HEP Seminar - Generalized Symmetry in Dynamical Gravity

HEP Seminar - Generalized Symmetry in Dynamical Gravity
Clifford Cheung, Caltech

Abstract: The concept of symmetry in quantum field theory has broadened considerably in the past decade. A particularly well-studied example is higher-form symmetry, which acts inherently on extended objects. Working in lockstep analogy with gauge theory, we explore one-form symmetry in the effective field theory context of dynamical, nonlinear gravity. Notably, the interplay between line operators and symmetry defect operators in gravity has a natural geometric interpretation in terms of classical general relativity.