Quantization of gauge theories

A path-integral procedure for quantizing gauge theories is proposed (on a heuristic level). The Hilbert space of physical states is constructed. Each physical state is represented by an infinite set of gauge equivalent configurations. All physical transition amplitudes are defined. In this approach, the “natural” value of parameter θ is zero.     

Regularization of chiral gauge theories

The regularization of chiral gauge theories is reviewed from the “overlap” point of riew. This is a brief and biased review containing no references. Contribution dedicated to Lawrence Horwitz on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

Quantization of gauge theories with global anomalies

Global anomalies, which obstruct the quantization of certain gauge theories in the temporal gauge, get bypassed in canonical quantization.     

Berry's phase in chiral gauge theories

Berry's phase in chiral gauge theories is computed. The result implies that the anomalous commutator of gauge transformations is the one previously obtained by Faddeev.     

Quantization and unitary in antisymmetric tensor gauge theories

Following the procedure of Batalin and Vilkovisky we discuss the quantization of a non-abelian antisymmetric tensor gauge theory and describe the verification of one-loop unitarity for the quantized model, using the Ward identities and the procedure of 't Hooft and Veltman. The quantization of this system is similar to that of the Witten string field theory, requiring among other things the presence of three-ghost couplings.     

Anomalous commutators in two-dimensional chiral gauge theories

It is shown that in two-dimensional models of chiral fermions coupled with background gauge fields, anomalous commutators of currents as well as of generators of time-independent gauge transformations are completely determined by the anomaly if the gauge group is semisimple. The four-dimensional case is commented on.     

Gauge anomaly cancellation in chiral gauge theories

We consider chiral fermions interacting minimally with abelian and non-abelian gauge fields. Using a path integral approach and exploring the consequences of a mechanism of symmetry restoration, we show that the gauge anomaly has null expectation value in the vacuum for both cases (abelian and non-abelian). We argue that the same mechanism has no possibility to cancel the chiral anomaly, what eliminates competition between chiral and gauge symmetry at full quantum level. We also show that the insertion of the gauge anomaly in arbitrary gauge invariant correlators gives a null result, which points towards anomaly cancellation in the subspace of physical state vectors.     

Anomalous commutators in vector and chiral gauge theories

A fixed-time point-splitting regularisation employing suitable phase factors is used to derive various anomalous commutators - both in usual vector gauge theories and non-abelian chiral gauge theories in four dimensions. In the latter case, new structures for the commutators involving currents have been found. Consistency of these expressions is established by reproducing some familiar results.     

General chiral gauge theories on the lattice

We still extend the large class of Dirac operators decribing massless fermions on the lattice found recently, only requiring that such operators decompose into Weyl operators. After deriving general relations and constructions of operators, we study the basis representations of the chiral projections. We then investigate correlation functions of Weyl fermions for any value of the index, stressing the related conditions for basis transformations and their consequences, and getting the precise behaviors under gauge transformations and CP transformations. Various further developments include considerations of the explicit form of the effective action and of a representation of the general correlation functions in terms of alternating multilinear forms. For comparison we also consider gauge-field variations and their respective applications. Finally we compare with continuum perturbation theory.     

On Schwinger terms in nonabelian chiral gauge theories

Chiral fermionic currents, coupled with nonabelian background gauge fields, are known to have Schwinger terms in their commutators. It is shown that if the gauge group is semisimple, the anomaly is completely determined by these Schwinger terms. Violation of Jacobi identities can also be demonstrated using them.     

Geometry and topology of chiral anomalies in gauge theories

Geometrical and topological aspects of chiral anomalies in gauge theories are reviewed. Geometrical and topological concepts and results for chiral anomalies in gauge theories are considered, including differential forms, Lie groups, homotopy, homology, cohomology, Riemannian manifolds, fibre bundles, characteristic classes, index theorems and spectral flow. Gauge theories and their formulation in terms of differential forms and fibre bundles are described. The quantisation of gauge theories is performed using path integrals, and the orbit space, BRST symmetries and ? vacuum are discussed. Gauge theories with fermions are formulated, including realistic models of strong and weak interactions. Chiral anomalies and related issues such as the existence of Schwinger terms, their origins in terms of differential forms, cohomology, the orbit space, BRST identities, Hamiltonian systems and relations to index theorems are analysed. Constraints on models for particle physics from chiral anomalies and theories involving spontaneously broken chiral symmetry described by effective Lagrangians are also mentioned.     

Covariant and consistent anomalies in even-dimensional chiral gauge theories

This paper is devoted to various aspects of anomalies in even-dimensional chiral gauge theories. The difference between the covariant and consistent anomalies is carefully explained in terms of their different origins. The consistent current is defined in terms of a gauge-variant effectve action constructed from the covariant current. An alternative scheme is set up where the covariant anomaly is unaltered but the consistent anomaly vanishes because the effective actions is gauge-invariant. A discussion of theories with vector and axial currents separately gauged is included: here, apart from the covariant anomalies, two different ways of constructing gauge-variant effective actions are possible, giving rise to different structures of the consistent anomalies.     

Point-splitting analysis of commutator anomalies in non-abelian chiral gauge theories

A gauge covariant point-splitting regularisation is employed to calculate different anomalous commutators in four dimensional chiral gauge theories. For an external gauge field the fixed time anomalous commutator of the gauge group generators is seen to violate the Jacobi identity. The cohomological prediction can be confirmed provided the electric fields do not commute. Other commutators like the current-current and current-electric field are consistent with the Bjorken-Johnson-Low (BJL) derivation.     

The chiral anomaly in supersymmetric gauge theories coupled to supergravity

We extend a previously developed algebraic-cohomological method to calculate an explicit form of the consistent chiral anomaly in a SYM theory coupled to N = 1 supergravity.     

Correspondence principle and quantum gauge theories with chiral fermions

The correspondence principle is used to extend nonabelian gauge theories with chiral fermions up to anomaly-free theories by introducing unitary scalar fields. Resulting theories can be treated as a low-energy approximation to left-right theories. This approach fixes the Weinberg angle of the electroweak theory at _w=30°.