October 31, 2019
We classify and characterize all invertible anomalies and all allowed topological terms related to various Standard Models (SM), Grand Unified Theories (GUT), and Beyond Standard Model (BSM) physics. By all anomalies, we mean the inclusion of (1) perturbative/local anomalies captured by perturbative Feynman diagram loop calculations, classified by $\mathbb{Z}$ free classes, and (2) non-perturbative/global anomalies, classified by finite group $\mathbb{Z}_N$ torsion classes. Our work built from [arXiv:1812.11967] fuses the math tools of Adams spectral sequence, Thom-Madsen-Tillmann spectra, and Freed-Hopkins theorem. For example, we compute bordism groups $\Omega^{G}_d$ and their invertible topological field theory invariants, which characterize $d$d topological terms and $(d-1)$d anomalies, protected by the following symmetry group $G$: $Spin\times \frac{SU(3)\times SU(2)\times U(1)}{\mathbb{Z}_q}$ for SM with $q=1,2,3,6$; $\frac{Spin \times Spin(n)}{\mathbb{Z}_2^F}$ or $Spin \times Spin(n)$ for SO(10) or SO(18) GUT as $n=10, 18$; $Spin \times SU(n)$ for Georgi-Glashow SU(5) GUT as $n=5$; $\frac{Spin\times \frac{SU(4)\times(SU(2)\times SU(2))}{\mathbb{Z}_{q'}}}{\mathbb{Z}_2^F}$ for Pati-Salam GUT as $q'=1,2$; and others. For SM with an extra discrete symmetry, we obtain new anomaly matching conditions of $\mathbb{Z}_{16}$, $\mathbb{Z}_{4}$, and $\mathbb{Z}_{2}$ classes in 4d beyond the familiar Witten anomaly. Our approach offers an alternative view of all anomaly matching conditions built from the lower-energy (B)SM or GUT, in contrast to high-energy Quantum Gravity or String Theory Landscape v.s. Swampland program, as bottom-up/top-down complements. Symmetries and anomalies provide constraints of kinematics, we further suggest constraints of quantum gauge dynamics, and new predictions of possible extended defects/excitations plus hidden BSM non-perturbative topological sectors.
Similar papers 1
June 30, 2020
Standard lore uses local anomalies to check the kinematic consistency of gauge theories coupled to chiral fermions, e.g. Standard Models (SM). Based on a systematic cobordism classification, we examine constraints from invertible quantum anomalies (including all perturbative local and nonperturbative global anomalies) for gauge theories. We also clarify the different uses of these anomalies: including (1) anomaly cancellations of dynamical gauge fields, (2) 't Hooft anomaly m...
October 24, 2019
We analyse global anomalies and related constraints in the Standard Model (SM) and various Beyond the Standard Model (BSM) theories. We begin by considering four distinct, but equally valid, versions of the SM, in which the gauge group is taken to be $G=G_{\text{SM}}/\Gamma_n$, with $G_{\text{SM}}=SU(3)\times SU(2) \times U(1)$ and $\Gamma_n$ isomorphic to $\mathbb{Z}/n$ where $n\in\left\{1,2,3,6\right\}$. In addition to deriving constraints on the hypercharges of fields tran...
August 14, 2020
A recent work [2006.16996] suggests that a 4d nonperturbative global anomaly of mod 16 class hinting a possible new hidden gapped topological sector beyond the Standard Model (SM) and Georgi-Glashow $su(5)$ Grand Unified Theory (GUT) with 15n chiral Weyl fermions and a discrete $\mathbb{Z}_{4,X}$ symmetry of $X=5({\bf B- L})-4Y$. This $\mathbb{Z}_{16}$ class global anomaly is a mixed gauge-gravitational anomaly between the discrete $X$ and spacetime backgrounds. The new topol...
December 31, 2018
By developing a generalized cobordism theory, we explore the higher global symmetries and higher anomalies of quantum field theories and interacting fermionic/bosonic systems in condensed matter. Our essential math input is a generalization of Thom-Madsen-Tillmann spectra, Adams spectral sequence, and Freed-Hopkins's theorem, to incorporate higher-groups and higher classifying spaces. We provide many examples of bordism groups with a generic $H$-structure manifold with a high...
December 29, 2021
't Hooft anomalies of quantum field theories (QFTs) with an invertible global symmetry G (including spacetime and internal symmetries) in a $d$d spacetime are known to be classified by a $d+1$d cobordism group TP$_{d+1}$(G), whose group generator is a $d+1$d cobordism invariant written as an invertible topological field theory (iTFT) Z$_{d+1}$. The deformation class of QFT is recently proposed to be specified by its symmetry G and an iTFT Z$_{d+1}$. Seemingly different QFTs o...
December 31, 2020
Strong, electromagnetic, and weak forces were unified in the Standard Model (SM) with spontaneous gauge symmetry breaking. These forces were further conjectured to be unified in a simple Lie group gauge interaction in the Grand Unification (GUT). In this work, we propose a theory beyond the SM and GUT by adding new gapped Topological Phase Sectors consistent with the nonperturbative global anomaly cancellation and cobordism constraints (especially from the baryon minus lepton...
September 28, 2018
The Standard Models contain chiral fermions coupled to gauge theories. It has been a long-standing problem to give such gauged chiral fermion theories a quantum non-perturbative definition. By classification of quantum anomalies and symmetric invertible topological orders via a mathematical cobordism theorem for differentiable and triangulable manifolds, and the existence of symmetric gapped boundary for the trivial symmetric invertible topological orders, we propose that Spi...
December 31, 2019
We systematically study Lorentz symmetry extensions in quantum field theories (QFTs) and their 't Hooft anomalies via cobordism. The total symmetry $G'$ can be expressed in terms of the extension of Lorentz symmetry $G_L$ by an internal global symmetry $G$ as $1 \to G \to G' \to G_L \to 1$. By enumerating all possible $G_L$ and symmetry extensions, other than the familiar SO/Spin/O/Pin$^{\pm}$ groups, we introduce a new EPin group (in contrast to DPin), and provide natural ph...
March 7, 2013
In this paper, we systematically study gauge anomalies in bosonic and fermionic weak-coupling gauge theories with gauge group G (which can be continuous or discrete). We show a very close relation between gauge anomalies and symmetry-protected trivial (SPT) orders [also known as symmetry-protected topological (SPT) orders] in one-higher dimensions. Using such an idea, we argue that, in d space-time dimensions, the gauge anomalies are described by the elements in Free[H^{d+1}(...
March 6, 2014
We propose that Symmetry Protected Topological Phases with a finite symmetry group G are classified by cobordism groups of the classifying space of G. This provides an explanation for the recent discovery of bosonic SPT phases which do not fit into the group cohomology classification. We discuss the connection of the cobordism classification of SPT phases to gauge and gravitational anomalies in various dimensions.