Hidden Symmetries in Second Class Constrained Systems - Are New Fields Necessary?

Abstract

For many systems with second class constraints, the question posed in the title is answered in the negative. We prove this for a range of systems with two second class constraints. After looking at two examples, we consider a fairly general proof. It is shown that, to unravel gauge invariances in second class constrained systems, it is sufficient to work in the original phase space itself. Extension of the phase space by introducing new variables or fields is not required.

Latex file, 20 pages, replaced with revised version with minor revisions [2 lines each added to 5th and 7th paras of Introduction; minor addition to eqn. (11); two references added in Introduction; Slight change in 1st para of Conclusion ; References format slightly changed], Slightly different version presented at Workshop on ``Current Topics in Quantum Field Theory'', January 2000, Calcutta, India

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• Modified gauge unfixing formalism and gauge symmetries in the non-commutative chiral bosons theory
• Underlying gauge symmetries of second-class constraints systems