General massive gauge theory

Abstract

The concept of perturbative gauge invariance formulated exclusively by means of asymptotic fields is used to construct massive gauge theories. We consider the interactions of $r$ massive and $s$ massless gauge fields together with $(r+s)$ fermionic ghost and anti-ghost fields. First order gauge invariance requires the introduction of unphysical scalars (Goldstone bosons) and fixes their trilinear couplings. At second order additional physical scalars (Higgs fields) are necessary, their coupling is further restricted at third order. In case of one physical scalar all couplings are determined by gauge invariance, including the Higgs potential. For three massive and one massless gauge field the $SU(2)\times U(1)$ electroweak theory comes out as the unique solution.

20 pages, latex, no figures

Cited by in corpus (5)

• The Master Ward Identity
• Massive Vector Mesons and Gauge Theory
• The Standard Model and its Generalisations in Epstein-Glaser Approach to Renormalisation Theory
• The Standard Model and its Generalizations in Epstein-Glaser Approach to Renormalization Theory II: the Fermion Sector and the Axial Anomaly
• Perturbative quantum gauge invariance: Where the ghosts come from