Kavli Affiliate: Austin Joyce
| First 5 Authors: Kurt Hinterbichler, Austin Joyce, Grégoire Mathys, ,
| Summary:
We explore the physics of relativistic gapless phases defined by a mixed
anomaly between two generalized conserved currents. The gapless modes can be
understood as Goldstone modes arising from the nonlinear realization of
(generically higher-form) symmetries arising from these currents. In some
cases, the anomaly cannot be reproduced by any local and unitary theory,
indicating that the corresponding symmetries are impossible, in the sense that
they cannot appear in a Lorentzian physical system. We consider many examples
of the general construction. Most notably, we study conformal gravity from this
perspective, describing the higher-form symmetries of the linear theory and
showing how it can be understood in terms of anomalies. Along the way we
clarify some aspects of electric-magnetic duality in linear conformal gravity.
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