Gauge invariant Lagrangian construction for massive bosonic higher spin fields in D dimensions

We develop the BRST approach to Lagrangian formulation for massive higher integer spin fields on a flat space–time of arbitrary dimension. General procedure of gauge invariant Lagrangian construction describing the dynamics of massive bosonic field with any spin is given. No off-shell constraints on the fields (like tracelessness) and the gauge parameters are imposed. The procedure is based on construction of new representation for the closed algebra generated by the constraints defining an irreducible massive bosonic representation of the Poincaré group. We also construct Lagrangian describing propagation of all massive bosonic fields simultaneously. As an example of the general procedure, we derive the Lagrangians for spin-1, spin-2 and spin-3 fields containing total set of auxiliary fields and gauge symmetries of free massive bosonic higher spin field theory.     

Gauge invariant Lagrangian formulation of higher spin massive bosonic field theory in AdS space

In this work we develop the BRST approach to Lagrangian construction for the massive integer higher spin fields in an arbitrary dimensional AdS space. The theory is formulated in terms of auxiliary Fock space. Closed nonlinear symmetry algebra of higher spin bosonic theory in AdS space is found and a method of deriving the BRST operator for such an algebra is proposed. A general procedure of Lagrangian construction, describing the dynamics of a bosonic field with any spin is given on the base of the BRST operator. No off-shell constraints on the fields and the gauge parameters are used from the very beginning. As an example of general procedure, we derive the Lagrangians for massive bosonic fields with spin 0, 1 and 2, containing the total set of auxiliary fields and gauge symmetries.     

Cubic interaction vertices for fermionic and bosonic arbitrary spin fields

Using the light-cone gauge approach to relativistic field dynamics, we study arbitrary spin fermionic and bosonic fields propagating in flat space of dimension greater than or equal to four. Generating functions of parity invariant cubic interaction vertices for totally symmetric and mixed-symmetry massive and massless fields are obtained. For the case of totally symmetric fields, we derive restrictions on the allowed values of spins and the number of derivatives. These restrictions provide a complete classification of parity invariant cubic interaction vertices for totally symmetric fermionic and bosonic fields. As an example of application of the light-cone formalism, we obtain simple expressions for the Yang–Mills and gravitational interactions of massive arbitrary spin fermionic fields. For some particular cases, using our light-cone cubic vertices, we discuss the corresponding manifestly Lorentz invariant and on-shell gauge invariant cubic vertices.     

CFT adapted gauge invariant formulation of arbitrary spin fields in AdS and modified de Donder gauge

Using Poincaré parametrization of AdS space, we study totally symmetric arbitrary spin massless fields in AdS space of dimension greater than or equal to four. CFT adapted gauge invariant formulation for such fields is developed. Gauge symmetries are realized similarly to the ones of Stueckelberg formulation of massive fields. We demonstrate that the curvature and radial coordinate contributions to the gauge transformation and Lagrangian of the AdS fields can be expressed in terms of ladder operators. Realization of the global AdS symmetries in the conformal algebra basis is obtained. Modified de Donder gauge leading to simple gauge fixed Lagrangian is found. The modified de Donder gauge leads to decoupled equations of motion which can easily be solved in terms of the Bessel function. Interrelations between our approach to the massless AdS fields and the Stueckelberg approach to massive fields in flat space are discussed.     

Massive higher spin fields coupled to a scalar: Aspects of interaction and causality

We consider in detail the most general cubic Lagrangian which describes an interaction between two identical higher spin fields in a triplet formulation with a scalar field, all fields having the same values of the mass. After performing the gauge fixing procedure we find that for the case of massive fields the gauge invariance does not guarantee the preservation of the correct number of propagating physical degrees of freedom. In order to get the correct number of degrees of freedom for the massive higher spin field one should impose some additional conditions on parameters of the vertex. Further independent constraints are provided by the causality analysis, indicating that the requirement of causality should be imposed in addition to the requirement of gauge invariance in order to have a consistent propagation of massive higher spin fields.     

An action principle for the Neveu-Schwarz-Ramond string and other systems using supernumerary variables

An action principle which gives rise to the equations of motion and boundary conditions for the free relativistic string with fermionic degrees of freedom is presented. With the aid of extra variables, some of which are Grassmann functions, all the gauge generators are obtained as secondary constraints. The consistency of the system is demonstrated using a generalised Poisson bracket operation. The theory is quantised with Dirac brackets and the fermionic fields become elements of a Clifford algebra. The methods are also used to formulate the theory of the Klein-Gordon and Dirac point particles and the relativistic string and membrane without intrinsic spin. Under certain circumstances we show that the supernumerary variables may be removed entirely from the original Lagrangian.     

Frame-like action and unfolded formulation for massive higher-spin fields

Unfolded equations of motion for symmetric massive bosonic fields of any spin in Minkowski and (A)dS$(A)\mathit{dS}$ spaces are presented. Manifestly gauge invariant action for a spin s?2$s?2$ massive field in any dimension is constructed in terms of gauge invariant curvatures.     

Linearized interactions of scalar and vector fields with the higher spin field in <Emphasis Type="Italic">AdS</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis></Subscript>

The explicit form of linearized gauge arid generalized “Weyl invariant” interactions of scalar and general higher even spin fields in the AdS _D space constructed in [1] is reviewed. Also a linearized interaction of vector field with general higher even spin, gauge field is obtained. It is shown that the gauge invariant action of linearized vector field interacting with the higher spin field also includes the whole tower of invariant actions for couplings of the same vector field with the gauge fields of smaller even spin.     

Variational Equations and Symmetries in the Lagrangian Formalism; Arbitrary Vector Fields

We continue the study of symmetries in the Lagrangian formalism of arbitrary order with the help of the generalized Helmholtz equations (sometimes called the Anderson-Duchamp-Krupka equations). For the case of second-order equations and arbitrary vector fields we are able to establish a polynomial structure in the second-order derivatives. This structure is based on the some linear combinations of Olver hyper-Jacobians. We use as the main tools Fock space techniques and induction. This structure can be used to analyze Lagrangian systems with groups of Noetherian symmetries. As an illustration we analyze the case of Lagrangian equations with Abelian gauge invariance.     

Generalized Noether theorems in canonical formalism for field theories and their applications

A generalization of Noether's first theorem in phase space for an invariant system with a singular Lagrangian in field theories is derived and a generalization of Noether's second theorem in phase space for a noninvariant system in field theories is deduced. A counterexample is given to show that Dirac's conjecture fails. Some preliminary applications of the generalized Noether second theorem to the gauge field theories are discussed. It is pointed out that for certain systems with a noninvariant Lagrangian in canonical variables for field theories there is also a Dirac constraint. Along the trajectory of motion for a gauge-invariant system some supplementary relations of canonical variables and Lagrange multipliers connected with secondary first-class constraints are obtained.     

Induced fractional spin and statistics in three-dimensional QED

It is shown that in background magnetic fields the fermionic Fock vacuum of (2+1)-dimensional quantum electrodynamics is a gauge invariant eigenstate of the full angular-momentum operator. The eigenvalue is computed and its relation to fractional statistics is discussed. It is argued that anomalous induced angular momentum persists to all orders in perturbation theory.     

Conformal gauges and renormalized equations of motion in massless quantum electrodynamics

A formulation of massless QED is studied with a non-singular Lagrangian and conformal invariant equations of motion. It makes use of non-decomposable representations of the conformal groupG and involves two dimensionless scalar fields (in addition to the conventional charged field and electromagnetic potential) but gauge invariant Green functions are shown to coincide with those of standard (massless) QED. Assuming that the (non-elementary) representation ofG for the 5-potential which leaves the equations of motion invariant and leads to the free photon propagator of Johnson-Baker-Adler (JBA) conformal QED remains unaltered by renormalization, we prove that consistency requirements for conformal invariant 2-, 3-, and 4-point Green functions satisfying (renormalized) equations of motion and standard Ward identities lead to either a trivial solution (withe=0) or to a subcanonical dimensiond=1/2 for the charged field.To the memory of Kurt Symanzik     

Loop variables and gauge invariant exact renormalization group equations for (open) string theory II

In arXiv:1202.4298 gauge invariant interacting equations were written down for the spin 2 and spin 3 massive modes using the exact renormalization group of a world sheet theory. This is generalized to all the higher levels in this paper. An interacting theory of an infinite tower of massive higher spins is obtained. They appear as a compactification of a massless theory in one higher dimension. The compactification and consequent mass is essential for writing the interaction terms. Just as for spin 2 and spin 3, the interactions are in terms of gauge invariant “field strengths” and the gauge transformations are the same as for the free theory. This theory can then be truncated in a gauge invariant way by removing one oscillator of the extra dimension to match the field content of BRST string (field) theory. The truncation has to be done level by level and results are given explicitly for level 4. At least up to level 5, the truncation can be done in a way that preserves the higher-dimensional structure. There is a relatively straightforward generalization of this construction to (arbitrary) curved space–time and this is also outlined.     

Cubic interaction vertex of higher-spin fields with external electromagnetic field

We fulfill the detailed analysis of coupling the charged bosonic higher-spin fields to external constant electromagnetic field in first order in external field strength. Cubic interaction vertex of arbitrary massive and massless bosonic higher-spin fields with external field is found. Construction is based on deformation of free Lagrangian and free gauge transformations by terms linear in electromagnetic field strength. In massive case a formulation with Stueckelberg fields is used. We begin with the most general form of deformations for Lagrangian and gauge transformations, admissible by Lorentz covariance and gauge invariance and containing some number of arbitrary coefficients, and require the gauge invariance of the deformed theory in first order in strength. It yields the equations for the coefficients which are exactly solved. As a result, the complete interacting Lagrangian of arbitrary bosonic higher-spin fields with constant electromagnetic field in first order in electromagnetic strength is obtained. Causality of massive spin-2 and spin-3 fields propagation in the corresponding electromagnetic background is proved.     

Topological mass generation four-dimensional gauge theory

The Lagrangian of non-Abelian tensor gauge fields describes the interaction of the Yang–Mills and massless tensor bosons of increasing helicities. We have found a metric-independent gauge invariant density which is a four-dimensional analog of the Chern–Simons density. The Lagrangian augmented by this Chern–Simons-like invariant describes massive Yang–Mills boson, providing a gauge-invariant mass gap for a four-dimensional gauge field theory. We present invariant densities which can provide masses to the high-rank tensor bosons.     

The 4PI effective action for $\phi^4$ theory

In the symplectic Lagrangian framework we in a new fashion embed an irreducible massive vector-tensor theory into a gauge invariant system, which has become reducible, by extending the configuration space to include an additional pair of scalar and vector fields, which give the desired Wess-Zumino action. A comparison with the BFT Hamiltonian embedding approach is also given.Received: 13 January 2004, Published online: 16 March 2004     

Conversion of second class constraints by deformation of Lagrangian local symmetries

For a theory with first and second class constraints, we propose a procedure for conversion of second class constraints based on deformation the structure of local symmetries of the Lagrangian formulation. It does not require extension or reduction of configuration space of the theory. We give examples in which the initial formulation implies a nonlinear realization of some global symmetries, therefore is not convenient. The conversion reveals hidden symmetry presented in the theory. The extra gauge freedom of conversed version is used to search for a parameterization which linearizes the equations of motion. We apply the above procedure to membrane theory (in the formulation with world-volume metric). In the resulting version, all the metric components are gauge degrees of freedom. The above procedure works also in a theory with only second class constraints presented. As an examples, we discuss arbitrary dynamical system of classical mechanics subject to kinematic constraints, O(N)$O(N)$-invariant nonlinear sigma-model, and the theory of massive vector field with Maxwell–Proca Lagrangian.