In the last decade there has been an extraordinary confluence of
ideas in mathematics and theoretical physics brought about by
pioneering discoveries in geometry and analysis. The various chapters
in this volume, treating the interface of geometric analysis and
mathematical physics, represent current research interests. No
suitable succinct account of the material is available elsewhere.
Key topics include:
* A self-contained derivation of the partition function of Chern-
Simons gauge theory in the semiclassical approximation (D.H. Adams)
* Algebraic and geometric aspects of the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov
equations in conformal field theory (P. Bouwknegt)
* Application of the representation theory of loop groups to simple
models in quantum field theory and to certain integrable systems (A.L.
Carey and E. Langmann)
* A study of variational methods in Hermitian geometry from the
viewpoint of the critical points of action functionals together with
physical backgrounds (A. Harris)
* A review of monopoles in nonabelian gauge theories (M.K. Murray)
* Exciting developments in quantum cohomology (Y. Ruan)
* The physics origin of Seiberg-Witten equations in 4-manifold theory
(S. Wu)
Graduate students, mathematicians and mathematical physicists in
the above-mentioned areas will benefit from the user-friendly
introductory style of each chapter as well as the comprehensive
bibliographies provided for each topic. Prerequisite knowledge is
minimal since sufficient background material motivates each chapter.