Search arXiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2210.11585

The classical dynamics of gauge theories in the deep infrared

Eanna E. Flanagan·Ibrahim Shehzad
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Gauge and gravitational theories in asymptotically flat settings possess infinitely many conserved charges associated with large gauge transformations or diffeomorphisms that are nontrivial at infinity. To what extent do these charges constrain the scattering in these theories? It has been claimed in the literature that the constraints are trivial, due to a decoupling of hard and soft sectors for which the conserved charges constrain only the dynamics in the soft sector. We show that the argument for this decoupling fails due to the failure in infinite dimensions of a property of symplectic geometry which holds in finite dimensions. Specializing to electromagnetism coupled to a massless charged scalar field in four dimensional Minkowski spacetime, we show explicitly that the two sectors are always coupled using a perturbative classical computation of the scattering map. Specifically, while the two sectors are uncoupled at low orders, they are coupled at quartic order via the electromagnetic memory effect. This coupling cannot be removed by adjusting the definitions of the hard and soft sectors (which includes the classical analog of dressing the hard degrees of freedom). We conclude that the conserved charges yield nontrivial constraints on the scattering of hard degrees of freedom. This conclusion should also apply to gravitational scattering and to black hole formation and evaporation. In developing the classical scattering theory, we show that generic Lorenz gauge solutions fail to satisfy the matching condition on the vector potential at spatial infinity proposed by Strominger to define the field configuration space, and we suggest a way to remedy this. We also show that when soft degrees of freedom are present, the order at which nonlinearities first arise in the scattering map is second order in Lorenz gauge, but can be third order in other gauges.

Explore related subjects

hep-thgr-qc

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Eanna E. Flanagan, Ibrahim Shehzad. 2024-10-16. The classical dynamics of gauge theories in the deep infrared. https://doi.org/10.1007/jhep05(2023)185

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

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Gaillard-Zumino non-invertible symmetries

We uncover an infinite class of novel zero-form non-invertible symmetries in a broad family of four-dimensional models, studied years ago by Gaillard and Zumino (GZ), which includes several extended supergravities as particular subcases. The GZ models consist of abelian gauge fields coupled to a neutral sector, typically including a set of scalars, whose equations of motion are classically invariant under a continuous group $\mathscr{G}$ acting on the electric and magnetic field strengths via symplectic transformations. The standard lore holds that, at the quantum level, these symmetries are broken to an integral subgroup $\mathscr{G}_\mathbb{Z}$. We show that, in fact, a much larger subgroup $\mathscr{G}_\mathbb{Q}$ survives, albeit through non-invertible topological defects. We explicitly construct these defects and compute some of their fusion rules. As illustrative examples, we consider the axion-dilaton-Maxwell model and the bosonic sector of a class of $\mathcal{N}=2$ supergravities of the kind that appear in type II Calabi-Yau compactifications. Finally, we comment on how (part of) these non-invertible zero-form symmetries can be broken by gauging the $\mathscr{G}_\mathbb{Z}$ subgroup of invertible symmetries.

hep-th↗
arXiv2026

On the resolution of categorical symmetries in (Non-) Unitary Rational CFTs

We explore several aspects of categorical symmetry-resolved entanglement entropy (SREE) directly within two-dimensional rational conformal field theory (RCFT) (without invoking any SymTFT construction arXiv:2409.02806). We derive a general formula applicable whenever the action of the relevant topological defect lines on the annulus Hilbert space is known. This framework accommodates weakly and strongly symmetric boundaries, cloaking states, and fusion rings with multiplicities. We verify the formula in a range of diagonal unitary and non-unitary examples, including theories with generalized Haagerup-Izumi modular data. Furthermore, we extend the analysis to non-diagonal RCFTs. The $\frac{1}{2}E_6$ example demonstrates that closed-channel modular data and NIM-rep multiplicities alone do not suffice to determine the defect action on the complete open-channel Hilbert space.

hep-th↗
arXiv2026

Reflecting boundary conditions in critical loop models

In critical loop models, we call a boundary sticky if loops can attach to it, and reflecting otherwise. Using analytic bootstrap methods, we show that reflecting boundaries are characterised by one complex parameter, analogous to the boundary cosmological constant in Liouville theory. We determine disc 1-point functions, and write an explicit formula for disc 2-point functions as infinite combinations of conformal blocks. We also sketch the lattice interpretation of reflecting boundaries.

hep-th↗