# A Remark on Schwarz's Topological Field Theory

**Source**: https://www.maths.tcd.ie/report_series/abstracts/tcdm9917.html
**Parent**: https://www.maths.tcd.ie/research/papers/

**A Remark on Schwarz's Topological Field Theory**

The standard evaluation of the partition function Z of Schwarz's
topological field theory results in the Ray--Singer analytic torsion.
Here we present an alternative evaluation which results in Z=1.
Mathematically, this amounts to a novel perspective on analytic torsion:
it can be formaly written as a ratio of volumes of spaces of differential
forms which is formally equal to 1 by Hodge duality. An analogous result
for Reidemeister combinatorial torsion is also obtained.