Gauge-invariant descriptions for a free bosonic scalar field of continuous spin in a $d$-dimensional Minkowski space-time using a metric-like formulation are constructed on the basis of a constrained BRST-BFV approach we propose. The resulting BRST-BFV equations of motion for a scalar field augmented by ghost operators contains different sets of auxiliary fields, depending on the manner of a partial gauge-fixing and a resolution of some of the equations of motion for a BRST-unfolded first-stage reducible gauge theory. To achieve an equivalence of the resulting BRST-unfolded constrained equations of motion with the initial irreducible Poincare group conditions of a Bargmann--Wigner type, it is demonstrated that one should replace the field in these conditions by a class of gauge-equivalent configurations. Triplet-like, doublet-like constrained descriptions, as well as an unconstrained quartet-like non-Lagrangian and Lagrangian formulations, are derived using both Fronsdal-like and new tensor fields. In particular, the BRST--BV equations of motion and Lagrangian using an appropriate set of Lagrangian multipliers in the minimal sector of the respective field and antifield configurations are constructed in a manifest way.
We identify a strong similarity among several distinct originally second-class systems, including both mechanical and field theory models, which can be naturally described in a gauge-invariant way. The canonical structure of such related systems is encoded into a gauge-invariant generalization of the quantum rigid rotor. We pursue the BRST symmetry analysis and the BFV functional quantization for the mentioned gauge-invariant version of the generalized quantum rigid rotor. We obtain different equivalent effective actions according to specific gauge-fixing choices, showing explicitly their BRST…
The BFV-BRST Hamiltonian quantization method is presented for the theories where the gauge parameters are restricted by differential equations. The general formalism is exemplified by the Maxwell-like theory of symmetric tensor field.
Gauge invariant Lagrangian descriptions of irreducible and reducible half-integer higher-spin mixed-symmetric massless and massive representations of the Poincare group with off-shell algebraic constraints are constructed within a metric-like formulation in a $d$-dimensional flat space-time on the basis of a suggested constrained BRST approach. A Lorentz-invariant resolution of the BRST complex within the constrained BRST formulations produces a gauge-invariant Fang-Fronsdal Lagrangian entirely in terms of the initial triple gamma-traceless spin-tensor field $Ψ_{(μ)_{n}}$ with gamma-traceless …
BRST-BFV method for constrained Lagrangian formulations (LFs) for (ir)reducible half-integer HS Poincare group representations in Minkowski space is suggested. The procedure is derived by 2 ways: from the unconstrained BRST-BFV method for mixed-symmetry HS fermionic fields subject to an arbitrary Young tableaux with k rows (suggested in arXiv:1211.1273[hep-th]) by extracting the second-class constraints, $\widehat{O}_α=(\widehat{O}_a, \widehat{O}^+_a)$, from a total superalgebra of constraints, second, in self-consistent way by means of finding BRST-extended initial off-shell algebraic constra…
The correspondence between BRST-BFV, Dirac and projection operator approaches to quantize constrained systems is analyzed. It is shown that the component of the BFV wave function with maximal number of ghosts and antighosts in the Schrodinger representation may be viewed as a wave function in the projection operator approach. It is shown by using the relationship between different quantization techniques that the Marnelius inner product for BRST-BFV systems should be in general modified in order to take into account the topology of the group; the Giulini-Marolf group averaging prescription for…
Starting from an associated reparametrization-invariant action, the generalization of the BRST-BFV method for the case of nonstationary systems is constructed. The extension of the Batalin-Tyutin conversional approach is also considered in the nonstationary case. In order to illustrate these ideas, the propagator for the time-dependent two-dimensional rotor is calculated by reformulating the problem as a system with only first class constraints and subsequently using the BRST-BFV prescription previously obtained.
The details of Lagrangian description of irreducible integer higher-spin representations of the Poincare group with an Young tableaux $Y[\hat{s}_1,\hat{s}_2]$ having $2$ columns are considered for Bose particles propagated on an arbitrary dimensional Minkowski space-time. The procedure is based, first, on using of an auxiliary Fock space generated by Fermi oscillators (antisymmetric basis), second, on construction of the Verma module and finding auxiliary oscillator realization for $sl(2)\oplus sl(2)$ algebra which encodes the second-class operator constraints subsystem in the HS symmetry supe…
Constrained hamiltonian structure of noncommutative gauge theory for the gauge group U(1) is discussed. Constraints are shown to be first class, although, they do not give an Abelian algebra in terms of Poisson brackets. The related BFV-BRST charge gives a vanishing generalized Poisson bracket by itself due to the associativity of *-product. Equivalence of noncommutative and ordinary gauge theories is formulated in generalized phase space by using BFV-BRST charge and a solution is obtained. Gauge fixing is discussed.
We perform the BFV-BRST quantization of the fourth-order Pais-Uhlenbeck oscillator (PUO). We show that although the PUO is not naturally constrained in the sense of Dirac-Bergmann, it is possible to profit from the introduction of suitable constraints in phase space in order to obtain a proper BRST invariant quantum system. Starting from its second-class constrained system description, we use the BFFT conversional approach to obtain first-class constraints as gauge symmetry generators. After the Abelianization of the constraints, we obtain the conserved BRST charge, the corresponding BRST tran…
We study finite field dependent BRST-BFV transformations for dynamical systems with first- and second-class constraints within the generalized Hamiltonian formalism. We find explicitly their Jacobians and the form of a solution to the compensation equation necessary for generating an arbitrary finite change of gauge-fixing functionals in the path integral.
We study systematically finite BRST-BFV transformations in the generalized Hamiltonian formalism. We present explicitly their Jacobians and the form of a solution to the compensation equation determining the functional field dependence of finite Fermionic parameters, necessary to generate arbitrary finite change of gauge-fixing functions in the path integral.
We study systematically finite BRST-BFV transformations in $Sp(2)$-extended generalized Hamiltonian formalism. We present explicitly their Jacobians and the form of a solution to the compensation equation determining the functional field dependence of finite Fermionic parameters, necessary to generate arbitrary finite change of gauge-fixing functions in the path integral.
The transition amplitude is obtained for a free massive particle of arbitrary spin by calculating the path integral in the index-spinor formulation within the BFV-BRST approach. None renormalizations of the path integral measure were applied. The calculation has given the Weinberg propagator written in the index-free form with the use of index spinor. The choice of boundary conditions on the index spinor determines holomorphic or antiholomorphic representation for the canonical description of particle/antiparticle spin.
Correspondence between BRST-BFV, Dirac and refined algebraic (group averaging, projection operator) approaches to quantize constrained systems is analyzed. For the closed-algebra case, it is shown that the component of the BFV wave function with maximal (minimal) number of ghosts and antighosts in the Schrodinger representation may be viewed as a wave function in the refined algebraic (Dirac) quantization approach. The Giulini-Marolf group averaging formula for the inner product in the refined algebraic quantization approach is obtained from the Batalin-Marnelius prescription for the BRST-BFV …
The key aspects of a gauge-invariant Lagrangian description of massive and massless half-integer higher-spin fields in AdS spaces with a two-row Young tableaux $Y(s_1,s_2)$ are presented in an unconstrained description, as well as in off-shell formulations with algebraic constraints, on the basis of BFV-BRST operators for non-linear operator superalgebras, encoding the initial conditions realized by constraints in a Fock space and extracting the higher-spin fields from unitary representations of the AdS group.
We introduce and study a new discrete basis of gravity constraints by making use of harmonic expansion for closed cosmological models. The full set of constraints is splitted into area-preserving spatial diffeomorphisms, forming closed subalgebra, and Virasoro-like generators. Operatorial Hamiltonian BFV-BRST quantization is performed in the framework of perturbative expansion in the dimensionless parameter which is a positive power of the ratio of Planckian volume to the volume of the Universe. For the (N+1) - dimensional generalization of stationary closed Bianchi-I cosmology the nilpotency …
The spectrum of superstring theory on the $AdS_5 \times S_5$ Ramond-Ramond background in tensionless limit contains integer and half-integer higher-spin fields subject at most to two-rows Young tableaux $Y(s_1,s_2)$. We review the details of a gauge-invariant Lagrangian description of such massive and massless higher-spin fields in anti-de-Sitter spaces with arbitrary dimensions. The procedure is based on the construction of Verma modules, its oscillator realizations and of a BFV-BRST operator for non-linear algebras encoding unitary irreducible representations of AdS group.
Gauge-invariant systems of a general form with higher order derivatives of gauge parameters are investigated within the framework of the BFV formalism. Higher order terms of the BRST charge and BRST-invariant Hamiltonian are obtained. It is shown that the identification rules for Lagrangian and Hamiltonian ghost variables depend on the choice of the extension of constraints from the primary constraint surface.
I point out an unexpected relation between the BV (Batalin-Vilkovisky) and the BFV (Batalin-Fradkin-Vilkovisky) formulations of the same pure gauge (topological) theory. The nonminimal sector in the BV formulation of the topological theory allows one to construct the Poisson bracket and the BRST charge on some Lagrangian submanifold of the BV configuration space; this Lagrangian submanifold can be identified with the phase space of the BFV formulation of the same theory in the minimal sector of ghost variables. The BFV Poisson bracket is induced by a natural even Poisson bracket on the station…
A constrained BRST-BV Lagrangian formulation for totally symmetric massless HS fields in a $d$-dimensional Minkowski space is extended to a non-minimal constrained BRST-BV Lagrangian formulation by using a non-minimal BRST operator $Q_{c|\mathrm{tot}}$ with non-minimal Hamiltonian BFV oscillators $\overline{C}, \overline{\mathcal{P}}, λ, π$, as well as antighost and Nakanishi-Lautrup tensor fields, in order to introduce an admissible self-consistent gauge condition. The gauge-fixing procedure involves an operator gauge-fixing BRST-BFV Fermion $Ψ_H$ as a kernel of the gauge-fixing BRST-BV Fermi…
The BRST quantization of the Abelian Proca model is performed using the Batalin-Fradkin-Tyutin and the Batalin-Fradkin-Vilkovisky formalism. First, the BFT Hamiltonian method is applied in order to systematically convert a second class constraint system of the model into an effectively first class one by introducing new fields. In finding the involutive Hamiltonian we adopt a new approach which is more simpler than the usual one. We also show that in our model the Dirac brackets of the phase space variables in the original second class constraint system are exactly the same as the Poisson brac…
Quantum localization of classical mechanics within the BRST-BFV and BV (or field-antifield) quantization methods are studied. It is shown that a special choice of gauge fixing functions (or BRST-BFV charge) together with the unitary limit leads to Hamiltonian localization in the path integral of the BRST-BFV formalism. In turn, we find that a special choice of gauge fixing functions being proportional to extremals of an initial non-degenerate classical action together with a very special solution of the classical master equation result in Lagrangian localization in the partition function of th…
We present an analysis on the BRST symmetry transformations of the Horava theory under the BFV quantization, both in the nonprojectable and projectable cases. We obtain that the BRST transformations are intimately related to a particular spatial diffeomorphism along one of the ghost vector fields. We show explicitly the invariance of the quantum action and the nilpotence of the BRST transformations, using this diffeomorphism largely. The BRST symmetry is verified in the whole phase space, inside and outside the constrained surface. When restricted to the constrained surface, the BRST transform…
Nonsingularity conditions are established for the BFV gauge-fixing fermion which are sufficient for it to lead to the correct path integral for a theory with constraints canonically quantized in the BFV approach. The conditions ensure that anticommutator of this fermion with the BRST charge regularises the path integral by regularising the trace over non-physical states in each ghost sector. The results are applied to the quantization of a system which has a Gribov problem, using a non-standard form of the gauge-fixing fermion.
A geometric multisymplectic formulation of the classical BRST symmetry of constrained first-order classical field theories is described. To effect this we introduce graded analogues of the bundles and manifolds of the multisymplectic formulation of first-order field theories. The Lagrange-d'Alembert formalism is also developed in terms of the multisymplectic framework. The result is a covariant Hamiltonian BFV formalism.
The microcanonical density matrix in closed cosmology has a natural definition as a projector on the space of solutions of Wheeler-DeWitt equations, which is motivated by the absence of global non-vanishing charges and energy in spatially closed gravitational systems. Using the BRST/BFV formalism in relativistic phase space of gauge and ghost variables we derive the path integral representation for this projector and the relevant statistical sum. This derivation circumvents the difficulties associated with the open algebra of noncommutative quantum Dirac constraints and the construction/regula…
In the BRST-BFV scheme for noncommutative D-branes with constant NS $B$-field, introducing ghost degrees of freedom we construct the gauge fixed Hamiltonian and corresponding effective Lagrangian invariant under nilpotent BRST charge. It is also shown that the presence of auxiliary variables introduced via the improved Dirac formalism plays a crucial role in the construction of the BRST invariant Lagrangian.
We describe gauge-fixing at the level of virtual paths in the path integral as a non-symplectic BRST-type of flow on the path phase space. As a consequence a gauge-fixed, non-local symplectic structure arises. Restoring of locality is discussed. A pertinent anti-Lie-bracket and an infinite dimensional group of gauge fermions are introduced. Generalizations to Sp(2)-symmetric BLT-theories are made.
Open groups whose generators are in arbitrary involutions may be quantized within a ghost extended framework in terms of a nilpotent BFV-BRST charge operator. Previously we have shown that generalized quantum Maurer-Cartan equations for arbitrary open groups may be extracted from the quantum connection operators and that they also follow from a simple quantum master equation involving an extended nilpotent BFV-BRST charge and a master charge. Here we give further details of these results. In addition we establish the general structure of the solutions of the quantum master equation. We also co…
We consider the Hamiltonian and Lagrangian embedding of a first-order, massive spin-one, gauge non-invariant theory involving anti-symmetric tensor field. We apply the BFV-BRST generalised canonical approach to convert the model to a first class system and construct nil-potent BFV-BRST charge and an unitarising Hamiltonian. The canonical analysis of the Stückelberg formulation of this model is presented. We bring out the contrasting feature in the constraint structure, specifically with respect to the reducibility aspect, of the Hamiltonian and the Lagrangian embedded model. We show that to ob…
We show that the BFV quantization scheme can be implemented in the nonprojectable 2+1 Horava theory. This opens the possibility of imposing more general gauge conditions in the quantization of this theory. The BFV quantization is based on the canonical formalism, which is suitable to incorporate the measure associated to the second-class constraints that the theory has. Special features of the Hamiltonian density and the matrix of second-class constraints allow that the system be involutive in terms of Dirac brackets, which is a nontrivial requisite for implementing the BFV formalism. We prese…
The BRST quantization of particle motion on the hypersurface $V_{(N-1)}$ embedded in Euclidean space $R_N$ is carried out both in Hamiltonian and Lagrangian formalism. Using Batalin-Fradkin-Fradkina-Tyutin (BFFT) formalism, the second class constrained obtained using Hamiltonian analysis are converted into first class constraints. Then using BFV analysis the BRST symmetry is constructed. We have given a simple example of these kind of system. In the end we have discussed Batalin-Vilkovisky formalism in the context of this (BFFT modified) system.
We consider (1+1) dimensional theory for a single self-dual chiral boson as classical model for gauge theory. Using Batalin-Fradkin-Vilkovisky (BFV) technique the nilpotent BRST and anti BRST symmetry transformations for this theory have been studied. In this model other forms of nilpotent symmetry transformations like co-BRST and anti co-BRST which leave the gauge-fixing part of the action invariant, are also explored. We show that the nilpotent charges for these symmetry transformations satisfy the algebra of de Rham cohomological operators in differential geometry. The Hodge decomposition t…
General structure of BRST-invariant constraint algebra is established, in its commutator and antibracket forms, by means of formulation of algebra-generating equations in yet more extended phase space. New ghost-type variables behave as fields and antifields with respect to quantum antibrackets. Explicit form of BRST-invariant gauge algebra is given in detail for rank-one theories with Weyl- and Wick- ordered ghost sector. A gauge-fixed unitarizing Hamiltonian is constructed, and the formalism is shown to be physically equivalent to the standard BRST-BFV approach.
A recent progress in a gauge-invariant Lagrangian description of massive and massless half-integer higher-spin fields in AdS and Minkowski spaces is presented. The procedure is based on a BFV-BRST operator, encoding the initial conditions realized by constraints in a Fock space and extracting the higher-spin fields from unitary irreducible representations of the AdS (Poincare) group. The construction is applicable to higher-spin tensor fields with a multi-row Young tableaux.
The Becchi-Rouet-Stora and Tyutin (BRST) transformation plays a crucial role in the quantization of gauge theories. The BRST transformation is also very important tool in characterizing the various renormalizable field theoretic models. The generalization of the usual BRST transformation, by making the infinitesimal global parameter finite and field dependent, is commonly known as the finite field dependent BRST (FFBRST) transformation. In this thesis, we have extended the FFBRST transformation in an auxiliary field formulation and have developed both on-shell and off-shell FF-anti-BRST transf…
Using the generalized Hamiltonian method of Batalin, Fradkin and Vilkovsky we develop the BRST formalism for the bosonic string on AdS(5)xS(5) formulated as principal chiral model. Then we show that the monodromy matrix and non-local charges are BRST invariant.
We propose a construction for nonlinear off-shell gauge field theories based on a constrained system quantized in the sense of deformation quantization. The key idea is to consider the star-product BFV--BRST master equation as an equation of motion. The construction is formulated in terms of the BRST extention of the unfolded formalism that can also be understood as an appropriate generalization of the AKSZ procedure. As an application, we consider a very simple constrained system, a quantized scalar particle, and show that it gives rise to an off-shell higher-spin gauge theory that automatica…
In the BRST quantization of gauge theories, the zero locus $Z_Q$ of the BRST differential $Q$ carries an (anti)bracket whose parity is opposite to that of the fundamental bracket. We show that the on-shell BFV/BV gauge symmetries are in a 1:1 correspondence with Hamiltonian vector fields on $Z_Q$, and observables of the BRST theory are in a 1:1 correspondence with characteristic functions of the bracket on $Z_Q$. By reduction to the zero locus, we obtain relations between bracket operations and differentials arising in different complexes (the Gerstenhaber, Schouten, Berezin-Kirillov, and Skly…
We consider a generic gauge system, whose physical degrees of freedom are obtained by restriction on a constraint surface followed by factorization with respect to the action of gauge transformations; in so doing, no Hamiltonian structure or action principle is supposed to exist. For such a generic gauge system we construct a consistent BRST formulation, which includes the conventional BV Lagrangian and BFV Hamiltonian schemes as particular cases. If the original manifold carries a weak Poisson structure (a bivector field giving rise to a Poisson bracket on the space of physical observables) t…
The recently proposed first-order parent formalism at the level of equations of motion is specialized to the case of Lagrangian systems. It is shown that for diffeomorphism-invariant theories the parent formulation takes the form of an AKSZ-type sigma model. The proposed formulation can be also seen as a Lagrangian version of the BV-BRST extension of the Vasiliev unfolded approach. We also discuss its possible interpretation as a multidimensional generalization of the Hamiltonian BFV--BRST formalism. The general construction is illustrated by examples of (parametrized) mechanics, relativistic …
We formulate the conditions defining the irreducible continuous spin representation of the four-dimensional Poincaré group based on spin-tensor fields with dotted and undotted indices. Such a formulation simplifies analysis of the Bargmann-Wigner equations and reduces the number of equations from four to three. Using this formulation we develop the BRST approach and derive the covariant Lagrangian for the continuous spin fields.
We apply the BRST approach, previously developed for higher spin field theories, to gauge invariant Lagrangian construction for antisymmetric massive and massless bosonic fields in arbitrary d-dimensional curved space. The obtained theories are reducible gauge models both in massless and massive cases and the order of reducibility grows with the value of the rank of the antisymmetric field. In both the cases the Lagrangians contain the sets of auxiliary fields and possess more rich gauge symmetry in comparison with standard Lagrangian formulation for the antisymmetric fields. This serves addit…
We examine interacting bosonic higher spin gauge fields in the BRST-antifield formalism. Assuming that an interacting action $S$ is a deformation of the free action with a deformation parameter $g$, we solve the master equation $(S,S)=0$ from the lower orders in $g$. It is shown that choosing a certain cubic interaction as the first order deformation, we can solve the master equation and obtain an action containing all orders in $g$. The anti-ghost number of the obtained action is less than or equal to two. Furthermore we show that the obtained action is lifted to that of interacting bosonic h…
Tachyon condensation on a bosonic D-brane was recently demonstrated numerically in Witten's open string field theory with level truncation approximation. This non-perturbative vacuum, which is obtained by solving the equation of motion, has to satisfy furthermore the requirement of BRST invariance. This is indispensable in order for the theory around the non-perturbative vacuum to be consistent. We carry out the numerical analysis of the BRST invariance of the solution and find that it holds to a good accuracy. We also mention the zero-norm property of the solution. The observations in this pa…
