricci flat pseudo Riemannian geometries.