Abstract
We consider the (3+1)-dimensional Maxwell theory in the situation where going around nontrivial paths in the spacetime involves the action of the duality transformation exchanging the electric field and the magnetic field, as well as its SL(2,Z) generalizations. We find that the anomaly of this system in a particular formulation is 56 times that of a Weyl fermion. This result is derived in two independent ways: one is by using the bulk symmetry protected topological phase in (4+1) dimensions characterizing the anomaly, and the other is by considering the properties of a (5+1)-dimensional superconformal field theory known as the E-string theory. This anomaly of the Maxwell theory plays an important role in the consistency of string theory.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 161601 |
| Journal | Physical Review Letters |
| Volume | 123 |
| Issue number | 16 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2019 Oct 14 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'Anomaly of the Electromagnetic Duality of Maxwell Theory'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Cite this
Hsieh, C. T., Tachikawa, Y., & Yonekura, K. (2019). Anomaly of the Electromagnetic Duality of Maxwell Theory. Physical Review Letters, 123(16), [161601]. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.161601