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Journal ArticleDOI

Parent Field Theory and Unfolding in BRST First-Quantized Terms

09 Aug 2005-Communications in Mathematical Physics (Springer-Verlag)-Vol. 260, Iss: 1, pp 147-181
TL;DR: In this paper, for free-field theories associated with BRST first-quantized gauge systems, the authors identify generalized auxiliary fields and pure gauge variables already at the firstquantized level as the fields associated with algebraically contractible pairs for the BRST operator.
Abstract: For free-field theories associated with BRST first-quantized gauge systems, we identify generalized auxiliary fields and pure gauge variables already at the first-quantized level as the fields associated with algebraically contractible pairs for the BRST operator. Locality of the field theory is taken into account by separating the space–time degrees of freedom from the internal ones. A standard extension of the first-quantized system, originally developed to study quantization on curved manifolds, is used here for the construction of a first-order parent field theory that has a remarkable property: by elimination of generalized auxiliary fields, it can be reduced both to the field theory corresponding to the original system and to its unfolded formulation. As an application, we consider the free higher-spin gauge theories of Fronsdal.
Citations
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Posted Content
TL;DR: In this article, an introduction to the nonlinear equations for completely symmetric bosonic higher spin gauge fields in anti de Sitter space of any dimension is provided, and some related issues such as the MacDowell-Mansouri-Stelle-West formulation of gravity, unfolded formulation of dynamical systems in terms of free differential algebras and Young tableaux symmetry properties in terms with Howe dual algesbras are discussed.
Abstract: In this article, an introduction to the nonlinear equations for completely symmetric bosonic higher spin gauge fields in anti de Sitter space of any dimension is provided. To make the presentation self-contained we explain in detail some related issues such as the MacDowell-Mansouri-Stelle-West formulation of gravity, unfolded formulation of dynamical systems in terms of free differential algebras and Young tableaux symmetry properties in terms of Howe dual algebras.

614 citations

Posted Content
TL;DR: In this paper, a self-contained description of Vasiliev higher-spin theories with the emphasis on nonlinear equations is given, where the main sections are supplemented with some additional material, including introduction to gravity as a gauge theory; the review of the Fronsdal formulation of free higher-spiders fields; Young diagrams and tensors as well as sections with advanced topics.
Abstract: We propose a self-contained description of Vasiliev higher-spin theories with the emphasis on nonlinear equations. The main sections are supplemented with some additional material, including introduction to gravity as a gauge theory; the review of the Fronsdal formulation of free higher-spin fields; Young diagrams and tensors as well as sections with advanced topics. The shortest route to Vasiliev equations covers 40 pages. The general discussion is dimension independent, while the essence of the Vasiliev formulation is discussed on the base of the four-dimensional higher-spin theory. Three-dimensional and d-dimensional higher-spin theories follow the same logic.

184 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a fully-gauge and o(d, 2 ) -covariant approach to boundary values of AdS d + 1 gauge fields is presented.

161 citations

Posted Content
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors review the (Fang-)Fronsdal construction and the non-local geometric equations with unconstrained gauge fields and parameters built by Francia and the senior author from the higher-spin curvatures of de Wit and Freedman.
Abstract: In this article we begin by reviewing the (Fang-)Fronsdal construction and the non-local geometric equations with unconstrained gauge fields and parameters built by Francia and the senior author from the higher-spin curvatures of de Wit and Freedman. We then turn to the triplet structure of totally symmetric tensors that emerges from free String Field Theory in the $\alpha' \to 0$ limit and to its generalization to (A)dS backgrounds, and conclude with a discussion of a simple local compensator form of the field equations that displays the unconstrained gauge symmetry of the non-local equations. Based on the lectures presented by A. Sagnotti at the First Solvay Workshop on Higher-Spin Gauge Theories held in Brussels on May 12-14, 2004

158 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the unfolded off-shell constraints for symmetric fields of all spins in Minkowski space are shown to have the form of zero curvature and covariant constancy conditions for 1-forms and 0-forms taking values in an appropriate star product algebra.
Abstract: Within unfolded dynamics approach, we represent actions and conserved charges as elements of cohomology of the L∞ algebra underlying the unfolded formulation of a given dynamical system. The unfolded off-shell constraints for symmetric fields of all spins in Minkowski space are shown to have the form of zero curvature and covariant constancy conditions for 1-forms and 0-forms taking values in an appropriate star product algebra. Unfolded formulation of Yang–Mills and Einstein equations is presented in a closed form.

135 citations

References
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Book
01 Jan 1986
TL;DR: In this paper, the Cauchy-Kovalevskaya Theorem has been used to define a set of invariant solutions for differential functions in a Lie Group.
Abstract: 1 Introduction to Lie Groups- 11 Manifolds- Change of Coordinates- Maps Between Manifolds- The Maximal Rank Condition- Submanifolds- Regular Submanifolds- Implicit Submanifolds- Curves and Connectedness- 12 Lie Groups- Lie Subgroups- Local Lie Groups- Local Transformation Groups- Orbits- 13 Vector Fields- Flows- Action on Functions- Differentials- Lie Brackets- Tangent Spaces and Vectors Fields on Submanifolds- Frobenius' Theorem- 14 Lie Algebras- One-Parameter Subgroups- Subalgebras- The Exponential Map- Lie Algebras of Local Lie Groups- Structure Constants- Commutator Tables- Infinitesimal Group Actions- 15 Differential Forms- Pull-Back and Change of Coordinates- Interior Products- The Differential- The de Rham Complex- Lie Derivatives- Homotopy Operators- Integration and Stokes' Theorem- Notes- Exercises- 2 Symmetry Groups of Differential Equations- 21 Symmetries of Algebraic Equations- Invariant Subsets- Invariant Functions- Infinitesimal Invariance- Local Invariance- Invariants and Functional Dependence- Methods for Constructing Invariants- 22 Groups and Differential Equations- 23 Prolongation- Systems of Differential Equations- Prolongation of Group Actions- Invariance of Differential Equations- Prolongation of Vector Fields- Infinitesimal Invariance- The Prolongation Formula- Total Derivatives- The General Prolongation Formula- Properties of Prolonged Vector Fields- Characteristics of Symmetries- 24 Calculation of Symmetry Groups- 25 Integration of Ordinary Differential Equations- First Order Equations- Higher Order Equations- Differential Invariants- Multi-parameter Symmetry Groups- Solvable Groups- Systems of Ordinary Differential Equations- 26 Nondegeneracy Conditions for Differential Equations- Local Solvability- In variance Criteria- The Cauchy-Kovalevskaya Theorem- Characteristics- Normal Systems- Prolongation of Differential Equations- Notes- Exercises- 3 Group-Invariant Solutions- 31 Construction of Group-Invariant Solutions- 32 Examples of Group-Invariant Solutions- 33 Classification of Group-Invariant Solutions- The Adjoint Representation- Classification of Subgroups and Subalgebras- Classification of Group-Invariant Solutions- 34 Quotient Manifolds- Dimensional Analysis- 35 Group-Invariant Prolongations and Reduction- Extended Jet Bundles- Differential Equations- Group Actions- The Invariant Jet Space- Connection with the Quotient Manifold- The Reduced Equation- Local Coordinates- Notes- Exercises- 4 Symmetry Groups and Conservation Laws- 41 The Calculus of Variations- The Variational Derivative- Null Lagrangians and Divergences- Invariance of the Euler Operator- 42 Variational Symmetries- Infinitesimal Criterion of Invariance- Symmetries of the Euler-Lagrange Equations- Reduction of Order- 43 Conservation Laws- Trivial Conservation Laws- Characteristics of Conservation Laws- 44 Noether's Theorem- Divergence Symmetries- Notes- Exercises- 5 Generalized Symmetries- 51 Generalized Symmetries of Differential Equations- Differential Functions- Generalized Vector Fields- Evolutionary Vector Fields- Equivalence and Trivial Symmetries- Computation of Generalized Symmetries- Group Transformations- Symmetries and Prolongations- The Lie Bracket- Evolution Equations- 52 Recursion Operators, Master Symmetries and Formal Symmetries- Frechet Derivatives- Lie Derivatives of Differential Operators- Criteria for Recursion Operators- The Korteweg-de Vries Equation- Master Symmetries- Pseudo-differential Operators- Formal Symmetries- 53 Generalized Symmetries and Conservation Laws- Adjoints of Differential Operators- Characteristics of Conservation Laws- Variational Symmetries- Group Transformations- Noether's Theorem- Self-adjoint Linear Systems- Action of Symmetries on Conservation Laws- Abnormal Systems and Noether's Second Theorem- Formal Symmetries and Conservation Laws- 54 The Variational Complex- The D-Complex- Vertical Forms- Total Derivatives of Vertical Forms- Functionals and Functional Forms- The Variational Differential- Higher Euler Operators- The Total Homotopy Operator- Notes- Exercises- 6 Finite-Dimensional Hamiltonian Systems- 61 Poisson Brackets- Hamiltonian Vector Fields- The Structure Functions- The Lie-Poisson Structure- 62 Symplectic Structures and Foliations- The Correspondence Between One-Forms and Vector Fields- Rank of a Poisson Structure- Symplectic Manifolds- Maps Between Poisson Manifolds- Poisson Submanifolds- Darboux' Theorem- The Co-adjoint Representation- 63 Symmetries, First Integrals and Reduction of Order- First Integrals- Hamiltonian Symmetry Groups- Reduction of Order in Hamiltonian Systems- Reduction Using Multi-parameter Groups- Hamiltonian Transformation Groups- The Momentum Map- Notes- Exercises- 7 Hamiltonian Methods for Evolution Equations- 71 Poisson Brackets- The Jacobi Identity- Functional Multi-vectors- 72 Symmetries and Conservation Laws- Distinguished Functionals- Lie Brackets- Conservation Laws- 73 Bi-Hamiltonian Systems- Recursion Operators- Notes- Exercises- References- Symbol Index- Author Index

8,118 citations

Book
08 Nov 1992
TL;DR: In this paper, a systematic study of the classical and quantum theories of gauge systems is presented, starting with Dirac's analysis showing that gauge theories are constrained Hamiltonian systems, and the classical foundations of BRST theory are laid out with a review of the necessary concepts from homological algebra.
Abstract: This is a systematic study of the classical and quantum theories of gauge systems. It starts with Dirac's analysis showing that gauge theories are constrained Hamiltonian systems. The classical foundations of BRST theory are then laid out with a review of the necessary concepts from homological algebra. Reducible gauge systems are discussed, and the relationship between BRST cohomology and gauge invariance is carefully explained. The authors then proceed to the canonical quantization of gauge systems, first without ghosts (reduced phase space quantization, Dirac method) and second in the BRST context (quantum BRST cohomology). The path integral is discussed next. The analysis covers indefinite metric systems, operator insertions and Ward identities. The antifield formalism is also studied and its equivalence with canonical methods is derived. The examples of electromagnetism and Abelian 2-form gauge fields are treated in detail. The book gives a general and unified treatment of the subject in a self-contained manner. Exercises are provided at the end of each chapter, and pedagogical examples are covered in the text.

3,520 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, it was shown that the most immediate method of taking into account the effect of the electromagnetic field, proposed by Dirac (1936), leads to inconsistent equations as soon as the spin is greater than 1.
Abstract: The investigations of Dirac (1936) on relativistic wave equations for particles with arbitrary spin have recently been followed up by one of us (Fierz, 1939, referred to as (A)) It was there found possible to set up a scheme of second quantization in the absence of an external field, and to derive expressions for the current vector and the energy-momentum tensor. These considerations will be extended in the present paper to the case when there is an external electromagnetic field, but we shall in the first instance disregard the second quantization and confine ourselves to a c -number theory. The difficulty of this problem is illustrated by the fact that the most immediate method of taking into account the effect of the electromagnetic field, proposed by Dirac (1936), leads to inconsistent equations as soon as the spin is greater than 1.

2,070 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the deformation theory for algebras is studied in terms of the set of structure constants as a parameter space, and an example justifying the choice of parameter space is given.
Abstract: CHAPTER I. The deformation theory for algebras 1. Infinitesimal deformations of an algebra 2. Obstructions 3. Trivial deformations 4. Obstructions to derivations and the squaring operation 5. Obstructions are cocycles 6. Additivity and integrability of the square 7. Restricted deformation theories and their cohomology theories 8. Rigidity of fields in the commutative theory CHAPTER II. The parameter space 1. The set of structure constants as parameter space for the deformation theory 2. Central algebras and an example justifying the choice of parameter space 3. The automorphism group as a parameter space, and examples of obstructions to derivations 4. A fiber space over the parameter space, and the upper semicontinuity theorem 5. An example of a restricted theory and the corresponding modular group CHAPTER III. The deformation theory for graded and filtered rings 1. Graded, filtered, and developable rings 2. The Hochschild theory for developable rings 3. Developable rings as deformations of their associated graded rings 4. Trivial deformations and a criterion for rigidity 5. Restriction to the commutative theory 6. Deformations of power series rings

1,565 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The general solution for the S-matrix of an arbitrary Hamilton system with first-class boson and fermion constraints is obtained in this paper, where no restrictions are imposed upon the structure functions of the involution of the constraints.

890 citations