Effect of Anomalies on Quasi-Renormalizable Theories

Abstract

Apparently nonrenormalizable field theories, such as the new models for weak interactions, can become renormalizable when gauge invariance of the second kind is present. However, the anomaly associated with the axial-vector current may destroy this gauge invariance in perturbation theory, even though it is present in the Lagrangian. When this happens the theory remains nonrenormalizable. Nevertheless it is possible, by enlarging the theory, to remove the anomaly at the expense of introducing additional fermion fields, which correspond to as-yet-unobserved particles.