Magnetic monopoles, gauge invariant dynamical variables and Georgi-Glashow model

Abstract

We investigate the Georgi-Glashow model in terms of a set of explicitly SO(3) gauge invariant dynamical variables. In the new description a novel compact abelian gauge invariance emerges naturally which is not a subgroup of the original gauge group. The magnetic monopoles occur as point-like “defects” in spacetime and couple to the abelian gauge field with coupling ( 1 e ). Their non-perturbative contribution to the partition function is made explicit. This procedure corresponds to dynamical “abelian projection” without gauge fixing. The effect of the θ term in the abelian version of the theory is also studied.