Ogievetsky - Karpacz Nonlinear Realization Lectures
Ogievetsky - Karpacz Nonlinear Realization Lectures
No 207
X-th WINTER SCHOOL OF THEORETICAL PHYSICS IN KARPACZ
Wroclaw 1974
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Original page numbering (117-141) has been modified.
Introduction
In field theory the symmetries are realized as field transformations under which
the theory has to be invariant. The good old fashioned symmetries are represented by
linear and homogeneous field transformations
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Nonlinear realizations. Internal symmetries
It would be instructive to begin with the simplest case, the case of internal sym-
metry. Let G be the dynamic symmetry group, U being its algebraic subgroup. We
denote the generators of U by Vi (i = 1, · · · , k) and the remaining generators of G by
Za (a = k + 1, · · · , n). The commutation relations are
In order to obtain the nonlinear realization of G/U we have to introduce the fields
ξa (x) corresponding to generators Za and having the same transformation properties
under U as Za ’s. These fields ξa (x) can be called preferred or Goldstone fields.
To define the action of the group G on ξa (x) we form eiξa Za . Note that this
expression is an element of G. Then
0
geiξa Za = eiξa (ξ,g)Za eiui (ξ,g)Vi (3)
and this proves the group property of the transformation law (4). This transformation
law is nonlinear.
For all other fields one can define the transformation law as follows. Let ψ be the
arbitrary field belonging to some linear representation D of the algebraic subgroup U .
Then for any element g ∈ G we define
g : ψ → ψ 0 = D eiu(ξ,g)V ψ
(7)
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However D is a representation of U and we have eq. (6). This proves that eq. (7)
defines the group transformation law, nonlinear in Goldstone fields ξ(x). If an element
G belongs to the subgroup U , the (4) and (7) become linear representations of U . In
fact, if g = eiuV (u are constant parameters), then
eiuV eiξZ = eiuV eiξZ e−iuV eiuV = exp iξa eiuV Za e−iuV eiuV = eiξa ϕab Zb eiuV
because due to eq. (1.b) the generators Z form some representation of the group
U : eiuV Za e−iuV = ϕab Zb . So for g = eiuV the transformation laws (4) and (7) are
reduced to linear ones independent of Goldstone fields:
because the element g is independent of ξ. For the Cartan differential forms it follows
that
0
Z∂ω Z = eiu(ξ,g)V Z∂ω Z e−iu(ξ,g)V
0
∂ωaZ = ϕab (ξ, g)∂ωbZ = DZ eiu(ξ,g)V ∂ω Z a
(11)
i.e. the form ∂ωaZ is transformed according to a linear representation of the algebraic
subgroup U with ξ-depending parameters, and
0
V ∂ω V = eiu(ξ,g)V V ∂ω V e−iu(ξ,g)V − ieiu(ξ,g)V de−iu(ξ,g)V (12)
Now we can define the covariant derivative of the Goldstone field ξa (x) in the
form
∂ωaZ (ξ)
∇µ ξ 0 = DZ eiu(ξ,g)V ∇µ ξ
∇µ ξ = ; (13)
∂xµ
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For an arbitrary field ψ transforming under the algebraic subgroup U according to the
representation D(U ) we form the covariant differential
where V are the generators of U in the representation D(U ) appropriate to the field
ψ. Using eq. (12) one obtains
∆ψ 0 = D eiu(ξ,g)V ∆ψ
(15)
∂ψ ∂ωjV
∇µ ψ = + iVj ψ (16)
∂xµ ∂xµ
The covariant derivatives ∇µ ψ transform under G in the same way as ψ itself
does eq. (8);
∇µ ψ 0 = D eiu(ξ,g)V ∇µ ψ
(17)
Since ψ, ∇µ ψ and ∇µ ξ all have the transformation rules (8), (17) and (13) any
Lagrangian constructed from just these quantities will be invariant under the full group
G if it is invariant under the algebraic subgroup U .
The Goldstone fields ξ(x) have to enter a Lagrangian only through their covariant
derivatives ∇µ ξ. At the same time the vacuum state and particle states are invariant
only under the algebraic subgroup U , so the full symmetry G is spontaneously broken.
We note however, that with additional requirements on the behaviour of the
tree diagrams at high energies, consistent with the Regge behaviour, some algebraic
properties of the full group G reappear [5–7].
Namely the one-particle states must form irreducible or reducible linear represen-
tations of the full group G. The mass-matrix m2 must belong to definite representa-
tions of G for all cases investigated; SU (2) × SU (2)/SU (2) [5], SU (3)/SU (2) × Y [6],
SU (3)×SU (3)/SU (2)×Y . The results are very good, they give the Gell-Mann-Okubo
mass-formula, Gell-Mann-Oakes-Renner formula and so on.
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We have to find the nonlinear representation of some group G which become linear
on its algebraic subgroup U . To this end one can represent the action of G in a form
analogous to eq. (3)
0 0 0
geixP eiξ(x)Z = eix P eiξ (x )Z u(ξ(x), g) (18)
ξ(x) are Goldstone fields whose the transformation properties under the Lorentz and
a good Internal symmetry group are determined by the corresponding transformation
properties of the generators Z.
(Let us forget that the argument of ξ 0 (x0 ) is x0 not x!) Let ψ be an arbitrary field,
which is transformed under the algebraic subgroup according to representation D(u)
with the generators Lµν and Vi appropriate to ψ. The transformation law for ψ(x)
under the group G is given by
e−iξ(x)Z e−ixP d eixP eiξ(x)Z = iPµ ∂ωµP (x)+iZa ∂ωaZ (x)+iVi ∂ωiV (x)+iLµν ∂ωµν
L
(x) (21)
Now just as above (see eq. (11)) we obtain the transformation laws for these
forms
0
Pµ ∂ωµP (x0 ) = u (ξ, g) Pµ ∂ωµP (x)u−1 (ξ, g) (22.a)
0
Za ∂ωaZ (x0 ) = u (ξ, g) Za ∂ωaZ (x)u−1 (ξ, g) (22.b)
0 L 0 0
Vi ∂ωiV (x0 ) + Lµν ∂ωµν (x ) =u (ξ, g) Vi ∂ωiV (x) + Lµν ∂ωµν
L
(x) u−1 (ξ, g) −
− iu (ξ, g) du−1 (ξ, g) . (22.c)
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We see that the forms ∂ωµP (x) and ∂ωaZ (x) are transformed under G according to the
representations DP and DZ of the algebraic subgroup U with parameters depending
on the Goldstone fields ξα (x). E.g. ∂ωλP (x) transforms as a Lorentz vector
0
∂ωλP (x0 ) = eiuµλ (ξ,g)Lµν ∂ωσP (x) (23)
λσ
where Lµν -are matrices of the vector representation of the Lorentz group (because Pµ
is a Lorentz vector and a scalar under any internal symmetry). Now we can construct
out of these forms the covariant derivatives. The appropriate term is ∂ωP∂ (x) . (recall
µ
∂
that ∂xµ
has bad transformation properties).
The covariant derivatives of the Goldstone fields are defined as
∂ωaZ (x)
∇µ ξa (x) = (24)
∂ωµP (x)
where Vi and Lµν are the internal symmetry and Lorentz matrices appropriate to
representation D. Then
∆ψ 0 (x0 ) = D(u)∆ψ(x) (26)
Therefore the covariant derivative of ψ is
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the Lagrangian and the equations of motion are invariant with respect to these nonlin-
ear transformations but the vacuum and particle states are invariant only with regard
to the algebraic subgroup.
Note that nonlinear realizations of conformal symmetries were considered in sev-
eral papers, e.g. by Isham, Salam, Strathdee [8, 9] and Volkov [4]. Volkov [4] described
also a general theory, of nonlinear realizations with the use of Cartan differential forms.
In a remarkable paper [10] he constructed a nonlinear realization of space-time algebra
which includes the spinor anticommuting generators.
Let us point that all formulas above determine the transformation laws and the
Lagrangian up to a change of field variables.
G ∼ P4 ⊗ GL(4, R)
Now we shall consider nonlinear realizations of this group which become linear
on an algebraic subgroup of it - the Lorentz group, so we deal with the symmetry
G/L. Here I follow the paper of A. Borisov and myself. The full set of generators of
G is: four translation generators Pµ , six Lorentz generators Lµν and ten symmetric
generators Rµν (the trace of Rµν gives dilatation). The commutation relations are:
1
[Lµν , Lρσ ] = δµρ Lνσ + δνσ Lµρ − (µ ↔ ν)
i
1
[Lµν , Rρσ ] = δµρ Rνσ + δνσ Rµρ − (µ ↔ ν)
i
1
[Rµν , Rρσ ] = δµρ Lνσ + δνσ Lµρ + (µ ↔ ν) (31)
i
1
[Lµν , Pσ ] = δµσ Pν − (µ ↔ ν)
i
1
[Rµν , Pσ ] = δµσ Pν + (µ ↔ ν)
i
In this case the Z, generators are Rµν and therefore the Goldstone field is a
symmetric tensor field hµν . The action of the group G is defined according to the
general prescription (18) which reads in one case as
0 0 0
geixP eih(x)R = eix P eih (x )R eiuµν (h,g)Lµν (32)
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Then one gets for infinitesimal special-linear transformations with parameters αµν
(i.e. g = exp (iαµν Rµν ))
X
δhµν = h0µν (x0 ) − hµν (x) = bmn hm αhn (33)
µν
m,n
X
m n
uµν = cmn h αh (34)
µν
m,n
where hm αhn is:
µν
0 0
e2α e4h(x) e2α = e4h (x ) (36’)
Note also the useful matrix relations, for infinitesimal transformations which follow
from (32) ±2h
= ± α, e±2h
u, e
δe±2h = ± α, e±2h + u, e±2h
(37)
Now we can write the general infinitesimal transformation law for any field ψ(x)
under P4 ⊗ GL(4, R)
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where uµν is given by eq. (34) and Lµν are matrices representing the Lorentz group
generators on the field ψ. So for spinors Lµν = 21 σµν and we have
1
δψ(x) = iuµν (h) σµν ψ(x) (39)
2
Analogously for the four-vectors aµ :
Lαβ = −i δαµ δβν − δαν δβµ
µν
and we obtain
δaµ (x) = a0µ (x0 ) − aµ (x) = 2uµν (h)aν . (39’)
This quantity transforms nonlinearly in the Goldstone field hµν under a special
affine transformation being a four-vector with regard to the Lorentz transformation.
However, in the case of integer spins one can define some linearly transformed quantities
by means of a change of field variables. For any given aµ one can introduce a covariant
vector as
Aµ = e2h aν (40)
µν
These quantities transform linearly. Using equations (37) one can easily see that under
special affine transformation these quantities transform according to
δAµ = 2αµν Aν
Therefore
∂ωµP (x) = e2h dxν (43)
µν
and
∂ ∂
= e−2h (44)
∂ωµP (x) µν ∂xν
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The covariant derivatives according to eqs. (24) and (27) can be written down as:
for the Goldstone fields
1 −2h n 2h ∂ −2h o
∇λ hµν = − e e , e , (46)
4 λσ ∂xσ µν
with
1 −2h n 2h ∂ −2h o
Vµν,λ (h) = e e , e − c ∇µ hλν − ∇ν hλµ (48)
4 λσ ∂xσ µν
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References
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