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We demonstrate that the celebrated Stückelberg formalism is modified in the case of a massive four (3 + 1)-dimensional (4D) Abelian 2-form theory due to the presence of a self-duality discrete symmetry in the theory. The latter symmetry entails upon the modified 4D massive Abelian 2-form gauge theory to become a massive model of Hodge theory within the framework of Becchi–Rouet–Stora–Tyutin (BRST) formalism where there is the existence of a set of (anti-)co-BRST transformations corresponding to the usual nilpotent (anti-)BRST transformations. The latter exist in any arbitrary dimension of spacetime for the usual Stückelberg-modified massive Abelian 2-form gauge theory. The modification in the Stückelberg technique is backed by the precise mathematical arguments from the differential geometry where the exterior derivative and Hodge duality operator play the decisive roles. The modified version of the Stückelberg technique remains invariant under the discrete duality transformations which also establish a precise and deep connection between the off-shell nilpotent (anti-)BRST and (anti-)co-BRST transformations. We have clarified a simple trick of using the equations of motion to remove the higher derivative terms in the appropriate Lagrangian densities so that our 4D theory can become consistent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We derive the nilpotent (anti-)BRST and (anti-)co-BRST symmetry transformations for the system of a toy model of Hodge theory (i.e. a rigid rotor) by exploiting the (anti-)BRST and (anti-)co-BRST invariant restrictions on the (anti-)chiral supervariables that are defined on the appropriately chosen (1 , 1) -dimensional super-submanifolds of the general (1 , 2) -dimensional supermanifold on which our system of a one (0 + 1) -dimensional (1D) toy model of Hodge theory is considered within the framework of the augmented version of the (anti-)chiral supervariable approach (ACSA) to Becchi–Rouet–Stora–Tyutin (BRST) formalism. The general (1 , 2) -dimensional supermanifold is parametrized by the superspace coordinates (t , 𝜃 , 𝜃 ̄) , where t is the bosonic evolution parameter and (𝜃 , 𝜃 ̄) are the Grassmannian variables which obey the standard fermionic relationships: 𝜃 2 = 𝜃 ̄ 2 = 0 , 𝜃 𝜃 ̄ + 𝜃 ̄ 𝜃 = 0. We provide the geometrical interpretations for the symmetry invariance and nilpotency property. Furthermore, in our present endeavor, we establish the property of absolute anticommutativity of the conserved fermionic charges which is a completely novel and surprising observation in our present endeavor where we have considered only the (anti-)chiral supervariables. To corroborate the novelty of the above observation, we apply this ACSA to an 𝒩 = 2 SUSY quantum mechanical (QM) system of a free particle and show that the 𝒩 = 2 SUSY conserved and nilpotent charges do not absolutely anticommute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we demonstrate the existence of a set of novel discrete symmetry transformations in the case of an interacting supersymmetric quantum mechanical model of a system of an electron moving on a sphere in the background of a magnetic monopole and establish its interpretation in the language of differential geometry. These discrete symmetries are, over and above, the usual three continuous symmetries of the theory which together provide the physical realizations of the de Rham cohomological operators of differential geometry. We derive the nilpotent SUSY transformations by exploiting our idea of supervariable approach and provide geometrical meaning to these transformations in the language of Grassmannian translational generators on a -dimensional supermanifold on which our SUSY quantum mechanical model is generalized. We express the conserved supercharges and the invariance of the Lagrangian in terms of the supervariables (obtained after the imposition of the SUSY invariant restrictions) and provide the geometrical meaning to (i) the nilpotency property of the supercharges, and (ii) the SUSY invariance of the Lagrangian of our SUSY theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We exploit the standard techniques of the supervariable approach to derive the nilpotent Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin (BRST) and anti-BRST symmetry transformations for a toy model of the Hodge theory (i.e., a rigid rotor) and provide the geometrical meaning and interpretation to them. Furthermore, we also derive the nilpotent (anti-)co-BRST symmetry transformations for this theory within the framework of the above supervariable approach. We capture the (anti-)BRST and (anti-)co-BRST invariance of the Lagrangian of our present theory within the framework of augmented supervariable formalism. We also express the (anti-)BRST and (anti-)co-BRST charges in terms of the supervariables (obtained after the application of the (dual-)horizontality conditions and (anti-)BRST and (anti-)co-BRST invariant restrictions) to provide the geometrical interpretations for their nilpotency and anticommutativity properties. The application of the dual-horizontality condition and ensuing proper (i.e., nilpotent and absolutely anticommuting) fermionic (anti-)co-BRST symmetries are completely novel results in our present investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the toy model of a rigid rotor as an example of the Hodge theory within the framework of Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin (BRST) formalism and show that the internal symmetries of this theory lead to the derivation of canonical brackets amongst the creation and annihilation operators of the dynamical variables where the definition of the canonical conjugate momenta is not required. We invoke only the spin-statistics theorem, normal ordering and basic concepts of continuous symmetries (and their generators) to derive the canonical brackets for the model of a one -dimensional (1D) rigid rotor without using the definition of the canonical conjugate momenta anywhere. Our present method of derivation of the basic brackets is conjectured to be true for a class of theories that provide a set of tractable physical examples for the Hodge theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the simple examples of an Abelian 1-form gauge theory in two (1+1)-dimensions, a 2-form gauge theory in four (3+1)-dimensions and a 3-form gauge theory in six (5+1)-dimensions of space-time, we establish that such gauge theories respect, in addition to the gauge symmetry transformations that are generated by the first-class constraints of the theory, additional continuous symmetry transformations. We christen the latter symmetry transformations as the dual-gauge transformations. We generalize the above gauge and dual-gauge transformations to obtain the proper (anti-)BRST and (anti-)dual-BRST transformations for the Abelian 3-form gauge theory within the framework of BRST formalism. We concisely mention such symmetries for the 2D free Abelian 1-form and 4D free Abelian 2-form gauge theories and briefly discuss their topological aspects in our present endeavor. We conjecture that any arbitrary Abelian p-form gauge theory would respect the above cited additional symmetry in D = 2p(p = 1, 2, 3, ...) dimensions of space-time. By exploiting the above inputs, we establish that the Abelian 3-form gauge theory, in six (5+1)-dimensions of space-time, is a perfect model for the Hodge theory whose discrete and continuous symmetry transformations provide the physical realizations of all aspects of the de Rham cohomological operators of differential geometry. As far as the physical utility of the above nilpotent symmetries is concerned, we demonstrate that the 2D Abelian 1-form gauge theory is a perfect model of a new class of topological theory and 4D Abelian 2-form as well as 6D Abelian 3-form gauge theories are the field theoretic models for the quasi-topological field theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By exploiting Stueckelberg’s approach, we obtain a gauge theory for the two-dimensional, that is, (1+1)-dimensional (2D) Proca theory and demonstrate that this theory is endowed with, in addition to the usual Becchi–Rouet–Stora–Tyutin (BRST) and anti-BRST symmetries, the on-shell nilpotent (anti-)co-BRST symmetries, under which the total gauge-fixing term remains invariant. The anticommutator of the BRST and co-BRST (as well as anti-BRST and anti-co-BRST) symmetries define a unique bosonic symmetry in the theory, under which the ghost part of the Lagrangian density remains invariant. To establish connections of the above symmetries with the Hodge theory, we invoke a pseudo-scalar field in the theory. Ultimately, we demonstrate that the full theory provides a field theoretic example for the Hodge theory where the continuous symmetry transformations provide a physical realization of the de Rham cohomological operators and discrete symmetries of the theory lead to the physical realization of the Hodge duality operation of differential geometry. We also mention the physical implications and utility of our present investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of a raging controversy on the topic of dual-Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin (dual-BRST/co-BRST) and anti-co-BRST symmetry transformations in the context of four (3+1)-dimensional (4D) Abelian two-form and 2D (non-)Abelian one-form gauge theories, we attempt, in our present short note, to settle the dust by taking the help of mathematics of differential geometry, connected with the Hodge theory, which was the original motivation for the nomenclature of "dual-BRST symmetry" in our earlier set of works. It has been claimed, in a recent set of papers, that the co-BRST symmetries are not independent of the BRST symmetries. We show that the BRST and co-BRST symmetries are independent symmetries in the same fashion as the exterior and co-exterior derivatives are independent entities belonging to the set of de Rham cohomological operators of differential geometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a few striking similarities and some glaring differences between (i) the free four- (3+1)-dimensional (4D) Abelian 2-form gauge theory, and (ii) the anomalous two- (1+1)-dimensional (2D) Abelian 1-form gauge theory, within the framework of Becchi–Rouet–Stora–Tyutin (BRST) formalism. We demonstrate that the Lagrangian densities of the above two theories transform in a similar fashion under a set of symmetry transformations even though they are endowed with a drastically different variety of constraint structures. With the help of our understanding of the 4D Abelian 2-form gauge theory, we prove that the gauge-invariant version of the anomalous 2D Abelian 1-form gauge theory is a new field-theoretic model for the Hodge theory where all the de Rham cohomological operators of differential geometry find their physical realizations in the language of proper symmetry transformations. The corresponding conserved charges obey an algebra that is reminiscent of the algebra of the cohomological operators. We briefly comment on the consistency of the 2D anomalous 1-form gauge theory in the language of restrictions on the harmonic state of the (anti-) BRST and (anti-) co-BRST invariant version of the above 2D theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate that the two (1+1)-dimensional (2D) free 1-form Abelian gauge theory provides an interesting field theoretical model for the Hodge theory. The physical symmetries of the theory correspond to all the basic mathematical ingredients that are required in the definition of the de Rham cohomological operators of differential geometry. The conserved charges, corresponding to the above continuous symmetry transformations, constitute an algebra that is reminiscent of the algebra obeyed by the de Rham cohomological operators. The topological features of the above theory are discussed in terms of the BRST and co-BRST operators. The super-de Rham cohomological operators are exploited in the derivation of the nilpotent (anti-)BRST, (anti-)co-BRST symmetry transformations and the equations of motion for all the fields of the theory, within the framework of the superfield formulation. The derivation of the equations of motion, by exploiting the super-Laplacian operator, is a completely new result in the framework of the superfield approach to BRST formalism. In an Appendix, the interacting 2D Abelian gauge theory (where there is a coupling between the U(1) gauge field and the Dirac fields) is also shown to provide a tractable field theoretical model for the Hodge theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An appropriate definition of the Hodge duality ⋆ operation on any arbitrary dimensional supermanifold has been a long-standing problem. We define a working rule for the Hodge duality ⋆ operation on the (2+2)-dimensional supermanifold parametrized by a couple of even (bosonic) space–time variables xμ(μ = 0, 1) and a couple of odd (fermionic) variables θ and $\bar\theta$ of the Grassmann algebra. The Minkowski space–time manifold, hidden in the supermanifold and parametrized by xμ(μ = 0, 1), is chosen to be a flat manifold on which a two (1+1)-dimensional (2D) free Abelian gauge theory, taken as a prototype field theoretical model, is defined. We demonstrate the applications of the above definition (and its further generalization) for the discussion of the (anti-)co-BRST symmetries that exist for the field theoretical models of 2D and 4D free Abelian gauge theories considered on the four (2+2)- and six (4+2)-dimensional supermanifolds, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]