Search arXiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2112.05661

The Geroch Group in One Dimension

Robert F. Penna
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

We study the dimensional reduction of general relativity to a single null spacetime dimension. The dimensionally reduced theory is a theory of six scalar fields governed by three constraints. It has an infinite dimensional symmetry which is an enhanced version of the Geroch group. To get a local action of the symmetry on solution space, we need to introduce an infinite tower of new fields and new constraints. The symmetry appears to be a hyperbolic Kac-Moody algebra, with the caveat that some of the defining relations of the hyperbolic Kac-Moody algebra are only checked ``order by order'' on the infinite tower of new fields. This is a very mysterious Lie algebra with no known geometrical interpretation. It is not even clear how to enumerate a basis. We explore this problem using the action of the algebra on solution space and find an intriguing connection to the representation theory of the symmetric group. The symmetry described here might be related to the dynamics of gravity near spacelike singularities.

Explore related subjects

hep-thgr-qcmath.RT

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Robert F. Penna. 2021-12-10. The Geroch Group in One Dimension. https://arxiv.org/abs/2112.05661

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Six Easy Pieces: interplays among dualities in 4d, 3d and 2d

In this paper we consider 4d $\mathcal{N}=1$ $\mathrm{SU}(N)$ gauge theories with $N+1$ fundamentals, five antifundamentals and a conjugate two index antisymmetric tensor. The model has been shown to be in a mixed phase in the IR, splitting in an interacting non-Abelian Coulomb phase and a free magnetic phase. Through tensor deconfinement, we show that baryonic deformations lead to a non-Abelian free magnetic phase. Along the analysis we obtain a duality with symplectic SQCD that can be further reduced to 3d and 2d. In the 3d case the analysis of the three sphere partition function allows one to obtain dualities between $\mathrm{SU}(N)$ with a two index symmetric tensor and $\mathrm{SO}(N)$ theories. On the other hand, in 2d we recover dualities already known in the literature and propose new ones between special unitary and symplectic gauge theories.

hep-th↗
arXiv2026

Flat holography for spinor fields

We extend the hyperbolic Milne-slicing construction of flat holography in four-dimensional Minkowski spacetime from scalar fields to massless spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ fields. We solve the massive mode equation and restrict the boundary source-response analysis to the massless sector. Decomposition into harmonics on three-dimensional hyperbolic space, labeled by a continuous principal-series parameter, yields a separated-point nonlocal kernel up to the action normalization and local contact terms. The kernel has the universal form required by two-dimensional conformal covariance for spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ principal-series primaries. Then we construct regular source-normalized conformal-primary wavefunctions in planar and global coordinates on the celestial sphere $S^2$. We show that the planar source-response kernel is naturally identified with the spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ shadow transform, while inverse shadowing recovers the angular delta-function structure of the unshadowed basis. We also analyze radial renormalization by analytic continuation from the principal-series problem to a real-mass AdS$_3$ problem.

hep-th↗
arXiv2026

Off-shell recursion for all-loop planar integrands in Yang-Mills theory

In this paper, we develop in detail the off-shell recursion for planar loop integrands in Yang-Mills theory. Starting from the classical equations of motion solved with the perturbiner method, we derive an exact transfer-matrix representation of the pure-gluon sector. We then include the ghost contributions to the loop kernels based on \cite{Tao:2025fch}. Finally, as an example, we work out the two-loop recursion in detail and conclude a general recursion strategy for two-loop planar integrands whose external legs are gluons.

hep-th↗