3 Lectures on Generalized Symmetries (2/3)

by Arthur Platschorre (Oxford U.), Lakshya Bhardwaj (Oxford U.), Ludovic Fraser-Taliente (Oxford U.)

Thursday 18 Jan 2024, 14:00 → 15:30 Europe/London

Zoom (virtually at King's College London)

These 3 Zoom lectures aim to provide a comprehensive and in-depth introduction to Generalized symmetries for a broad audience of high-energy physicists interested in the theory and possible application of new symmetries. It includes three 90-minute lectures scheduled for January 2024 from 14:00 to 15:30 UK time, Jan 11th (Lakshya Bhardwaj on Higher-Form Symmetries and Confinement), Jan 18th (Ludovic Fraser-Taliente on Higher-Form Symmetries and Anomalies), and Jan 25th (Arthur Platschorre on Non-invertible symmetries and Axions). The lectures are based on Phys.Rept. 1051 (2024) 1-87.

Second Lecture: 18th Jan 2024
14:00-15:30 UK time (15:00-16:30 CET)   

Title: Higher-form symmetries and anomalies
Lecturer: Ludovic Fraser-Taliente (Oxford U.)

The aim of this second lecture is to further develop the properties of higher-form symmetries in practice: in particular, understanding and classifying their anomalies. We discuss how the these symmetries may have obstructions to gauging, called 't Hooft anomalies. Such anomalies are invariant under RG flow, and so can be used to provide constraints when matching the UV and IR of a given theory. 't Hooft anomalies are identified by coupling a theory to a non-dynamical (background) gauge field; we therefore discuss the gauging process, as well as the dual (d-p-2)-form symmetries that arise when a p-form symmetry is gauged, giving precise examples. We conclude by briefly discussing the extensions of these symmetries in physical theories: the more general category of higher-group symmetries, which mix higher form symmetries of different degrees, and the possibility of non-invertible symmetries.

 

For the Zoom link and more information please register.