Conformal Fractal Geometry and Boundary Quantum Gravity

Abstract

This article gives a comprehensive description of the fractal geometry of conformally-invariant (CI) scaling curves, in the plane or half-plane. It focuses on deriving critical exponents associated with interacting random paths, by exploiting an underlying quantum gravity (QG) structure, which uses KPZ maps relating exponents in the plane to those on a random lattice, i.e., in a fluctuating metric. This is applied to critical models, like O(N) and Potts models, and to the Stochastic Löwner Evolution (SLE). The multifractal (MF) function f(alpha, c) of the harmonic measure near any CI fractal boundary, is given as a function of the central charge c of the associated CFT. The Hausdorff dimensions D_{H} of a non-simple scaling curve or cluster hull, and D_{EP} of its external perimeter or frontier, are shown to obey the duality equation (D_{H}-1)(D_{EP}-1)=1/4, valid for any c. The universal mixed MF spectrum f(alpha,lambda;c) describing the local spiralling rate lambda and singularity exponent alpha of the potential near any CI scaling curve is given. The duality between simple and non-simple random paths is established via a symmetry of the KPZ quantum gravity map. An extended dual KPZ relation is introduced for the SLE_{kappa}, which commutes with the kappa to kappa'=16/kappa duality. This gives the SLE exponents from simple QG rules, established from the general structure of correlation functions of arbitrary interacting random sets on a random lattice.