Non-invertible Gauss law and axions
Abstract In axion-Maxwell theory at the minimal axion-photon coupling, we find non-invertible 0- and 1-form global symmetries arising from the naive shift and center symmetries. Since the Gauss law is anomalous, there is no conserved, gauge-invariant, and quanti...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer Berlin Heidelberg
2023
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/152207 |
| _version_ | 1826217979287699456 |
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| author | Choi, Yichul Lam, Ho T. Shao, Shu-Heng |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for Theoretical Physics |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for Theoretical Physics Choi, Yichul Lam, Ho T. Shao, Shu-Heng |
| author_sort | Choi, Yichul |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Abstract
In axion-Maxwell theory at the minimal axion-photon coupling, we find non-invertible 0- and 1-form global symmetries arising from the naive shift and center symmetries. Since the Gauss law is anomalous, there is no conserved, gauge-invariant, and quantized electric charge. Rather, using half higher gauging, we find a non-invertible Gauss law associated with a non-invertible 1-form global symmetry, which is related to the Page charge. These symmetries act invertibly on the axion field and Wilson line, but non-invertibly on the monopoles and axion strings, leading to selection rules related to the Witten effect. We also derive various crossing relations between the defects. The non-invertible 0- and 1-form global symmetries mix with other invertible symmetries in a way reminiscent of a higher-group symmetry. Using this non-invertible higher symmetry structure, we derive universal inequalities on the energy scales where different infrared symmetries emerge in any renormalization group flow to the axion-Maxwell theory. Finally, we discuss implications for the Weak Gravity Conjecture and the Completeness Hypothesis in quantum gravity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T17:11:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/152207 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T17:11:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publisher | Springer Berlin Heidelberg |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1522072024-02-02T21:14:20Z Non-invertible Gauss law and axions Choi, Yichul Lam, Ho T. Shao, Shu-Heng Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for Theoretical Physics Abstract In axion-Maxwell theory at the minimal axion-photon coupling, we find non-invertible 0- and 1-form global symmetries arising from the naive shift and center symmetries. Since the Gauss law is anomalous, there is no conserved, gauge-invariant, and quantized electric charge. Rather, using half higher gauging, we find a non-invertible Gauss law associated with a non-invertible 1-form global symmetry, which is related to the Page charge. These symmetries act invertibly on the axion field and Wilson line, but non-invertibly on the monopoles and axion strings, leading to selection rules related to the Witten effect. We also derive various crossing relations between the defects. The non-invertible 0- and 1-form global symmetries mix with other invertible symmetries in a way reminiscent of a higher-group symmetry. Using this non-invertible higher symmetry structure, we derive universal inequalities on the energy scales where different infrared symmetries emerge in any renormalization group flow to the axion-Maxwell theory. Finally, we discuss implications for the Weak Gravity Conjecture and the Completeness Hypothesis in quantum gravity. 2023-09-22T18:29:53Z 2023-09-22T18:29:53Z 2023-09-12 2023-09-17T03:10:24Z Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/152207 Journal of High Energy Physics. 2023 Sep 12;2023(9):67 PUBLISHER_CC en https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP09(2023)067 Creative Commons Attribution https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ The Author(s) application/pdf Springer Berlin Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg |
| spellingShingle | Choi, Yichul Lam, Ho T. Shao, Shu-Heng Non-invertible Gauss law and axions |
| title | Non-invertible Gauss law and axions |
| title_full | Non-invertible Gauss law and axions |
| title_fullStr | Non-invertible Gauss law and axions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Non-invertible Gauss law and axions |
| title_short | Non-invertible Gauss law and axions |
| title_sort | non invertible gauss law and axions |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/152207 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT choiyichul noninvertiblegausslawandaxions AT lamhot noninvertiblegausslawandaxions AT shaoshuheng noninvertiblegausslawandaxions |