English

An Algebraic Classification of Exceptional EFTs

High Energy Physics - Theory 2019-09-04 v1 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology

Abstract

We classify four-dimensional effective field theories (EFTs) with enhanced soft limits, which arise due to non-linearly realised symmetries on the Goldstone modes of such theories. We present an algorithm for deriving all possible algebras that can be non-linearly realised on a set of Goldstone modes with canonical propagators, linearly realised Poincar\'{e} symmetries and interactions at weak coupling. We then perform a full classification of the cases with multiple scalars or multiple spin-1/21/2 fermions as the Goldstone modes. In each case there are only a small number of algebras consistent with field-dependent transformation rules, leading to the class of exceptional EFTs including the scalar sector of Dirac-Born-Infeld, Special Galileon and Volkov-Akulov theories. We also discuss the coupling of a U(1)U(1) gauge vector to the exceptional scalar theories, showing that there is a Special Galileon version of the full Dirac-Born-Infeld theory. This paper is part I in a series of two papers, with the second providing an algebraic classification of supersymmetric theories.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1903.08222,
  title  = {An Algebraic Classification of Exceptional EFTs},
  author = {Diederik Roest and David Stefanyszyn and Pelle Werkman},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1903.08222},
  year   = {2019}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-23T08:13:19.574Z