16423561
Covariant theory of asymptotic symmetries, conservation laws and central charges
Under suitable assumptions on the boundary conditions, it is shown that there is a bijective correspondence between equivalence classes of asymptotic reducibility parameters and asymptotically conserved (n−2)-forms in the context of Lagrangian gauge theories. The asymptotic reducibility parameters can be interpreted as asymptotic Killing vector fields of the background, with asymptotic behaviour determined by a new dynamical condition. A universal formula for asymptotically conserved (n−2)-forms in terms of the reducibility parameters is derived. Sufficient conditions for finiteness of the charges built out of the asymptotically conserved (n−2)-forms and for the existence of a Lie algebra g among equivalence classes of asymptotic reducibility parameters are given. The representation of g in terms of the charges may be centrally extended. An explicit and covariant formula for the central charges is constructed. They are shown to be 2-cocycles on the Lie algebra g. The general considerations and formulas are applied to electrodynamics, Yang–Mills theory and Einstein gravity.
120563531
The gravitational anomalies
Abstract We determine all solutions to the consistency equations which have to be satisfied by anomalies in gravitational theories with a Poincare-invariant ground state.
117843456
All Solutions of the Wess-Zumino Consistency Conditions
For the case of a compact gauge group we list all solutions to the Wess-Zumino consistency equations which have to be satisfied by anomalies. We describe the main algebraic tools and theorems required for this complete classification. Our results answer the question whether in nonrenormalizable gauge theories there exist additional up-to-now unknown anomalies in the negative.
13951212
Anomaly candidates and invariants of D = 4, N = 1 supergravity theories
Anomaly candidates and the form of the most general invariant local action are given for old and new minimal supergravity, including the cases that Yang--Mills and chiral matter multiplets are present. Non-minimal supergravity is also discussed. The results are obtained using BRS techniques by solving the descent equations which contain the consistency equation satisfied by integrands of anomalies and invariant actions. Among the anomaly candidates found there are locally supersymmetric extensions of the well known chiral anomalies as well as previously unknown anomaly candidates.
13550118
New supersymmetric gauge theories: the double tensor multiplet and its interactions
Abstract The double tensor multiplet of D=4 , N=2 supersymmetry, relevant to type IIB superstring vacua, is derived and its gauge invariant and N=2 supersymmetric interactions are analysed, both self-interactions and interactions with vector multiplets and hypermultiplets. Using deformation theory, it is shown that the lowest dimensional nontrivial interaction vertices of this type have dimension 5 and all dimension 5 vertices are determined. They give rise to new N=2 supersymmetric gauge theories of the `exotic' type which are local but nonpolynomial in some of the fields and coupling constants. Explicit examples of such models are constructed.
119057407
Extended antifield formalism
Abstract The antifield formalism is extended so as to incorporate the rigid symmetries of a given theory. To that end, it is necessary to introduce global ghosts not only for the given rigid symmetries, but also for all the higher order conservation laws, associated with conserved antisymmetric tensors j μ 1 3 μ k fulfilling ϖ μ 1 j μ 1 3 μ k 2~ 0. Otherwise, one may encounter obstructions of the type discussed in by the authors. These higher order conservation laws are shown to define additional rigid symmetries of the master equation and to form — together with the standard symmetries — an interesting algebraic structure. They lead furthermore to independent Ward identities which are derived in the standard manner, because the resulting master (“Zinn-Justin”) equation capturing both the gauge symmetries and the rigid symmetries of all orders takes a known form. Issues such as anomalies or consistent deformations of the action preserving some set of rigid symmetries can be also systematically analysed in this framework.
54493955
Quantum statistical correlations in thermal field theories: Boundary effective theory
We show that the one-loop effective action at finite temperature for a scalar field with quartic interaction has the same renormalized expression as at zero temperature if written in terms of a certain classical field {phi}{sub c}, and if we trade free propagators at zero temperature for their finite-temperature counterparts. The result follows if we write the partition function as an integral over field eigenstates (boundary fields) of the density matrix element in the functional Schroedinger field representation, and perform a semiclassical expansion in two steps: first, we integrate around the saddle point for fixed boundary fields, which is the classical field {phi}{sub c}, a functional of the boundary fields; then, we perform a saddle-point integration over the boundary fields, whose correlations characterize the thermal properties of the system. This procedure provides a dimensionally reduced effective theory for the thermal system. We calculate the two-point correlation as an example.
119728198
Open and Closed Superstring Five-Point Amplitudes at Tree-Level
In this contribution the tree-level effective actions for gluons and gravitons, as derived from Open and Closed Superstring theories, are reviewed respectively. As known for a long time, at zero order in α′ (the string fundamental constant) the first action is pure Yang-Mills while the second one is pure Einstein-Hilbert. The first Superstring Theory corrections turn up to appear at order in the first case while they appear at in the second one, as known from the three and four-point scattering amplitudes for gluons and gravitons, respectively. Recent work involving the order contributions to the Yang-Mills action is reviewed with some detail, including the authors' present line of research. Also, the uncharted territory of five graviton scattering is commented, looking forward to derive the Superstring Theory corrections to the Einstein-Hilbert action.
119397088
Absence of higher order corrections to the non-Abelian topological mass term
We study the Yang-Mills-Chern-Simons theory systematically in an effort to generalize the Coleman-Hill result to the non-Abelian case. We show that, while the Chern-Simons coefficient is in general gauge dependent in a non-Abelian theory, it takes on a physical meaning in the axial gauge. Using the non-Abelian Ward identities as well as the analyticity of the amplitudes in the momentum variables, we show that, in the axial gauge, the Chern-Simons coefficient does not receive any quantum correction beyond one loop. This allows us to deduce that the ratio 4{pi}m/g{sup 2} is unrenormalized, in a non-Abelian theory, beyond one loop in any infrared safe gauge. This is the appropriate generalization of the Coleman-Hill result to non-Abelian theories. Various other interesting properties of the theory are also discussed.
118353812
Instabilities in thermal gravity with a cosmological constant
It is shown that in quantum gravity at finite temperature, the effective potential evaluated in the tadpole approximation can have a local minimum below a certain critical temperature. However, when the leading higher order thermal loop corrections are included, one finds that no static solution exists at high temperature.
118914118
General structure of the photon self-energy in noncommutative QED
We study the behavior of the photon two point function, in noncommutative QED, in a general covariant gauge and in arbitrary space-time dimensions. We show, to all orders, that the photon self-energy is transverse. Using an appropriate extension of the dimensional regularization method, we evaluate the one-loop corrections, which show that the theory is renormalizable. We also prove, to all orders, that the poles of the photon propagator are gauge independent and briefly discuss some other related aspects.