Anomaly interplay in U(2) gauge theories

DOI10.1007/JHEP05(2020)098zbMATH Open1437.83131arXiv2001.07731OpenAlexW3104417617MaRDI QIDQ779362FDOQ779362

Authors: Joe Davighi, Nakarin Lohitsiri 

Publication date: 21 July 2020

Published in: Journal of High Energy Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: We discuss anomaly cancellation in $U(2)$ gauge theories in four dimensions. For a $U(2)$ gauge theory defined with a spin structure, the vanishing of the bordism group $Omeg{a}_5^{extSpin}(BU(2))$ implies that there can be no global anomalies, in contrast to the related case of an $SU(2)$ gauge theory. We show explicitly that the familiar $SU(2)$ global anomaly is replaced by a local anomaly when $SU(2)$ is embedded in $U(2)$. There must be an even number of fermions with isospin $2r+1/2$, for $rinmathbb{Z}_{geq0}$, for this local anomaly to cancel. The case of a $U(2)$ theory defined without a choice of spin structure but rather using a spin-$U(2)$ structure, which is possible when all fermions (bosons) have half-integer (integer) isospin and odd (even) $U(1)$ charge, is more subtle. We find that the recently-discovered `new $SU(2)$ global anomaly' is also equivalent, though only at the level of the partition function, to a perturbative anomaly in the $U(2)$ theory, which is this time a combination of a mixed gauge anomaly with a gauge-gravity anomaly. This perturbative anomaly vanishes if there is an even number of fermions with isospin $4r+3/2$, for $rinmathbb{Z}_{geq0}$, recovering the condition for cancelling the new $SU(2)$ anomaly. Alternatively, this perturbative anomaly can be cancelled by a Wess--Zumino term, leaving a low-energy theory with a global anomaly, which can itself be cancelled by coupling to topological degrees of freedom.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/2001.07731

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zbMATH Keywords

anomalies in field and string theoriesgauge symmetry

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Anomalies in quantum field theory (81T50) String and superstring theories in gravitational theory (83E30)

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Cited In (17)

• A non-perturbative mixed anomaly and fractional hydrodynamic transport
• Global anomalies in \(8d\) supergravity
• Another look at the \(\mathrm{SU}(2)\) anomaly
• What bordism-theoretic anomaly cancellation can do for U
• More modular invariant anomalous U(1) breaking
• Topological modular forms and the absence of all heterotic global anomalies
• Noninvertible anomalies in \(\mathrm{SU}(N)\times\mathrm{U}(1)\) gauge theories
• Modular-invariant anomalous U(1) breaking
• Toric 2-group anomalies via cobordism
• Spin-cobordisms, surgeries and fermionic modular bootstrap
• Anomalies of 4d \(\mathrm{Spin}_G\) theories
• Understanding the SM gauge group from SMEFT
• Title not available (Why is that?)
• On a \(\mathbb{Z}_3\)-valued discrete topological term in 10d heterotic string theories
• Anomalies of non-abelian finite groups via cobordism
• Structural aspects of two-dimensional anomalous gauge theories
• The discrete Green-Schwarz mechanism in 6D F-theory and elliptic genera of non-critical strings

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