arXiv subjects

Elise Paznokas

Publications and source records attributed to Elise Paznokas.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The state/defect correspondence

We formulate a one-to-one correspondence between states and defects for higher-form gauge theories in arbitrary dimensions. The correspondence is not predicated on conformal invariance, as these theories are in general not conformal. Instead, it relies on the existence of infinitely many conserved charges associated with the mixed anomaly of electric and magnetic higher-form symmetries. In $p$-form Maxwell theory, these charges generate an extended Kac-Moody algebra that acts simultaneously on states and on extended operators. We show that this algebra organizes the Hilbert space on $S^p \times S^{d-p-1}$ into highest-weight representations allowing for a direct identification between states and $p$-dimensional defects. In particular, Wilson-'t Hooft defects dressed with local gauge-invariant operators are mapped to squeezed energy eigenstates. We further relate these novel symmetries to higher-spin currents and demonstrate that their construction persists in a class of interacting non-linear electrodynamics theories.

hep-th↗

arXiv2026

4d Maxwell on the Edge: Global Aspects of Boundary Conditions and Duality

We revisit Maxwell theory in 4d with a boundary, with particular attention to the global properties of the boundary conditions, both in the free (topological) and interacting (conformal) cases. We analyze the fate of Wilson-'t Hooft lines, identifying the subset that is trivialized on the boundary and the ones that become topological, thus generating a boundary 1-form symmetry. We further study how the boundary conditions are mapped to each other by 3d topological interfaces implementing bulk dualities and rescalings of the coupling. Together, these interfaces generate an $SL(2,\mathbb{Q})$ action on the bulk complexified coupling $τ$, and they generalize the usual $SL(2,\mathbb{Z})$ action on 3d CFTs by including both topological and non-topological manipulations within a unified framework. We then show how to recover our results in a streamlined way from a SymTFT picture in 5d with corners. Finally, we comment on the possible inclusion of non-compact 3d edge modes.

hep-th↗

arXiv2025

Non-Invertible $SO(2)$ Symmetry of 4d Maxwell from Continuous Gaugings

We describe the self-duality symmetries for 4d Maxwell theory at any value of the coupling $τ$ via topological manipulations that include gauging continuous symmetries with flat connections. Moreover, we demonstrate that the $SL(2,\mathbb{Z})$ duality of Maxwell can be realized by trivial gauging operations. Using a non-compact symmetry topological field theory (symTFT) to encode continuous global symmetries of the boundary theory, we reproduce the symTFT for Maxwell and find within this framework condensation defects that implement the non-invertible $SO(2)$ self-duality symmetry. These defects are systematically constructed by higher gauging subsets of the bulk $\mathbb{R}\times \mathbb{R}$ symmetry with appropriate discrete torsion.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

Non-Invertible T-duality at Any Radius via Non-Compact SymTFT

We extend the construction of the T-duality symmetry for the 2d compact boson to arbitrary values of the radius by including topological manipulations such as gauging continuous symmetries with flat connections. We show that the entire circle branch of the $c=1$ conformal manifold can be generated using these manipulations, resulting in a non-invertible T-duality symmetry when the gauging sends the radius to its inverse value. Using the recently proposed symmetry TFT describing continuous global symmetries of the boundary theory, we identify the topological operator corresponding to these new T-duality symmetries as an open condensation defect of the bulk theory, constructed by (higher) gauging an $\mathbb{R}$ subgroup of the bulk global symmetries. Notably, when the boundary theory is the compact boson with a rational square radius, this operator reduces to the familiar T-duality defect described by a Tambara-Yamagami fusion category. This construction thus naturally includes all possible discrete T-duality symmetries of the theory in a unified way.

hep-th↗

arXiv2022

Knitting Knots & the Framing Anomaly

We study the twisting fault emerging in circular knitting and its relation to the mathematical concepts of framing curves and the Gauss linking integral. We create three knitted bands with framing zero, one, and negative two, and use three different techniques to compute the framing using the Gauss linking integral. We also briefly mention the connection to in Chern-Simons gauge theory.

math.HO↗