English

Standard Model Symmetries and the Nested Embeddings of $\mathbb{R}\subset\mathbb{C}\subset\mathbb{H}\subset\mathbb{O}$

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology 2026-07-20 v1 High Energy Physics - Theory

Abstract

Where do the Standard Model's internal symmetries come from? Treating OHCR\mathbb{O}\oplus\mathbb{H}\oplus\mathbb{C}\oplus\mathbb{R} as a module for its own multiplication algebra enables a particular origin story for the Standard Model's pre-Higgs, gSM:=su(3)Csu(2)Lu(1)Y,\mathfrak{g}_{SM}:=\mathfrak{su}(3)_{C} \oplus \mathfrak{su}(2)_{L} \oplus \mathfrak{u}(1)_{Y}, and post-Higgs, gLE:=su(3)Cu(1)Q,\mathfrak{g}_{LE}:=\mathfrak{su}(3)_{C} \oplus \mathfrak{u}(1)_{Q}, symmetries. We recognize both these endomorphisms and their modules alike as Z2n\mathbb{Z}_2^n-graded algebras. Then, annihilating certain highest grade (volume) elements, and imposing an equal-trace condition on anti-hermitian operators leads precisely to gSM\mathfrak{g}_{SM} and gLE\mathfrak{g}_{LE}. Weak hypercharge and electric charge operators, YY and Q,Q, take on a remarkably simple form: 1nIn×n\sum \frac{1}{n}\mathbb{I}_{n\times n}. With the help of auxiliary imaginary units, this 15 R\mathbb{R} dimensional OHCR\mathbb{O}\oplus\mathbb{H}\oplus\mathbb{C}\oplus\mathbb{R} embeds naturally as a vector space into several well-studied 16 R\mathbb{R} dimensional algebras, which we generically refer to as V.\mathbb{V}. With this embedding, the Standard Model's internal symmetries may then be seen to arise in part from the sequence of nested inclusions: RCHOV.\mathbb{R}\subset\mathbb{C}\subset\mathbb{H}\subset \mathbb{O}\subset\mathbb{V}. In the sedenionic case of V=S,\mathbb{V} = \mathbb{S}, the full sequence becomes a Cayley-Dickson tower. We define the notion of endomorphic models of particle physics, and connect EndR(V)Cl(0,8)End_\mathbb{R}(\mathbb{V})\simeq Cl(0,8) to the earlier ideas of Bott Periodic Particle Physics. We comment on a possible connection between the existence of multiple complex structures and the baryon asymmetry problem.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2607.18450,
  title  = {Standard Model Symmetries and the Nested Embeddings of $\mathbb{R}\subset\mathbb{C}\subset\mathbb{H}\subset\mathbb{O}$},
  author = {N. Furey},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2607.18450},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

11 pages, 6 figures, presented at the Exceptional Structures and Standard Model Workshop, University of Edinburgh, 2026.07.13