Conformal anomaly from gauge fields without gauge fixing
We show how the Weyl anomaly generated by gauge fields, can be computed from manifestly gauge invariant and diffeomorphism invariant exact renormalization group equations, without having to fix the gauge at any stage. Regularisation is provided by covariant higher derivatives and by embedding the Maxwell field into a spontaneously broken $U(1|1)$ supergauge theory. We first provide a realisation that leaves behind two versions of the original $U(1)$ gauge field, and then construct a manifestly $U(1|1)$ supergauge invariant flow equation which leaves behind only the original Maxwell field in the spontaneously broken regime.
BRST in the Exact RG
We show that the Quantum Master Equation and the Wilsonian renormalization group (RG) flow equation can be combined such that for the continuum effective action, quantum BRST invariance is not broken by the presence of an effective ultraviolet cutoff $\Lambda$, despite the fact that the structure demands quantum corrections that naively break the gauge invariance, such as a mass term for a non-Abelian gauge field. Exploiting the derivative expansion, BRST cohomological methods fix the solution up to choice of renormalization conditions, without inputting the form of the classical, or bare, interactions. Legendre transformation results in an equivalent description in terms of solving the modified Slavnov-Taylor identities and the flow of the Legendre effective action under an infrared cutoff $\Lambda$ (i.e. effective average action). The flow generates a canonical transformation that automatically solves the Slavnov-Taylor identities for the wavefunction renormalization constants. We confirm this structure in detail at tree level and one loop. Under flow of $\Lambda$, the standard results are obtained for the beta function, anomalous dimension, and physical amplitudes, up to choice of renormalization scheme.
Gauge invariant regularisation in the ERG approach
A gauge invariant regularisation which can be used for non-perturbative treatment of Yang-Mills theories within the exact renormalization group approach is constructed. It consists of a spontaneously broken SU(N|N) super-gauge extension of the initial Yang-Mills action supplied with covariant higher derivatives. We demonstrate that the extended theory in four dimensions is ultra-violet finite perturbatively and argue that it has a sensible limit when the regularisation cutoff is removed.