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arXiv · 2411.08858

Symmetry Operators and Gravity

Ibrahima Bah·Patrick Jefferson·Konstantinos Roumpedakis·Thomas Waddleton
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Abstract

We argue that topological operators for continuous symmetries written in terms of currents need regularization, which effectively gives them a small but finite width. The regulated operator is a finite tension object which fluctuates. In the zero-width limit these fluctuations freeze, recovering the properties of a topological operator. When gravity is turned on, the zero-width limit becomes ill-defined, thereby prohibiting the existence of topological operators.

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Ibrahima Bah, Patrick Jefferson, Konstantinos Roumpedakis, Thomas Waddleton. 2024-11-13. Symmetry Operators and Gravity. https://doi.org/10.21468/scipostphys.19.4.116

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