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arXiv · 2003.08023

Hidden symmetries for transparent de Sitter space

Garrett Compton·Ian A. Morrison
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Abstract

It is known that odd-dimensional de Sitter space acts as a transparent potential for free fields. Previous studies have explained this phenomena by relating de Sitter free field equations of motion to the time-independent Schrodinger equation with known transparent potentials. In this work we show that de Sitter's transparency is a consequence of an infinite set of "hidden" symmetries. These symmetries arise from an accidental symmetry for the zero-mode of matter fields, as well as the boost isometry of de Sitter space. For simplicity, we consider the case of massive Klein-Gordon theory. We show that the Noether charges associated with these hidden symmetries distinguish the two linearly-independent solutions of the free field wave equation in the asymptotic past and future of de Sitter. Conservation of these charges requires that the asymptotic behavior of any solution be identical, up to a constant phase, in the future and the past, which is the property of transparency. In the quantized theory, these charges act trivially on particle states belonging to the in/out vacuum Fock space. For particle states constructed from other vacua, the action of the charges generates particles. We comment on how these hidden symmetries may be present in interacting theories.

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Garrett Compton, Ian A. Morrison. 2020-03-18. Hidden symmetries for transparent de Sitter space. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6382%2Fab8c98

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