Open topological defects and boundary RG flows

Abstract: In the context of two-dimensional rational conformal field theories we consider topological junctions of topological defect lines with boundary conditions. We refer to such junctions as open topological defects. For a relevant boundary operator on a conformal boundary condition we consider a commutation relation with an open defect obtained by passing the junction point through the boundary operator. We show that when there is an open defect that commutes or anti-commutes with the boundary operator there are interesting implications for the boundary RG flows triggered by this operator. The end points of the flow must satisfy certain constraints which, in essence, require the end points to admit junctions with the same open defects. Furthermore, the open defects in the infrared must generate a subring under fusion that is isomorphic to the analogous subring of the original boundary condition. We illustrate these constraints by a number of explicit examples in Virasoro minimal models.