Large-Level Limit of Doubled Chern-Simons Theory Part I: Regular Sector, Boundaries and Interfaces

Abstract: We study three-dimensional $BF$ theory as the large-level limit of the doubled Chern--Simons theory $G_k\times G_{-k}$ for simply connected, compact, simple $G$, a limit that connects the symmetry topological field theories of finite and continuous symmetries. Lines whose two highest weights grow linearly with $k$ at fixed difference become $BF$ lines, with magnetic flux set by their average and electric charge equal to their difference. Representing level-$k$ torus states as normalized flux--charge wave packets, we prove that every fixed modular transformation of any fixed normalizable state with regular flux converges in the strong-$*$ topology to its $BF$ counterpart. The Dehn twist gives each line exactly its Aharonov--Bohm phase at every level, while $S$ converges to a Fourier transform exchanging flux and charge, without escaping to singular holonomies or large charges. States that approach singular fluxes at large $k$ are not covered. The natural boundary 2d theory is speculated to be a decompactified boson in the abelian case $G=U(1)$, and $\dim G$ non-compact free scalars for general $G$. For $SU(2)$, we discuss the gapped interfaces between adjacent levels, which must shift some flux or charge by a finite amount. In the $k\rightarrow\infty$ limit the interface is conjectured to be the $c=1$ Runkel--Watts theory.