Local BRST cohomology in the antifield formalism. I: General theorems (Q1903333)

The paper is the first part of the two part study of the local cohomology of the BRST differential \(s\) for the generic gauge theory. It contains derivations of general theorems on the local cohomology of \(s\) and a discussion of its relation to the local cohomology of the Koszul-Tate differential \(\delta\). The often underplayed property of the BRST differential that it incorporates the equations of motion (both classical and quantum) through the Koszul-Tate resolution is stressed. The vanishing theorems for the cohomology \(H_k(\delta \mid d)\) are demonstrated. The paper consists of sixteen sections. In the first six sections the main BRST features needed for the subsequent analysis are recollected. Then the authors prove a cohomological version of the Noether theorem. They introduce a notion of the Cauchy order \(q\) to give a characterization of \(H_k (\delta \mid d)\) for theories with fixed \(q\) and develop tools for calculating explicitly the group \(H_k (\delta \mid d)\) for \(k > 1\). In particular they prove the vanishing theorem for \(k\) strictly greater than the Cauchy order of the theory (for the usual irreducible gauge theories the Cauchy order is equal to 2). Subsequently linear gauge theories and a special kind of nonlinear theories, the so-called ``normal'' theories, are considered. Moreover, \(H_2^n (\delta \mid d)\) is described for the irreducible gauge theory, electromagnetism, Yang-Mills and Einstein gravity theories. In the final sections the authors show that non-minimal sectors or auxiliary fields do not modify the local BRST cohomology.