Type-III and IV interacting Weyl points

3+1-dimensional Weyl fermions in interacting systems are described by effective quasi-relativistic Green’s functions parametrized by a 16-element matrix e _α ^μ in an expansion around the Weyl point. The matrix e _α ^μ can be naturally identified as an effective tetrad field for the fermions. The correspondence between the tetrad field and an effective quasi-relativistic metric g_μν governing the Weyl fermions allows for the possibility to simulate different classes of metric fields emerging in general relativity in interacting Weyl semimetals. According to this correspondence, there can be four types of Weyl fermions, depending on the signs of the components g ⁰⁰ and g ₀₀ of the effective metric. In addition to the conventional type-I fermions with a tilted Weyl cone and type-II fermions with an overtilted Weyl cone for g ⁰⁰ > 0 and, respectively, g ₀₀ > 0 or g ₀₀ < 0, we find additional “type-III” and “type-IV” Weyl fermions with instabilities (complex frequencies) for g ⁰⁰ < 0 and g ₀₀ > 0 or g ₀₀ < 0, respectively. While the type-I and type-II Weyl points allow us to simulate the black hole event horizon at an interface where g ⁰⁰ changes sign, the type-III Weyl point leads to effective spacetimes with closed timelike curves.     

Pregeometric quantum lattice: A general discussion

We put forward an idea that the fundamental, i.e. pregeometric, structure of spacetime is given by an abstract set, so called abstract simplicial complex ASC. Thus, at the pregeometric level there is no (smooth) spacetime manifold. However, we argue that the structure described by an abstract simplicial complex is dynamical. This dynamics is then assumed to ensure that ASC can be realized as a lattice on a four-dimensional manifold with the simplest topologies dominating.We rewrite the pregeometric model, which is quantized using euclidean path-integral formalism, in an exact way so that as a four-dimensional manifold with the simples topologies dominating. is done by definition. The first step in bringing the continuum into the arena is to build up a lattice on a four-dimensional manifold from a given ASC. In fact, we choose a specific lattice: The Regge calculus lattice, i.e. a piecewise linear (flat) metric spacetime manifold. Secondly, we introduce a smooth (C^∞) manifold (described by a metric tensor g_μν) to approximate the Regge calculus manifold (described by a metric tensor g_μν^RC).It turns out that after integrating (and summing) out all other degrees of freedom than the metric tensor field g_μν, the resulting continuum theory is nonlocal (as would be expected). However, it is our main point to show that the nonlocality is not very severe since it is only of finite range. We argue that the points in the introduced continuum which represent lattice points have so great quantum fluctuations that they are in a high temperature phase with no long-range correlations. In other words, although the effective action for the continuum formulation is not totally local, it is effectively so because it has only finite range nonlocalities. We can prove this kind of weak locality of the effective action by means of a general high-temperature theorem. Then we claim that the resulting local (or rather almost local) model with reparametrization invariance and g_μν as a field gives essentially the ordinary Einstein's gravity theory in the long wavelength limit.     

Gauge-Invariant and Gauge-Fixing Independent Effective Action in One-Loop Quantum Gravity

The one-parameter dependent family of the gauge invariant and gauge fixing independent effective actions is considered in one-loop approximation. The one-loop unique effective action (chosing as the representative of this family) in d = 4 Einstein quantum gravity with scalar field and Brans-Dicke quantum theory in flat space, in d = 4 Einstein gravity on De Sitter background, in higher derivative gravity on d-dimensional torus compactified background is calculated. The configuration-space metric dependence of the unique effective action in these calculations is investigated. The appearing problems (the configuration-space metric dependence of the physical quantities like induced gravitational constant) are discussed.     

Conformal field theory and the symmetries of string field theory

The two-dimensional conformal field theory representation of Witten's bosonic string field theory is discussed. The basic overlap equations, K_n symmetry and BRST invariance are proved directly, without the usual expansion in oscillators. The conformal field theory approach naturally provides local overlap identities which (when integrated over half the string) can be used to verify properties of the cubic action. In particular, a recently proposed diffeomorphism invariance is shown to be free of anomalies. Finally, a new class of symmetries, including generalizations of the K_n symmetries which are local in spacetime, are presented.     

Quantum theory of a massless spinning particle

The classical and quantum mechanics of a free massless point-like fermion is presented. The action is invariant under local 1-dimensional reparametrizations and supersymmetry, as well as a large set of rigid symmetries, including conformal and chiral symmetries. An infinite set of rigid symmetries is derived starting from the chiral invariance, but only a finite subset does not vanish on shell. The BRST-transformations corresponding to thed=1 local symmetries are constructed and the quantization is performed. Finally, the BRST-cohomology is investigated and the conditions producing the physical states are derived.     

Generalized conformal invariance conditions on a sigma model of the open bosonic string including the first massive mode

Conformal invariance conditions on a sigma model of the open bosonic string including the tachyon, the abelian gauge field an the first excited massive mode are calculated up to order a′. Inner symmetries are used to compute conformal invariance conditions from renormalization group beta functions.     

Non critical super strings on world sheets of constant curvature

We consider correlation functions in Neveu-Schwarz string theory coupled to two dimensional gravity. The actionfor the 2D gravity consists of the string induced Liouville action and the Jackiw-Teitelboim action describing pure 2D gravity. Then gravitational dressed dimensions of vertex operators are equal to their bare conformal dimensions. There are two possible interpretations of the model. Considering the 2D dilaton and the Liouville field as additional target space coordinates one gets ad+2-dimensional critical string. In thed-dimensional non critical string picture gravitational fields retain their original meaning and ford=4 one can get a mass spectrum via consistency requirements. In both cases a GSO projection is possible.     

Strong spin-two interaction and general relativity

The concept of short range strong spin-two (f) field (mediated by massive f-mesons) and interacting directly with hadrons was introduced along with the infinite range (g) field in early seventies. In the present review of this growing area (often referred to as strong gravity) we give a general relativistic treatment in terms of Einstein-type (non-abelian gauge) field equations with a coupling constant G_f ? 10³⁸G_N (G_N being the Newtonian constant) and a cosmological term λ_f ?;_μν (?;_μν is strong gravity metric and λ_f ～ 10²⁸ cm^? is related to the f-meson mass). The solutions of field equations linearized over de Sitter (uniformly curves) background are capable of having connections with internal symmetries of hadrons and yielding mass formulae of SU(3) or SU(6) type. The hadrons emerge as de Sitter “microuniverses” intensely curved within (radius of curvature ～10^?14 cm).The study of spinor fields in the context of strong gravity has led to Heisenberg's non-linear spinor equation with a fundamental length ～2 × 10^?14 cm. Furthermore, one finds repulsive spin-spin interaction when two identical spin-$\text{1}\text{2}$ particles are in parallel configuration and a connection between weak interaction and strong gravity.Various other consequences of strong gravity embrace black hole (solitonic) solutions representing hadronic bags with possible quark confinement, Regge-like relations between spins and masses, connection with monopoles and dyons, quantum geons and friedmons, hadronic temperature, prevention of gravitational singularities, providing a physical basis for Dirac's two metric and large numbers hypothesis and projected unification with other basic interactions through extended supergravity.     

A model of spontaneous symmetry breakdown in spatially flat cosmological spacetimes

This paper is an elaboration of a previous short exposition of a theory of spontaneous symmetry breaking in a conformally coupled, massless λø⁴ model in a spatially flat Robertson-Walker spacetime. Under the weakened global boundary condition allowing the physical spacetime to be conformal to only a portion of the Minkowski spacetime, the model admits a pair of degenerate vacua in which the ø → ? ø symmetry is spontaneously broken. The model is formulated as a euclidean field theory in a space with a positive-definite metric obtained by analytically continuing the conformal time coordinate. An appropriate time-dependent zero energy solution of the euclidean equation of motion representing the field configuration in the asymmetric vacuum is considered and the corresponding quantum trace anomaly 〈T_μ^μ〉 is computed in the one-loop approximation. The nontrivial infrared behavior of the model due to the singular nature of the classical background field forces a modification of the boundary conditions on the propagator. A general form for an “improved|DD one-loop trace anomaly is found by a simple argument based on renormalization group invariance. Via the Einstein equation, the trace anomaly leads to a self-consistent dynamical equation for the cosmic expansion scale factor. Some physical aspects of the back-reaction problem based on a simple power law model of the expansion scale factor are discussed.     

High-energy behavior and second class constraints in quantum gravity

It is proposed that sensible high-energy behavior in a quantum theory of gravity may be achieved in a class of theories in which the connection and metric are independent and unconstrained and where the action is chosen so that no derivatives of the metric appear. This is because in these theories all ten of the metric field equations are realized as second class constraints. These can in principle be solved, expressing the operators g_μν as functions of the operators for the components of the connection and their canonical momenta. Thus, the metric has no independent quantum fluctuations, and the instabilities resulting from the usual curvature squared terms are eliminated. Furthermore, there is no need to assume metric compatibility, as it is automatically restored in the low-energy limit by the dominance of dimension-two terms.In order to explore these ideas a toy model with two degrees of freedom, corresponding to a metric and a connection variable, is quantized and shown to have a sensible high energy limit, while a related model, in which a constraint analogous to metric compatibility is imposed, is found to be unstable at high energies.     

Quantum inequivalence of different field representations

The gauge theories of antisymmetric tensor potentials A_μν and A_μν? describe 1 and 0 degrees of freedom, respectively. Yet we show the gravitational trace anomalies of A_μν and a scalar field A to be different, and that of A_μν? to be non-vanishing. Corresponding inequivalences also occur in their one-loop counterterms when the spacetime has non-trivial topology. Furthermore, the coupling of A_μν? to gravity provides a gauge principle derivation of the cosmological constant. Possible applications to supergravity are also discussed.     

On loop corrections to string theory effective actions

We make some comments concerning the structure of loop corrections to the effective action (EA) for massless fields of a string. The singular part of the α′→0 limit of the one-loop EA in the open (super)string theory is studied and is shown to be in correspondence with the ultraviolet divergent part of the one-loop effective action in the (super) Yang-Mills theory. In particular, we reproduce the known result about the absence of Λ^D−4 F_μν² one-loop infinities in D = 26 Yang-Mills theory starting from the open Bose string theory. We also discuss the path integral representation for EA (EA = generalized partition function for the σ-model) and use it to compute the open string theory EA on the disc and the annulus.     

Quantizing the N=2 super sigma-model in two dimensions

A manifestly covariant background field formalism for the N=2 supersymmetric non-linear σ-model is presented. The formalism allows the symmetries of the model to be exploited to the full in the discussion of the ultraviolet divergences in the quantum theory. This proves the cohomological triviality of the metric counterterms at the l⩾2 loop orders. The formalism confirms the finiteness of models with Ricci-flat metrics through the three-loop order. However, it seems unlikely that these cancellations will persist to higher orders. This general analysis is borne out by a study of the supercurrent structure. It is shown that while there is a component axial U(1) current which obeys an Adler-Bardeen theorem, this current is not in the supercurrent multiplet and its existence cannot therefore be used to prove conformal invariance at the quantum level.     

Orbifold models and modular transformation

The orbifold models of the heterotic string are constructed on the quotient spaces of generalized tori by translational and rotational discrete symmetries. In order to obtain the consistent orbifold models, the conditions of the modular invariance are derived from a one-loop vacuum amplitude. Z₃ orbifold models satisfying such conditions are searched systematically. It is shown that there are infinite possible models with N = 2 supersymmetry. Among these models, two examples having E₆ and E₇ gauge groups are discussed. The orbifold models with N = 1 supersymmetry are also discussed in detail. It is shown that there are only five consistent models in the class of these models based on E₈ ⊗ E′₈ heterotic string in which the extra six-dimensional torus and the E₈ ⊗ E′₈ maximal torus are modded out by the rotational and the translational Z₃ symmetries respectively.     

On a new condition distinguishing Weyl and Lorentz space-times

The paper is concerned with the derivability of a Lorentz instead of only a Weyl manifold as space-time structure from postulates about free fall and light propagation. For this purpose it identifies a property distinguishing both kinds of space-times. The property is one of a particular metric of the conformal class of the Weyl manifold. viz. that in suitably chosen locally geodesic coordinates theg _i4 components,i=1, 2, 3 vanish along the time axis. Although seemingly somewhat hidden, one is led to this property in looking for a metric which can play a distinguished role. We demonstrate that for a Lorentzian manifold such a condition is always given; thus it is a necessary one. It is sufficient since for a Weyl space it has the consequence that the metric connection of the selectedg is projectively equivalent to the Weyl connection. Thus, if a Weyl space-time complies with it, it is a reducible one. The results of this paper lay the ground for deriving in a second step this condition from a simple, empirically testable postulate about free-fall worldlines and “radar” measurements by light signals.     

Derivation of the Dirac Equation by Conformal Differential Geometry

A rigorous ab initio derivation of the (square of) Dirac’s equation for a particle with spin is presented. The Lagrangian of the classical relativistic spherical top is modified so to render it invariant with respect conformal changes of the metric of the top configuration space. The conformal invariance is achieved by replacing the particle mass in the Lagrangian with the conformal Weyl scalar curvature. The Hamilton-Jacobi equation for the particle is found to be linearized, exactly and in closed form, by an ansatz solution that can be straightforwardly interpreted as the “quantum wave function” of the 4-spinor solution of Dirac’s equation. All quantum features arise from the subtle interplay between the conformal curvature acting on the particle as a potential and the particle motion which affects the geometric “pre-potential” associated to the conformal curvature itself. The theory, carried out here by assuming a Minkowski metric, can be easily extended to arbitrary space-time Riemann metric, e.g. the one adopted in the context of General Relativity. This novel theoretical scenario appears to be of general application and is expected to open a promising perspective in the modern endeavor aimed at the unification of the natural forces with gravitation.     

Tractors,mass, and Weyl invariance

Deser and Nepomechie established a relationship between masslessness and rigid conformal invariance by coupling to a background metric and demanding local Weyl invariance, a method which applies neither to massive theories nor theories which rely upon gauge invariances for masslessness. We extend this method to describe massive and gauge invariant theories using Weyl invariance. The key idea is to introduce a new scalar field which is constant when evaluated at the scale corresponding to the metric of physical interest. This technique relies on being able to efficiently construct Weyl invariant theories. This is achieved using tractor calculus—a mathematical machinery designed for the study of conformal geometry. From a physics standpoint, this amounts to arranging fields in multiplets with respect to the conformal group but with novel Weyl transformation laws. Our approach gives a mechanism for generating masses from Weyl weights. Breitenlohner–Freedman stability bounds for Anti-de Sitter theories arise naturally as do direct derivations of the novel Weyl invariant theories given by Deser and Nepomechie. In constant curvature spaces, partially massless theories—which rely on the interplay between mass and gauge invariance—are also generated by our method. Another simple consequence is conformal invariance of the maximal depth partially massless theories. Detailed examples for spins s?2$s?2$ are given including tractor and component actions, on-shell and off-shell approaches and gauge invariances. For all spins s?2$s?2$ we give tractor equations of motion unifying massive, massless, and partially massless theories.     

The coupling of Chern–Simons theory to topological gravity

We couple Chern–Simons gauge theory to 3-dimensional topological gravity with the aim of investigating its quantum topological invariance. We derive the relevant BRST rules and Batalin–Vilkovisky action. Standard BRST transformations of the gauge field are modified by terms involving both its anti-field and the super-ghost of topological gravity. Beyond the obvious couplings to the metric and the gravitino, the BV action includes hitherto neglected couplings to the super-ghost. We use this result to determine the topological anomalies of certain higher ghost deformations of SU(N)$\mathit{SU}(N)$ Chern–Simons theory, introduced years ago by Witten. In the context of topological strings these anomalies, which generalize the familiar framing anomaly, are expected to be cancelled by couplings of the closed string sector. We show that such couplings are obtained by dressing the closed string field with topological gravity observables.     

Effective action in higher derivative (Super)gravities

'The one-loop effective action (EA) with an accuracy up to linear curvature terms ind=4R ²-gravity, conformal gravity, andN=1,d=4 conformal supergravity on the backgroundR ₄×T_4–k,k=1, 2, 3 is calculated. (Here,R _k is thek-dimensional curved space, T_n is then-dimensional torus). The one-loop EA in multidimensionalR ²-gravity and ind=10 conformal supergravity on the backgroundR ₄ ×T _d–4 is also obtained. The mechanism of inducing the Einstein gravity from the EA of considered theories of higher derivative (super)gravity is presented.We are grateful to I. L. Bukhbinder for the numerous discussions of considered questions.