Gauge invariant and gauge fixed actions for various higher-spin fields from string field theory

We propose a systematic procedure for extracting gauge invariant and gauge fixed actions for various higher-spin gauge field theories from covariant bosonic open string field theory. By identifying minimal gauge invariant part for the original free string field theory action, we explicitly construct a class of covariantly gauge fixed actions with BRST and anti-BRST invariance. By expanding the actions with respect to the level N   of string states, the actions for various massive fields including higher-spin fields are systematically obtained. As illustrating examples, we explicitly investigate the level N?3$N?3$ part and obtain the consistent actions for massive graviton field, massive 3rd rank symmetric tensor field, or anti-symmetric field. We also investigate the tensionless limit of the actions and explicitly derive the gauge invariant and gauge fixed actions for general rank n symmetric and anti-symmetric tensor fields.     

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

An exact renormalization group equation is written down for the world sheet theory describing the bosonic open string in general backgrounds. Loop variable techniques are used to make the equation gauge invariant. This is worked out explicitly up to level 3. The equation is quadratic in the fields and can be viewed as a proposal for a string field theory equation. As in the earlier loop variable approach, the theory has one extra space dimension and mass is obtained by dimensional reduction. Being based on the sigma model RG, it is background independent. It is intriguing that in contrast to BRST string field theory, the gauge transformations are not modified by the interactions up to the level calculated. The interactions can be written in terms of gauge invariant field strengths for the massive higher spin fields and the non-zero mass is essential for this. This is reminiscent of Abelian Born–Infeld action (along with derivative corrections) for the massless vector field, which is also written in terms of the field strength.     

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 construction for massive higher spin fermionic fields

We formulate a general gauge invariant Lagrangian construction describing the dynamics of massive higher spin fermionic fields in arbitrary dimensions. Treating the conditions determining the irreducible representations of Poincaré group with given spin as the operator constraints in auxiliary Fock space, we built the BRST charge for the model under consideration and find the gauge invariant equations of motion in terms of vectors and operators in the Fock space. It is shown that like in massless case [I.L. Buchbinder, V.A. Krykhtin, A. Pashnev, Nucl. Phys. B 711 (2005) 367, hep-th/0410215], the massive fermionic higher spin field models are the reducible gauge theories and the order of reducibility grows with the value of spin. In compare with all previous approaches, no off-shell constraints on the fields and the gauge parameters are imposed from the very beginning, all correct constraints emerge automatically as the consequences of the equations of motion. As an example, we derive a gauge invariant Lagrangian for massive spin 3/2 field.     

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.     

Topologically massive gauge theories

Gauge vector and gravity models are studied in three-dimensional space-time, where novel, gauge invariant, P and T odd terms of topological origin give rise to masses for the gauge fields. In the vector case, the massless Maxwell excitation, which is spinless, becomes massive with spin 1. When interacting with fermions, the quantum theory is infrared and ultraviolet finite in perturbation theory. For non-Abelian models, topological considerations lead to a quantization condition on the dimensionless coupling constant-mass ratio. Ordinary Einstein gravity is trivial, but when augmented by our mass term, it acquires a propagating, massive, spin 2 mode. This theory is ghost-free and causal, although of third-derivative order. Quantum calculations are presented in both the Abelian and non-Abelian vector models, to exhibit some of the delicate aspects of infrared behavior, and regularization dependence.     

On the Gauge and BRST Invariance of the Chiral QED with Faddeevian Anomaly

Chiral Schwinger model with the Faddeevian anomaly is considered. It is found that imposing a chiral constraint this model can be expressed in terms of chiral boson. The model when expressed in terms of chiral boson remains anomalous and the Gauss law of which gives anomalous Poisson brackets between itself. In spite of that a systematic BRST quantization is possible. The Wess-Zumino term corresponding to this theory appears automatically during the process of quantization. A gauge invariant reformulation of this model is also constructed. Unlike the former one gauge invariance is done here without any extension of phase space. This gauge invariant version maps onto the vector Schwinger model. The gauge invariant version of the chiral Schwinger model for a=2 has a massive field with identical mass however gauge invariant version obtained here does not map on to that.     

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.     

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.     

J/gy suppression as evidence for high densities in nuclear collisions

It is shown that the scattering amplitudes of some degenerate massive string states can be expressed in terms of that of higher spin states at the same mass level. This phenomenon is discussed from σ-model point of view and demonstrated explicitly by using massive Ward identities generated by zero-norm states atD=26. The subtlety of the scalar propagating state is briefly pointed out. We also compare our on-shell gauge symmetry derived from σ-model with off-shell gauge symmetry of covariant string field theory.     

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.     

Dimensional reduction via a novel Higgs mechanism

Many theories of quantum gravity live in higher dimensions, and their reduction to four dimensions via mechanisms such as Kaluza–Klein compactification or brane world models have associated problems. We propose a novel mechanism of dimensional reduction via spontaneous symmetry breaking of a higher dimensional local Lorentz group to one in lower dimensions. Working in the gauge theory formulation of gravity, we couple a Higgs field to spin connections, include a potential for the field, and show that for a suitable choice of Higgs vacuum, the local Lorentz symmetry of the action gets spontaneously reduced to one in a lower dimension. Thus effectively the dimension of spacetime gets reduced by one. This provides a viable mechanism for the dimensional reduction, and may have applications in theories of quantum gravity.     

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.     

Vector and Spinor Decomposition of SU（2） Gauge Potential, Their Equivalence, and Knot Structure in SU（2） Chern-Simons Theory

In this paper, spinor and vector decompositions of SU（2） gauge potential are presented and their equivalence is constructed using a simply proposal. We also obtain the action of Faddeev nonlinear 0（3） sigma model from the SU（2） mass/ve gauge field theory, which is proposed according to the gauge invariant principle. At last, the knot structure in SU（2） Chern-Simons filed theory is discussed in terms of the Φ-mapping topological current theory, The topological charge of the knot is characterized by the Hopf indices and the Brouwer degrees of Φ-mapping.     

Perturbation theory for the anomaly-free chiral Schwinger model

We apply perturbation theory to the gauge invariant version of the chiral Schwinger model. The cancellation of anomalies is shown explicitly in terms of Feynman diagrams. We calculate the exact propagators for the gauge field, for the Wess-Zumino field and for the mixing between these fields. Using these propagators, we demonstrate the existence of a massive state.     

Generalized lattice gauge theory, spin foams and state sum invariants

We construct a generalization of pure lattice gauge theory (LGT) where the role of the gauge group is played by a tensor category. The type of tensor category admissible (spherical, ribbon, symmetric) depends on the dimension of the underlying manifold (≤3, ≤4, any). Ordinary LGT is recovered if the category is the (symmetric) category of representations of a compact Lie group. In the weak coupling limit we recover discretized BF-theory in terms of a coordinate-free version of the spin foam formulation. We work on general cellular decompositions of the underlying manifold.

In particular, we are able to formulate LGT as well as spin foam models of BF-type with quantum gauge group (in dimension ≤4) and with supersymmetric gauge group (in any dimension).

Technically, we express the partition function as a sum over diagrams denoting morphisms in the underlying category. On the LGT side this enables us to introduce a generalized notion of gauge fixing corresponding to a topological move between cellular decompositions of the underlying manifold. On the BF-theory side this allows a rather geometric understanding of the state sum invariants of Turaev/Viro, Barrett/Westbury and Crane/Yetter which we recover.

The construction is extended to include Wilson loop and spin network type observables as well as manifolds with boundaries. In the topological (weak coupling) case this leads to topological quantum field theories with or without embedded spin networks.     

Heterotic string theory: (II). The interacting heterotic string

The theory of interacting heterotic strings is presented. Vertex operators are derived in both the bosonic and fermionic formulations of the theory and are shown to be consistent with gauge invariance, Lorentz invariance, and supersymmetry. Three- and four-point amplitudes for the scattering of massless string states are calculated and used to derive the low-energy field theory limit of the heterotic string. Divergences in string theories are discussed and it is shown that one-loop heterotic string amplitudes are finite and modular invariant only for gauge group E₈×E₈ or spin (32)/Z₂.     

A modular subgroup invariance in a four-dimensional string

A four-dimensional closed supersymmetric string theory is constructed from the left-moving Neveu-Schwarz bosonic string and the right-moving superstring. The gauge group [SU(2)]⁶ arises from an algebraic compactification involving a new affine Kac-Moody construction in terms of Neveu-Schwarz operators. The theory is Lorentz-invariant, tachyon-free and has four-point one-loop amplitudes invariant under a subgroup of the modular group.     

Finite BRST transformation and constrained systems

We establish the connection between the generating functional for the first class theories and the generating functional for the second class theories using the finite field dependent BRST (FFBRST) transformation. We show this connection with the help of explicit calculations in two different models. The generating functional of the Proca model is obtained from the generating functional of the Stueckelberg theory for massive spin 1 vector field using FFBRST transformation. In the other example we relate the generating functionals for gauge invariant and gauge variant theories for a self-dual chiral boson.