Gauge Invariance for Extended Objects

Oct, 1985
6 pages
Published in:
  • Phys.Lett.B 167 (1986) 63-68
  • Published: 1986
Report number:
  • Print-85-0824 (TEXAS)

Citations per year

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Abstract: (Elsevier)
Just as the vector potential (one-form) couples to charged point-particles, antisymmetric tensor fields of higher rank ( p -forms) couple to elementary objects of higher dimensionality (strings, membranes, …). It is shown that the only possible gauge invariant interaction of such an extended object with a gauge field in spacetime is based on the abelian group U(1). This is unlike the situation for particles where Yang-Mills actions based on any gauge group may be written down. The properties of the abelian theory are explored. It is pointed out that a compact object is analogous to a particle-antiparticle pair and its quantum rate of production in a constant external field is calculated semiclassically. The analysis is performed keeping generic both the dimension of the object and that of spacetime.
  • GAUGE FIELD THEORY: TENSOR
  • GAUGE FIELD THEORY: U(1)
  • INVARIANCE: GAUGE
  • GAUGE FIELD THEORY: NONABELIAN