No Arabic abstract
We show that a certain class of nonlocal scalar models, with a kinetic operator inspired by string field theory, is equivalent to a system which is local in the coordinates but nonlocal in an auxiliary evolution variable. This system admits both Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations, and its Cauchy problem and quantization are well-defined. We classify exact nonperturbative solutions of the localized model which can be found via the diffusion equation governing the fields.
In this paper we propose a wider class of symmetries including the Galilean shift symmetry as a subclass. We will show how to construct ghost-free nonlocal actions, consisting of infinite derivative operators, which are invariant under such symmetries, but whose functional form is not simply given by exponentials of entire functions. Motivated by this, we will consider the case of a scalar field and discuss the pole structure of the propagator which has infinitely many complex conjugate poles, but satisfies the tree-level unitarity. We will also consider the possibility to construct UV complete Galilean theories by showing how the ultraviolet behavior of loop integrals can be ameliorated. Moreover, we will consider kinetic operators respecting the same symmetries in the context of linearized gravity. In such a scenario, the graviton propagator turns out to be ghost-free and the spacetime metric generated by a point-like source is nonsingular. These new nonlocal models can be seen as an infinite derivative generalization of Lee-Wick theories and open a new branch of nonlocal theories.
In this paper we present an iterative method to generate an infinite class of new nonlocal field theories whose propagators are ghost-free. We first examine the scalar field case and show that the pole structure of such generalized propagators possesses the standard two derivative pole and in addition can contain complex conjugate poles which, however, do not spoil at least tree level unitarity as the optical theorem is still satisfied. Subsequently, we define analogous propagators for the fermionic sector which is also devoid of unhealthy degrees of freedom. As a third case, we apply the same construction to gravity and define a new set of theories whose graviton propagators around the Minkowski background are ghost-free. Such a wider class also includes nonlocal theories previously studied, and Einsteins general relativity as a peculiar limit. Moreover, we compute the linearized gravitational potential generated by a static point-like source for several gravitational theories belonging to this new class and show that the nonlocal nature of gravity regularizes the singularity at the origin.
We review in simple terms the covariant approaches to the canonical formulation of classical relativistic field theories (in particular gauge field theories) and we discuss the relationships between these approaches as well as the relation with the standard (non-covariant) Hamiltonian formulation. Particular attention is paid to conservation laws related to Poincare invariance within the different approaches. To make the text accessible to a wider audience, we have included an outline of Poisson and symplectic geometry for both classical mechanics and field theory.
A new systematic approach extending the notion of frames to the Palatini scalar-tensor theories of gravity in various dimensions n>2 is proposed. We impose frame transformation induced by the group action which includes almost-geodesic and conformal transformations. We characterize theories invariant with respect to these transformations dividing them up into solution-equivalent subclasses (group orbits). To this end, invariant characteristics have been introduced. Unlike in the metric case, it turns out that the dimension four admitting the largest transformation group is rather special for such theories. The formalism provides new frames that incorporate non-metricity. The case of Palatini F(R)-gravity is considered in more detail.
Using the recently developed fractional Virasoro algebra cite{la_nave_fractional_2019}, we construct a class of nonlocal CFTs with OPEs of the form $T_k(z)Phi(w) sim frac{ h_gamma Phi}{(z-w)^{1+gamma}}+frac{partial_w^gamma Phi}{z-w},$ and $T_k(z)T_k(w) sim frac{ c_kZ_gamma}{(z-w)^{3gamma+1}}+frac{(1+gamma ) T_k(w)}{(z-w)^{1+gamma}}+frac{partial^gamma_w T_k}{z-w}$ which naturally results in a central charge, $c_k$, that is state-dependent, with $k$ indexing a particular grading. Our work indicates that only those theories which are nonlocal have state-dependent central charges, regardless of the pseudo-differential operator content of their action. All others, including certain fractional Laplacian theories, can be mapped onto an equivalent local one using a suitable covering/field redefinition. In addition, we discuss various perturbative implications of deformations of fractional CFTs that realize a fractional Virasoro algebra through the lense of a degree/state-dependent refinement of the 2 dimensional C-theorem.