Dimensional reduction of symmetries

It has been shown that ordinary (d−2)-dimensional quantum field theories are equivalent to corresponding quantum field theories defined on a (d+2)-dimensional superspace with two anticommuting variables. This dimensional reduction is a consequence of superrotation invariance in the superspace. In this letter we study general conformal transformations in the superspace and the properties of field theories which are invariant under such transformations. We show that the symmetries are dimensionally reduced.     

Algebraic properties of extended supergravity theories

Chirality transformations and generalized duality transformations are used to show that the extended O(2) and O(3) supergravity theories in fact have a U(2) and a U(3) invariance respectively. The coupling of these supergravity theories to matter multiplets having global extended supersymmetry is considered. In one case where the matter multiplet has a non-vanishing central charge, one finds a minimal coupling of the vector field of the supergravity multiplet.     

Renormalization of Wilson operators in gauge theories

The operators in a Wilson expansion are not in general multiplicatively renormalized in non-Abelian gauge theories. This is because of the renormalization of the gauge transformations themselves. Renormalized fields may be defined, which have the old gauge transformations. Alternatively, a special choice of gauge may be made, in which the gauge transformations are unchanged on renormalization. In any case, one gauge invariant factor appears in the renormalization of the Wilson operators.     

Bogoliubov transformations and fermion condensates in lattice field theories

We apply generalized Bogoliubov transformations to the transfer matrix of relativistic field theories regularized on a lattice. We derive the conditions these transformations must satisfy to factorize the transfer matrix into two terms which propagate fermions and antifermions separately, and we solve the relative equations under some conditions. We relate these equations to the saddle point approximation of a recent bosonization method and to the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformations which separate positive from negative energy states in the Dirac Hamiltonian.     

On the superselection rule for electric charge

It is shown that global transformations can be included into the group of local gauge transformations. In the Dirac scheme of the quantization of gauge theories, it allows us to prove that for electric charge there is a superselection rule in electrodynamics and, even more, that the total electric charge of the open Universe is zero.     

Transposition-invariant equations for the unified field theory

We discuss, within the framework provided by a recently developed variational method, transposition-invariant field equations for unified field theories. Systems that are, in addition, invariant under Weyl-type gauge transformations or lambda transformations are derived. It is found that in a weak field limit two of the systems contain the equations of general relativity and the covariant Maxwell equations for a charge-free region.     

Soft gauge algebras

Gauge transformations whose algebra closes only modulo field dependent terms (soft gauge algebras) are studied in detail. The results are explicitly applied to a supersymmetric gauge theory, to gravity and to conformal gravity, all seen as gauge theories overx-space; the obvious applications to supergravity are pointed out. A consistency requirement for the gauge transformations of those fields which appear in the algebra is seen to rule out “local translations” as independent gauge transformations.     

Dressing symmetries

We study the group of dressing transformations in soliton theories. We show that it is generated by the monodromy matrix. This provides a new proof of their Lie-Poisson property. We treat in detail the examples of the Toda field theories and the Heisenberg model. We show that the group of dressing transformations is the classical precursor of the various manifestations of quantum groups in these models, e.g. algebraic Bethe ansatz, non-local currents, or quantum group symmetries. Finally, we define field multiplets supporting a linear representation of the dressing group and we show that their exchange algebras are encoded in the classical double.Communicated by K. Gawedzki     

Twisted invariances of noncommutative gauge theories

We study noncommutative deformations of Yang–Mills theories and show that these theories admit a infinite, continuous family of twisted star-gauge invariances. This family interpolates continuously between star-gauge and twisted gauge transformations. The possible physical rôle of these start-twisted invariances is discussed.     

Canonical quantization of a special class of gauge theories

The class of theories (special-class theories) to which the most popular physical field theories belong is described in a general form. Various ways of quantizing special-class theories are considered, and their equivalence is demonstrated. The explicit form of the generators of the gauge transformations are obtained, and the equivalence of the definition of physical functions in the Lagrangian and the Hamiltonian formalisms is demonstrated.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 3, pp. 24–36, March, 1986.     

The T-dual symmetries of a bosonic string

We investigate whether the symmetry transformations of a bosonic string are connected by T-duality. We start with a standard closed string theory. We continue with a modified open string theory, modified to preserve the symmetry transformations possessed by the closed string theory. Because the string theory is conformally invariant world-sheet field theory, in order to find the transformations which preserve the physics, one has to demand the isomorphism between the conformal field theories corresponding to the initial and the transformed field configurations. We find the symmetry transformations corresponding to the similarity transformation of the energy-momentum tensor, and find that their generators are T-dual. Particularly, we find that the general coordinate and local gauge transformations are T-dual, so we conclude that T-duality in addition to the well-known exchanges, transforms symmetries of the initial and its T-dual theory into each other.     

Finite Nilpotent BRST Transformations in Hamiltonian Formulation

We consider the finite field dependent BRST (FFBRST) transformations in the context of Hamiltonian formulation using Batalin-Fradkin-Vilkovisky method. The non-trivial Jacobian of such transformations is calculated in extended phase space. The contribution from Jacobian can be written as exponential of some local functional of fields which can be added to the effective Hamiltonian of the system. Thus, FFBRST in Hamiltonian formulation with extended phase space also connects different effective theories. We establish this result with the help of two explicit examples. We also show that the FFBRST transformations is similar to the canonical transformations in the sector of Lagrange multiplier and its corresponding momenta.     

Integrable field theories with defects

The structure of integrable field theories in the presence of defects is discussed in terms of boundary functions under the Lagrangian formalism. Explicit examples of bosonic and fermionic theories are considered. In particular, the boundary functions for the super sinh-Gordon model is constructed and shown to generate the Backlund transformations for its soliton solutions.     

Modular invariant partition functions in the quantum Hall effect

We study the partition function for the low-energy edge excitations of the incompressible electron fluid. On an annular geometry, these excitations have opposite chiralities on the two edges; thus, the partition function takes the standard form of rational conformal field theories. In particular, it is invariant under modular transformations of the toroidal geometry made by the angular variable and the compact Euclidean time. The Jain series of plateaus have been described by two types of edge theories: the minimal models of the W_1+∞ algebra of quantum area-preserving diffeomorphisms, and their non-minimal version, the theories with affine algebra. We find modular invariant partition functions for the latter models. Moreover, we relate the Wen topological order to the modular transformations and the Verlinde fusion algebra. We find new, non-diagonal modular invariants which describe edge theories with extended symmetry algebra; their Hall conductivities match the experimental values beyond the Jain series.     

Six-Dimensional Superconformal Field Theories from Principal 3-Bundles over Twistor Space

We construct manifestly superconformal field theories in six dimensions which contain a non-Abelian tensor multiplet. In particular, we show how principal 3-bundles over a suitable twistor space encode solutions to these self-dual tensor field theories via a Penrose–Ward transform. The resulting higher or categorified gauge theories significantly generalise those obtained previously from principal 2-bundles in that the so-called Peiffer identity is relaxed in a systematic fashion. This transform also exposes various unexplored structures of higher gauge theories modelled on principal 3-bundles such as the relevant gauge transformations. We thus arrive at the non-Abelian differential cohomology that describes principal 3-bundles with connective structure.     

Unification of Poincaré, BRST and Parisi-Sourlas supersymmetries

Poincaré, BRST and Parisi-Sourlas supersymmetries are usually viewed as unrelated. Here we argue that they are in fact closely related. We argue that fermions in Poincaré SUSY theories can be interpreted as negative-dimensional phase space coordinates, in the Parisi-Sourlas sense. The Bose-Fermi balance then implies that the effective phase space dimensionality vanishes. We show that interacting Poincaré SUSY theories are related to the corresponding free theories by superrotations similar to BRST transformations. For superstrings we find that spacetime can be viewed as a zero-dimensional manifold in the sense of Parisi-Sourlas.     

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.     

Some remarks on BRS transformations,anomalies and the cohomology of the Lie algebra of the group of gauge transformations

We show that ghosts in gauge theories can be interpreted as Maurer-Cartan forms in the infinite dimensional group ? of gauge transformations. We examine the cohomology of the Lie algebra of ? and identify the coboundary operator with the BRS operator. We describe the anomalous terms encountered in the renormalization of gauge theories (triangle anomalies) as elements of these cohomology groups.     

Manifestly-covariant canonical formalism of Poincaré gauge theories

We present a general framework for manifestly-covariant canonical formulation of Poincaré gauge theories. We construct a general class of action that is invariant under two kinds of BRS transformations—translation and internal Lorentz—and suitable for manifestly-covariant canonical quantization. This theory contains a great number of conserved quantities, which we investigate systematically. It is also pointed out that a canonical formulation of higher-derivative theories may be obtained as a limiting case in this framework.     

Spontaneous symmetry breaking in local gauge quantum field theory; the Higgs mechanism

Spontaneous symmetry breakings in indefinite metric quantum field theories are analyzed and a generalization of the Goldstone theorem is proved. The case of local gauge quantum field theories is discussed in detail and a characterization is given of the occurrence of the Higgs mechanism versus the Goldstone mechanism. The Higgs phenomenon is explained on general grounds without the introduction of the so-called Higgs fields. The basic property is the relation between the local internal symmetry group and the local group of gauge transformations of the second kind. Spontaneous symmetry breaking ofc-number gauge transformations of the second kind is shown to always occur if there are charged local fields. The implications about the absence of mass gap in the Wightman functions and the occurrence of massless particles associated with the unbroken generators in the Higgs phenomenon are discussed.