Flag manifold sigma-models: the 1/N-expansion and the anomaly two-form

Abstract: We construct a gauged linear sigma-model representation and develop a 1/N-expansion for flag manifold sigma-models previously proposed by the author. Classically there exists a zero-curvature representation for the equations of motion of these models, which leads in particular to the existence of a conserved non-local charge. We show that at the quantum level this charge is no longer conserved and calculate explicitly the anomaly in its conservation law.