Higher Spin Field Theory Research Articles

Lagrangian formulation for free 6D infinite spin field

We construct a Lagrangian that describes the dynamics of a six-dimensional free infinite (continuous) spin field in 6D Minkowski space. The Lagrangian is formulated in the framework of the BRST approach to higher spin field theory and is based on a system of constraints defining an irreducible representation of the corresponding Poincaré group. The field realization of generators in the 6D Poincaré algebra and the second-, fourth-, and sixth-order Casimir operators are obtained in explicit form using additional spinor coordinates. Specific aspects of such a realization in six dimensions are discussed. We derive the conditions that determine the irreducible representation 6D infinite spin field and reformulate them as operators in the Fock space forming a first-class algebra in terms of commutators. These operators are used to construct the BRST charge and the corresponding Lagrangian. We prove that the conditions of the irreducible representation are reproduced as the consequence of the Lagrangian equations of motion, which finally provides the correctness of the results obtained.

Cubic interactions of d4 irreducible massless higher spin fields within BRST approach

We develop an approach to constructing the manifestly Lorentz covariant cubic interaction vertices for the four-dimensional massless higher spin bosonic fields with two-component dotted and undotted spinor indices. Such fields automatically satisfy the traceless conditions what simplify form of the equations determining the irreducible massless representation of the Poincaré group with given helicity. The cubic vertex is formulated in the framework of the BRST approach to higher spin field theory. Use of the above spin-tensor fields allows to simplify a form of the BRST-charge and hence to find the cubic vertices just in terms of irreducible higher spin fields. We derive an equation for the cubic vertex and find solutions for arbitrary spins s_1,s_2,s_3 with the number of derivatives s_1+s_2+s_3 in the vertex. As an example, we explicitly construct a vertex corresponding to the interaction of a higher spin field with scalars.

General cubic interacting vertex for massless integer higher spin fields

We consider a massless higher spin field theory within the BRST approach and construct a general off-shell cubic vertex corresponding to irreducible higher spin fields of helicities s1,s2,s3. Unlike the previous works on cubic vertices, which do not take into account of the trace constraints, we use the complete BRST operator, including the trace constraints that describe an irreducible representation with definite integer helicity. As a result, we generalize the cubic vertex found in [14] and calculate the new contributions to the vertex, which contain additional terms with a smaller number space-time derivatives of the fields as well as the terms without derivatives.

On a gauge-invariant deformation of a classical gauge-invariant theory

We consider a general gauge theory with independent generators and study the problem of gauge-invariant deformation of initial gauge-invariant classical action. The problem is formulated in terms of BV-formalism and is reduced to describing the general solution to the classical master equation. We show that such general solution is determined by two arbitrary generating functions of the initial fields. As a result, we construct in explicit form the deformed action and the deformed gauge generators in terms of above functions. We argue that the deformed theory must in general be non-local. The developed deformation procedure is applied to Abelian vector field theory and we show that it allows to derive non-Abelain Yang-Mills theory. This procedure is also applied to free massless integer higher spin field theory and leads to local cubic interaction vertex for such fields.

Cubic vertices for [formula omitted] supersymmetric massless higher spin fields in various dimensions

Using the BRST approach to higher spin field theories we develop a generic technique for constructing the cubic interaction vertices for N=1 supersymmetric massless higher spin fields on four, six and ten dimensional flat backgrounds. Such an approach allows formulation of the equations for cubic vertices including bosonic and fermionic higher spin fields, and the problem of finding the vertices is reduced to finding the consistent solutions to these equations. As a realization of this procedure, we present the particular solutions for the vertices where the fields obey some off-shell constraints. It is shown that the supersymmetry imposes additional constraints on the vertices and singles out a particular subclass of the solutions. As a concrete application of the generic scheme, we consider supersymmetric Yang-Mills-like systems in four, six and ten dimensions where the higher spin fields transform under some internal symmetry group, as well as supergravity-like systems in the same dimensions.

CARTAN DECOMPOSITION OF THE DE SITTER GROUP SO(1,4). QUATERNION EULER ANGLES

Over the last twenty years, the de Sitter and anti-de Sitter spaces of various dimensions have become the focus of all theoretical high-energy physics. This is primarily due to the correspondence between supergravity in the five-dimensional anti-de Sitter space and supersymmetric field theory in four dimensions. The anti-de Sitter space turned out to be the most suitable manifold, on which nonperturbative results were obtained in the theory of superstrings and on which the theory of higher spin fields is naturally built. In turn, de Sitter's space is closely connected with the problems of modern cosmology, being essentially the theoretical basis of inflationary cosmology. On the other hand, de Sitter space-time and quantum field theory on this manifold are the subject of intensive study, mainly in connection with the task of constructing a quantum theory of gravitation in curved spaces. The central issue in the study of fields in the de Sitter space is a detailed analysis of a homogeneous group to this space — the de Sitter group. It is necessary to classify and describe homogeneous spaces of the group SO (1,4) up to subgroups SO (1,3) (Lorentz group), SO (4) (maximal compact subgroup of the group SO (1,4)), and SU (2). This problem is considered by determining all homogeneous spaces of the form M = SO (1,4) / H, where H is a stationary subgroup. The elements of the group are represented as the product of one-parameter matrices, which allows you to clearly see the relevance with the Euler angles in the classical three-dimensional case.

A note on unfree gauge symmetry

We study the general structure of field theories with the unfree gauge symmetry where the gauge parameters are restricted by differential equations. The examples of unfree gauge symmetries include volume preserving diffeomorphisms in the unimodular gravity and various higher spin field theories with transverse gauge symmetries. All the known examples of the models with unfree gauge symmetry share one common feature. They admit local quantities which vanish on shell, though they are not linear combinations of Lagrangian equations and their derivatives. We term these quantities as mass shell completion functions.In the case of usual gauge symmetry with unconstrained gauge parameters, the irreducible gauge algebra involves the two basic constituents: the action functional and gauge symmetry generators. For the case of unfree gauge symmetry, we identify two more basic constituents: operators of gauge parameter constraints and completion functions. These two extra constituents are involved in the algebra of unfree gauge symmetry on equal footing with action and gauge symmetry generators.Proceeding from the algebra, we adjust the Faddeev-Popov (FP) path integral quantization scheme to the case of unfree gauge symmetry. The modified FP action involves the operators of the constraints imposed on the gauge parameters, while the corresponding BRST transformation involves the completion functions. The BRST symmetry ensures gauge independence of the path integral. We provide two examples which admit the alternative unconstrained parametrization of gauge symmetry and demonstrate that they lead to the equivalent FP path integral.

Spinning particles and higher spin field equations

Relativistic particles with higher spin can be described in first quantization using actions with local supersymmetry on the worldline. First, we present a brief review of these actions and their use in first quantization. In a Dirac quantization scheme the field equations emerge as Dirac constraints on the Hilbert space, and we outline how they lead to the description of higher spin fields in terms of the more standard Fronsdal-Labastida equations. Then, we describe how these actions can be extended so that the propagating particle is allowed to take different values of the spin, i.e. carry a reducible representation of the Poincaré group. This way one may identify a four dimensional model that carries the same degrees of freedom of the minimal Vasiliev’s interacting higher spin field theory. Extensions to massive particles and to propagation on (A)dS spaces are also briefly commented upon.

Hochschild cohomology of the Weyl algebra and Vasiliev’s equations

We propose a simple injective resolution for the Hochschild complex of the Weyl algebra. By making use of this resolution, we derive explicit expressions for nontrivial cocycles of the Weyl algebra with coefficients in twisted bimodules as well as for the smash products of the Weyl algebra and a finite group of linear symplectic transformations. A relationship with the higher-spin field theory is briefly discussed.

Quantum field theory with a preferred direction: The very special relativity framework

The theory of very special relativity (VSR) proposed by Cohen and Glashow contains an intrinsic preferred direction. Starting from the irreducible unitary representation of the inhomogeneous VSR group $ISIM(2)$, we present a rigorous construction of quantum field theory with a preferred direction. We find, although the particles and their quantum fields between the VSR and Lorentz sectors are physically different, they share many similarities. The massive spin-half and spin-one vector fields are local and satisfy the Dirac and Proca equations respectively. This result can be generalised to higher-spin field theories. By studying the Yukawa and standard gauge interactions, we obtain a qualitative understanding on the effects of the preferred direction. Its effect is manifest for polarised processes but are otherwise absent.

Quartic interaction vertex in the massive integer higher spin field theory in a constant electromagnetic field

We consider the massive integer higher spin fields coupled to an external constant electromagnetic field in flat space of arbitrary dimension and find a gauge invariant quartic interaction vertex which is quadratic in dynamical higher spin field and quadratic in external field. Construction of the vertex is based on the BRST approach to higher spin filed theory where no off-shell constraints on the fields and on the gauge parameters are imposed from the very beginning (unconstrained formulation).

String theory and emergent AdS geometry in higher spin field theories

We analyze the Weyl invariance constraints on higher spin vertex operators in open superstring theory describing massless higher spin gauge field excitations in $d$-dimensional space-time. We show that these constraints lead to low-energy equations of motion for higher spin fields in AdS space, with the leading-order $\ensuremath{\beta}$ function for the higher spin fields producing Fronsdal's operator in ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{d+1}$, despite that the higher spin vertex operators are originally defined in flat background. The correspondence between the $\ensuremath{\beta}$ function in string theory and ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{d+1}$ Fronsdal operators in space-time is found to be exact for $d=4$, while for other space-time dimensions, it requires modifications of manifest expressions for the higher spin vertex operators. We argue that the correspondence considered in this paper is the leading order of a more general isomorphism between Vasiliev's equations and equations of motion of extended open string field theory, generalized to include the higher spin operators.

BRST theory for continuous spin

Some puzzling aspects of higher spin field theory in Minkowski space-time, such as the tracelessness constraints and the search for an underlying physical principle, are discussed. A connecting idea might be provided by the recently much researched continuous spin representations of the Poincar\'e group. The Wigner equations, treated as first class constraints, yields to a four-constraint BRST formulation. The resulting field theory, generalizing free higher spin field theory, is one among a set of higher spin theories that can be related to previous work on unconstrained formulations. In particular, it is conjectured that the unconstrained higher spin theory of Francia and Sagnotti is a limit of a continuous spin theory. Furthermore, a simple analysis of the constraint structure reveals a hint of a physical rationale behind the trace constraints.

Towards a quantum field theory of primitive string fields

We denote generating functions of massless even higher spin fields "primitive string fields" (PSF's). In an introduction we present the necessary definitions and derive propagators and currents of these PDF's on flat space. Their off-shell cubic interaction can be derived after all off-shell cubic interactions of triplets of higher spin fields have become known [2],[3]. Then we discuss four-point functions of any quartet of PSF's. In subsequent sections we exploit the fact that higher spin field theories in $AdS_{d+1}$ are determined by AdS/CFT correspondence from universality classes of critical systems in $d$ dimensional flat spaces. The O(N) invariant sectors of the O(N) vector models for $1\leq N \leq \infty$ play for us the role of "standard models", for varying $N$, they contain e.g. the Ising model for N=1 and the spherical model for $N=\infty$. A formula for the masses squared that break gauge symmetry for these O(N) classes is presented for d = 3. For the PSF on $AdS$ space it is shown that it can be derived by lifting the PSF on flat space by a simple kernel which contains the sum over all spins. Finally we use an algorithm to derive all symmetric tensor higher spin fields. They arise from monomials of scalar fields by derivation and selection of conformal (quasiprimary) fields. Typically one monomial produces a multiplet of spin $s$ conformal higher spin fields for all $s \geq 4$, they are distinguished by their anomalous dimensions (in $CFT_3$) or by their mass (in $AdS_4$). We sum over these multiplets and the spins to obtain "string type fields", one for each such monomial.

Spinning particle approach to higher spin field theory

We shortly review on the connection between higher-spin gauge field theories and supersymmetric spinning particle models. In such approach the higher spin equations of motion are linked to the first-class constraint algebra associated with the quantization of particle models. Here we consider a class of spinning particle models characterized by local O(N)-extended supersymmetry since these models are known to provide an alternative approach to the geometric formulation of higher spin field theory. We describe the canonical quantization of the models in curved target space and discuss the obstructions that appear in presence of an arbitrarily curved background. We then point out the special role that conformally flat spaces appear to have in such models and present a derivation of the higher-spin curvatures for maximally symmetric spaces.

On the tensionless limit of string theory, off-shell higher spin interaction vertices and BCFW recursion relations

We construct an off-shell extension of cubic interaction vertices between massless bosonic Higher Spin fields on a flat background which can be obtained from perturbative bosonic string theory. We demonstrate how to construct higher quartic interaction vertices using a simple particular example. We examine whether BCFW recursion relations for interacting Higher Spin theories are applicable. We argue that for several interesting examples such relations should exist, but consistency of the theories might require that we supplement Higher Spin field theories with extended and possibly non-local objects.

BRST LAGRANGIAN CONSTRUCTION FOR SPIN-$\frac{3}{2}$ FIELD IN EINSTEIN SPACE

We explore a hidden possibility of BRST approach to higher spin field theory to obtain a consistent Lagrangian for massive spin-[Formula: see text] field in Einstein space of arbitrary d ≥ 3 dimension. Also, we prove that in the space under consideration the propagation of spin-[Formula: see text] field is hyperbolic and causal.

BRST Lagrangian construction for spin-2 field in Einstein space

We explore a new possibility of BRST construction in higher spin field theory to obtain a consistent Lagrangian for massive spin-2 field in Einstein space. Such approach automatically leads to gauge invariant Lagrangian with suitable auxiliary and Stückelberg fields. It is proved that in this case a propagation of spin-2 field is hyperbolic and causal. Also we extend notion of partial masslessness for spin-2 field in the background under consideration.

Lagrangian formulation of massive fermionic totally antisymmetric tensor field theory in [formula omitted] space

We apply the BRST approach, developed for higher spin field theories, to Lagrangian construction for totally antisymmetric massive fermionic fields in AdS d space. As well as generic higher spin massive theories, the obtained Lagrangian theory is a reducible gauge model containing, besides the basic field, a number of auxiliary (Stückelberg) fields and the order of reducibility grows with the value of the rank of the antisymmetric field. However, unlike the generic higher spin theory, for the special case under consideration we show that one can get rid of all the auxiliary fields and the final Lagrangian for fermionic antisymmetric field is formulated only in terms of basic field.

U(N) spinning particles and higher spin equations on complex manifolds

Guided by a spinning particle model with U(N)-extended supergravity on the worldline we derive higher spin equations on complex manifolds. Their minimal formulation is in term of gauge fields which satisfy suitable constraints. The latter can be relaxed by introducing compensator fields. There is an obstruction to define these systems on arbitrarily curved spaces, just as in the usual theory of higher spin fields, but we show how to couple them to K?hler manifolds of constant holomorphic curvature. Quite interestingly, the first class gauge algebra defining the U(N) particles on these manifolds is quadratic and realizes the zero mode sector of certain nonlinear U(N) superconformal algebras introduced sometimes ago by Bershadsky and Knizhnik in 2D.