Classification of Non-Abelian Chern-Simons Vortices

The two-dimensional self-dual Chern-Simons equations are equivalent to the conditions for static, zero-energy vortex-like solutions of the (2+1) dimensional gauged nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation with Chern-Simons matter-gauge coupling. The finite charge vacuum states in the Chern-Simons theory are shown to be gauge equivalent to the finite action solutions to the two-dimensional chiral model (or harmonic map) equations. The Uhlenbeck-Wood classification of such harmonic maps into the unitary groups thereby leads to a complete classification of the vacuum states of the Chern-Simons model. This construction also leads to an interesting new relationship between $SU(N)$ Toda theories and the $SU(N)$ chiral model.