CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.1 plus MathML 2.0 plus SVG 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/2002/04/xhtml-math-svg/xhtml-math-svg-flat.dtd" > <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <title> shell in nLab </title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> <meta name="robots" content="index,follow" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /> <link href="/stylesheets/instiki.css?1676280126" media="all" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <link href="/stylesheets/mathematics.css?1660229990" media="all" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <link href="/stylesheets/syntax.css?1660229990" media="all" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <link href="/stylesheets/nlab.css?1676280126" media="all" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/dreampulse/computer-modern-web-font@master/fonts.css"/> <style type="text/css"> h1#pageName, div.info, .newWikiWord a, a.existingWikiWord, .newWikiWord a:hover, [actiontype="toggle"]:hover, #TextileHelp h3 { color: #226622; } a:visited.existingWikiWord { color: #164416; } </style> <style type="text/css"><![CDATA[/*></style> <script src="/javascripts/prototype.js?1660229990" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="/javascripts/effects.js?1660229990" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="/javascripts/dragdrop.js?1660229990" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="/javascripts/controls.js?1660229990" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="/javascripts/application.js?1660229990" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="/javascripts/page_helper.js?1660229990" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="/javascripts/thm_numbering.js?1660229990" type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/x-mathjax-config"> <![CDATA[//><!]]> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> <![CDATA[//><!]]> </script> <link href="https://ncatlab.org/nlab/atom_with_headlines" rel="alternate" title="Atom with headlines" type="application/atom+xml" /> <link href="https://ncatlab.org/nlab/atom_with_content" rel="alternate" title="Atom with full content" type="application/atom+xml" /> <script type="text/javascript"> document.observe("dom:loaded", function() { generateThmNumbers(); }); </script> </head> <body> <div id="Container"> <div id="Content"> <h1 id="pageName"> <span style="float: left; margin: 0.5em 0.25em -0.25em 0"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="1.872em" height="1.8em" viewBox="0 0 190 181"> <path fill="#226622" d="M72.8 145c-1.6 17.3-15.7 10-23.6 20.2-5.6 7.3 4.8 15 11.4 15 11.5-.2 19-13.4 26.4-20.3 3.3-3 8.2-4 11.2-7.2a14 14 0 0 0 2.9-11.1c-1.4-9.6-12.4-18.6-16.9-27.2-5-9.6-10.7-27.4-24.1-27.7-17.4-.3-.4 26 4.7 30.7 2.4 2.3 5.4 4.1 7.3 6.9 1.6 2.3 2.1 5.8-1 7.2-5.9 2.6-12.4-6.3-15.5-10-8.8-10.6-15.5-23-26.2-31.8-5.2-4.3-11.8-8-18-3.7-7.3 4.9-4.2 12.9.2 18.5a81 81 0 0 0 30.7 23c3.3 1.5 12.8 5.6 10 10.7-2.5 5.2-11.7 3-15.6 1.1-8.4-3.8-24.3-21.3-34.4-13.7-3.5 2.6-2.3 7.6-1.2 11.1 2.8 9 12.2 17.2 20.9 20.5 17.3 6.7 34.3-8 50.8-12.1z"/> <path fill="#a41e32" d="M145.9 121.3c-.2-7.5 0-19.6-4.5-26-5.4-7.5-12.9-1-14.1 5.8-1.4 7.8 2.7 14.1 4.8 21.3 3.4 12 5.8 29-.8 40.1-3.6-6.7-5.2-13-7-20.4-2.1-8.2-12.8-13.2-15.1-1.9-2 9.7 9 21.2 12 30.1 1.2 4 2 8.8 6.4 10.3 6.9 2.3 13.3-4.7 17.7-8.8 12.2-11.5 36.6-20.7 43.4-36.4 6.7-15.7-13.7-14-21.3-7.2-9.1 8-11.9 20.5-23.6 25.1 7.5-23.7 31.8-37.6 38.4-61.4 2-7.3-.8-29.6-13-19.8-14.5 11.6-6.6 37.6-23.3 49.2z"/> <path fill="#193c78" d="M86.3 47.5c0-13-10.2-27.6-5.8-40.4 2.8-8.4 14.1-10.1 17-1 3.8 11.6-.3 26.3-1.8 38 11.7-.7 10.5-16 14.8-24.3 2.1-4.2 5.7-9.1 11-6.7 6 2.7 7.4 9.2 6.6 15.1-2.2 14-12.2 18.8-22.4 27-3.4 2.7-8 6.6-5.9 11.6 2 4.4 7 4.5 10.7 2.8 7.4-3.3 13.4-16.5 21.7-16 14.6.7 12 21.9.9 26.2-5 1.9-10.2 2.3-15.2 3.9-5.8 1.8-9.4 8.7-15.7 8.9-6.1.1-9-6.9-14.3-9-14.4-6-33.3-2-44.7-14.7-3.7-4.2-9.6-12-4.9-17.4 9.3-10.7 28 7.2 35.7 12 2 1.1 11 6.9 11.4 1.1.4-5.2-10-8.2-13.5-10-11.1-5.2-30-15.3-35-27.3-2.5-6 2.8-13.8 9.4-13.6 6.9.2 13.4 7 17.5 12C70.9 34 75 43.8 86.3 47.4z"/> </svg> </span> <span class="webName">nLab</span> shell </h1> <div class="navigation"> <span class="skipNav"><a href='#navEnd'>Skip the Navigation Links</a> | </span> <span style="display:inline-block; width: 0.3em;"></span> <a href="/nlab/show/HomePage" accesskey="H" title="Home page">Home Page</a> | <a href="/nlab/all_pages" accesskey="A" title="List of all pages">All Pages</a> | <a href="/nlab/latest_revisions" accesskey="U" title="Latest edits and page creations">Latest Revisions</a> | <a href="https://nforum.ncatlab.org/discussion/6779/#Item_2" title="Discuss this page in its dedicated thread on the nForum" style="color: black">Discuss this page</a> | <form accept-charset="utf-8" action="/nlab/search" id="navigationSearchForm" method="get"> <fieldset class="search"><input type="text" id="searchField" name="query" value="Search" style="display:inline-block; float: left;" onfocus="this.value == 'Search' ? this.value = '' : true" onblur="this.value == '' ? this.value = 'Search' : true" /></fieldset> </form> <span id='navEnd'></span> </div> <div id="revision"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> <head><meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8" /><title>Contents</title></head> <body> <div class="rightHandSide"> <div class="toc clickDown" tabindex="0"> <h3 id="context">Context</h3> <h4 id="variational_calculus">Variational calculus</h4> <div class="hide"><div> <p><strong><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/variational+calculus">variational calculus</a></strong></p> <h2 id="differential_geometric_version">Differential geometric version</h2> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/variational+bicomplex">variational bicomplex</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/local+Lagrangian">local Lagrangian</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/local+action+functional">local action functional</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Euler-Lagrange+form">Euler-Lagrange form</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/source+form">source form</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Lepage+form">Lepage form</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/principle+of+extremal+action">principle of extremal action</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Euler-Lagrange+equations">Euler-Lagrange equations</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/de+Donder-Weyl+formalism">de Donder-Weyl formalism</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/covariant+phase+space">covariant phase space</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Noether%27s+theorem">Noether's theorem</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/conserved+current">conserved current</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/charge">charge</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/symmetry">symmetry</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <h2 id="derived_differential_geometric_version">Derived differential geometric version</h2> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/BV-BRST+complex">BV-BRST complex</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/D-module">D-module</a></p> </li> </ul> <div> <p> <a href="/nlab/edit/variational+calculus+-+contents">Edit this sidebar</a> </p> </div></div></div> <h4 id="physics">Physics</h4> <div class="hide"><div> <p><strong><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/physics">physics</a></strong>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/mathematical+physics">mathematical physics</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/philosophy+of+physics">philosophy of physics</a></p> <h2 id="surveys_textbooks_and_lecture_notes">Surveys, textbooks and lecture notes</h2> <ul> <li> <p><em><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/higher+category+theory+and+physics">(higher) category theory and physics</a></em></p> </li> <li> <p><em><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/geometry+of+physics">geometry of physics</a></em></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/books+and+reviews+in+mathematical+physics">books and reviews</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/physics+resources">physics resources</a></p> </li> </ul> <hr /> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/theory+%28physics%29">theory (physics)</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/model+%28physics%29">model (physics)</a></p> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/experiment">experiment</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/measurement">measurement</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/computable+physics">computable physics</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><strong><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/mechanics">mechanics</a></strong></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/mass">mass</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/charge">charge</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/momentum">momentum</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/angular+momentum">angular momentum</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/moment+of+inertia">moment of inertia</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/dynamics+on+Lie+groups">dynamics on Lie groups</a></p> <ul> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/rigid+body+dynamics">rigid body dynamics</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/field+%28physics%29">field (physics)</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Lagrangian+mechanics">Lagrangian mechanics</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/configuration+space">configuration space</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/state">state</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/action+functional">action functional</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Lagrangian">Lagrangian</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/covariant+phase+space">covariant phase space</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Euler-Lagrange+equations">Euler-Lagrange equations</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Hamiltonian+mechanics">Hamiltonian mechanics</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/phase+space">phase space</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/symplectic+geometry">symplectic geometry</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Poisson+manifold">Poisson manifold</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/symplectic+manifold">symplectic manifold</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/symplectic+groupoid">symplectic groupoid</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/multisymplectic+geometry">multisymplectic geometry</a></p> <ul> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/n-symplectic+manifold">n-symplectic manifold</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/spacetime">spacetime</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/smooth+Lorentzian+manifold">smooth Lorentzian manifold</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/special+relativity">special relativity</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/general+relativity">general relativity</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/gravity">gravity</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/supergravity">supergravity</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/dilaton+gravity">dilaton gravity</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/black+hole">black hole</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><strong><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/classical+field+theory">Classical field theory</a></strong></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/classical+physics">classical physics</a></p> <ul> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/classical+mechanics">classical mechanics</a></li> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/waves">waves</a> and <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/optics">optics</a></li> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/thermodynamics">thermodynamics</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><strong><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/quantum+mechanics">Quantum Mechanics</a></strong></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/quantum+mechanics+in+terms+of+dagger-compact+categories">in terms of ∞-compact categories</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/quantum+information">quantum information</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Hamiltonian+operator">Hamiltonian operator</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/density+matrix">density matrix</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Kochen-Specker+theorem">Kochen-Specker theorem</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Bell%27s+theorem">Bell's theorem</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Gleason%27s+theorem">Gleason's theorem</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><strong><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/quantization">Quantization</a></strong></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/geometric+quantization">geometric quantization</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/deformation+quantization">deformation quantization</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/path+integral">path integral quantization</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/semiclassical+approximation">semiclassical approximation</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><strong><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/quantum+field+theory">Quantum Field Theory</a></strong></p> <ul> <li> <p>Axiomatizations</p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/AQFT">algebraic QFT</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Wightman+axioms">Wightman axioms</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Haag-Kastler+axioms">Haag-Kastler axioms</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/operator+algebra">operator algebra</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/local+net">local net</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/conformal+net">conformal net</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Reeh-Schlieder+theorem">Reeh-Schlieder theorem</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Osterwalder-Schrader+theorem">Osterwalder-Schrader theorem</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/PCT+theorem">PCT theorem</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Bisognano-Wichmann+theorem">Bisognano-Wichmann theorem</a></p> <ul> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/modular+theory">modular theory</a></li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/spin-statistics+theorem">spin-statistics theorem</a></p> <ul> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/boson">boson</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/fermion">fermion</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/FQFT">functorial QFT</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/cobordism">cobordism</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/%28%E2%88%9E%2Cn%29-category+of+cobordisms">(∞,n)-category of cobordisms</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/cobordism+hypothesis">cobordism hypothesis</a>-theorem</p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/extended+topological+quantum+field+theory">extended topological quantum field theory</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p>Tools</p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/perturbative+quantum+field+theory">perturbative quantum field theory</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/vacuum">vacuum</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/effective+quantum+field+theory">effective quantum field theory</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/renormalization">renormalization</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/BV-BRST+formalism">BV-BRST formalism</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/geometric+%E2%88%9E-function+theory">geometric ∞-function theory</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/particle+physics">particle physics</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/phenomenology">phenomenology</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/model+%28in+particle+phyiscs%29">models</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/standard+model+of+particle+physics">standard model of particle physics</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/fields+and+quanta+-+table">fields and quanta</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/GUT">Grand Unified Theories</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/MSSM">MSSM</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/scattering+amplitude">scattering amplitude</a></p> <ul> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/on-shell+recursion">on-shell recursion</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/KLT+relations">KLT relations</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p>Structural phenomena</p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/universality+class">universality class</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/quantum+anomaly">quantum anomaly</a></p> <ul> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Green-Schwarz+mechanism">Green-Schwarz mechanism</a></li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/instanton">instanton</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/spontaneously+broken+symmetry">spontaneously broken symmetry</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Kaluza-Klein+mechanism">Kaluza-Klein mechanism</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/integrable+systems">integrable systems</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/holonomic+quantum+fields">holonomic quantum fields</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p>Types of quantum field thories</p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/TQFT">TQFT</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/2d+TQFT">2d TQFT</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Dijkgraaf-Witten+theory">Dijkgraaf-Witten theory</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Chern-Simons+theory">Chern-Simons theory</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/TCFT">TCFT</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/A-model">A-model</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/B-model">B-model</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/homological+mirror+symmetry">homological mirror symmetry</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/QFT+with+defects">QFT with defects</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/conformal+field+theory">conformal field theory</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/%281%2C1%29-dimensional+Euclidean+field+theories+and+K-theory">(1,1)-dimensional Euclidean field theories and K-theory</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/%282%2C1%29-dimensional+Euclidean+field+theory">(2,1)-dimensional Euclidean field theory and elliptic cohomology</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/CFT">CFT</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/WZW+model">WZW model</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/6d+%282%2C0%29-supersymmetric+QFT">6d (2,0)-supersymmetric QFT</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/gauge+theory">gauge theory</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/field+strength">field strength</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/gauge+group">gauge group</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/gauge+transformation">gauge transformation</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/gauge+fixing">gauge fixing</a></p> </li> <li> <p>examples</p> <ul> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/electromagnetic+field">electromagnetic field</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/QED">QED</a></li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/electric+charge">electric charge</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/magnetic+charge">magnetic charge</a></p> <ul> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Yang-Mills+field">Yang-Mills field</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/QCD">QCD</a></li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Yang-Mills+theory">Yang-Mills theory</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/spinors+in+Yang-Mills+theory">spinors in Yang-Mills theory</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/topological+Yang-Mills+theory">topological Yang-Mills theory</a></p> <ul> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Kalb-Ramond+field">Kalb-Ramond field</a></li> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/supergravity+C-field">supergravity C-field</a></li> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/RR+field">RR field</a></li> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/first-order+formulation+of+gravity">first-order formulation of gravity</a></li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/general+covariance">general covariance</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/supergravity">supergravity</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/D%27Auria-Fre+formulation+of+supergravity">D'Auria-Fre formulation of supergravity</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/gravity+as+a+BF-theory">gravity as a BF-theory</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/sigma-model">sigma-model</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/particle">particle</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/relativistic+particle">relativistic particle</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/fundamental+particle">fundamental particle</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/spinning+particle">spinning particle</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/superparticle">superparticle</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/string">string</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/spinning+string">spinning string</a>, <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/superstring">superstring</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/membrane">membrane</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/AKSZ+theory">AKSZ theory</a></p> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/string+theory">String Theory</a></p> <ul> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/string+theory+results+applied+elsewhere">string theory results applied elsewhere</a></li> </ul> </li> <li> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/number+theory+and+physics">number theory and physics</a></p> <ul> <li><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Riemann+hypothesis+and+physics">Riemann hypothesis and physics</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <div> <p> <a href="/nlab/edit/physicscontents">Edit this sidebar</a> </p> </div></div></div> </div> </div> <h1 id="contents">Contents</h1> <div class='maruku_toc'> <ul> <li><a href='#idea'>Idea</a></li> <li><a href='#details'>Details</a></li> <li><a href='#properties'>Properties</a></li> <li><a href='#references'>References</a></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="idea">Idea</h2> <p>In <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/physics">physics</a> the <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/critical+locus">critical locus</a> of the <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/action+functional">action functional</a>, hence the <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/solution">solution</a> space to the <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/partial+differential+equation">partial differential</a> <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/equations+of+motion">equations of motion</a> is often called the <em>shell</em>, or the <em>physical shell</em> (the <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/diffiety">diffiety</a> corresponding to the PDE of motion).</p> <p>This terminology derives from the case of the free <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/relativistic+particle">relativistic particle</a> propagating in <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Minkowski+spacetime">Minkowski spacetime</a>, for which the space of solutions is the hyperbola of vectors whose <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Minkowski+metric">Minkowski norm square</a> is the <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/mass">mass</a> of the particle. This hyperbola is naturally called the <em>mass shell</em>.</p> <p>It is common to use the adjective “on-shell” for statements that apply after restriction to the shell, and “off-shell” for statements that apply generally.</p> <p>For instance <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Noether%27s+theorem">Noether's theorem</a> gives for each symmetry of a <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/local+Lagrangian">local Lagrangian</a> an <em>on-shell <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/conserved+current">conserved current</a></em>, namely a differential form on spacetime, depending on the field configurations, which is closed (only, in general) if the given field configuration satisfies its equations of motion. Such a differential form which is closed even if the equations of motion do not hold would be called an <em>off-shell conserved current</em>.</p> <h2 id="details">Details</h2> <p>In terms of <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/variational+calculus">variational calculus</a> the field configurations are encoded by a <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/field+bundle">field bundle</a> <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">E</annotation></semantics></math> over <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/spacetime">spacetime</a>/<a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/worldvolume">worldvolume</a> <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mi>Σ</mi></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">\Sigma</annotation></semantics></math> as being the <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/sections">sections</a> of this bundle. The shell then is encoded by a sub-bundle</p> <div class="maruku-equation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mrow><mtable><mtr><mtd><mi>ℰ</mi></mtd> <mtd></mtd> <mtd><mo>↪</mo></mtd> <mtd></mtd> <mtd><msubsup><mi>J</mi> <mi>Σ</mi> <mn>∞</mn></msubsup><mi>E</mi></mtd></mtr> <mtr><mtd></mtd> <mtd><mo>↘</mo></mtd> <mtd></mtd> <mtd><mo>↙</mo></mtd></mtr> <mtr><mtd></mtd> <mtd></mtd> <mtd><mi>Σ</mi></mtd></mtr></mtable></mrow></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex"> \array{ \mathcal{E} &&\hookrightarrow && J^\infty_\Sigma E \\ & \searrow && \swarrow \\ && \Sigma } </annotation></semantics></math></div> <p>of the <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/jet+bundle">jet bundle</a> <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><msubsup><mi>J</mi> <mi>Σ</mi> <mn>∞</mn></msubsup><mi>E</mi></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">J^\infty_\Sigma E</annotation></semantics></math> of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">E</annotation></semantics></math>, namely the subbundle of those pointwise field configurations with those jets (derivatives) that do solve the equations of motion (see at <em><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/diffiety">diffiety</a></em>).</p> <p>This way a field configuration given by a section <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mi>ϕ</mi></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">\phi</annotation></semantics></math> of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">E</annotation></semantics></math> is a solution to the equations of motion precisely if its <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/jet+prolongation">jet prolongation</a>, being a section of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><msubsup><mi>J</mi> <mi>Σ</mi> <mn>∞</mn></msubsup><mi>E</mi></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">J^\infty_\Sigma E</annotation></semantics></math> comes from a section of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mi>ℰ</mi></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">\mathcal{E}</annotation></semantics></math> under this inclusion.</p> <p>If one thinks of all this not as happening in the <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/category">category</a> of <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/bundles">bundles</a> over <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mi>Σ</mi></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">\Sigma</annotation></semantics></math> but in the category <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>PDE</mi> <mi>Σ</mi></msub></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">PDE_\Sigma</annotation></semantics></math> of <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/partial+differential+equations">partial differential equations</a> over <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mi>Σ</mi></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">\Sigma</annotation></semantics></math>, then the above inclusion becomes simply <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mi>ι</mi><mo lspace="verythinmathspace">:</mo><mi>ℰ</mi><mo>↪</mo><mi>E</mi></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">\iota \colon \mathcal{E} \hookrightarrow E</annotation></semantics></math>, where now <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">E</annotation></semantics></math> is thought of as the trivial partial differential equation on its sections, the one for which each section is a solution. Then a field configuration is just a morphism <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mi>ϕ</mi><mo>:</mo><mi>Σ</mi><mo>⟶</mo><mi>E</mi></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">\phi : \Sigma \longrightarrow E</annotation></semantics></math> in <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>PDE</mi> <mi>Σ</mi></msub></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">PDE_\Sigma</annotation></semantics></math>, and this is a solution precisely if it factors through the inclusion of the shell:</p> <div class="maruku-equation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mrow><mtable><mtr><mtd></mtd> <mtd></mtd> <mtd><mi>ℰ</mi></mtd></mtr> <mtr><mtd></mtd> <mtd><msup><mrow></mrow> <mpadded width="0" lspace="-100%width"><mrow><msub><mi>ϕ</mi> <mi>sol</mi></msub></mrow></mpadded></msup><mo>↗</mo></mtd> <mtd><msup><mo stretchy="false">↓</mo> <mpadded width="0"><mi>ι</mi></mpadded></msup></mtd></mtr> <mtr><mtd><mi>Σ</mi></mtd> <mtd><munder><mo>⟶</mo><mi>ϕ</mi></munder></mtd> <mtd><mi>E</mi></mtd></mtr></mtable></mrow></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex"> \array{ && \mathcal{E} \\ & {}^\mathllap{\phi_{sol}}{\nearrow} & \downarrow^{\mathrlap{\iota}} \\ \Sigma &\underset{\phi}{\longrightarrow}& E } </annotation></semantics></math></div> <p>Accordingly, a <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/variational+bicomplex">horizontal form</a> <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mi>J</mi><mo>∈</mo><msubsup><mi>Ω</mi> <mi>H</mi> <mi>p</mi></msubsup><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mi>E</mi><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>↪</mo><msup><mi>Ω</mi> <mrow><mi>p</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msubsup><mi>J</mi> <mi>Σ</mi> <mn>∞</mn></msubsup><mi>E</mi><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">J \in \Omega^{p}_H(E) \hookrightarrow \Omega^{p+1}(J^\infty_\Sigma E)</annotation></semantics></math> is an <em>on-shell <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/conserved+current">conserved current</a></em> if it becomes horizontally closed after restriction to the shell:</p> <div class="maruku-equation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>ι</mi> <mo>*</mo></msup><msub><mi>d</mi> <mi>H</mi></msub><mi>J</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn><mspace width="thinmathspace"></mspace><mo>.</mo></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex"> \iota^\ast d_H J = 0 \,. </annotation></semantics></math></div> <h2 id="properties">Properties</h2> <p>For <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mi>E</mi><mo>,</mo><mstyle mathvariant="bold"><mi>L</mi></mstyle><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">(E,\mathbf{L})</annotation></semantics></math> a <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Lagrangian+field+theory">Lagrangian field theory</a>, let <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>ℰ</mi> <mn>∞</mn></msup><mo>↪</mo><msubsup><mi>J</mi> <mi>Σ</mi> <mn>∞</mn></msubsup><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mi>E</mi><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">\mathcal{E}^\infty \hookrightarrow J^\infty_\Sigma(E)</annotation></semantics></math> be the prolonged shell.</p> <p>The following is intuitively obvious but not entirely trivial to prove:</p> <div class="num_prop" id="InfinitesialSymmetryOfTheLagrangianIsAlsoSymmetryOfTheShell"> <h6 id="proposition">Proposition</h6> <p><strong>(<a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/infinitesimal+symmetry+of+the+Lagrangian">infinitesimal symmetry of the Lagrangian</a> is also symmetry of the shell)</strong></p> <p>Let <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mi>E</mi><mo>,</mo><mstyle mathvariant="bold"><mi>L</mi></mstyle><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">(E,\mathbf{L})</annotation></semantics></math> be a <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Lagrangian+field+theory">Lagrangian field theory</a>. Then if <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mover><mi>v</mi><mo stretchy="false">^</mo></mover></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">\hat v</annotation></semantics></math> is the prolongation of an <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/evolutionary+vector+field">evolutionary vector field</a> which is an <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/infinitesimal+symmetry+of+the+Lagrangian">infinitesimal symmetry of the Lagrangian</a> in that the <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Lie+derivative">Lie derivative</a> of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mstyle mathvariant="bold"><mi>L</mi></mstyle></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">\mathbf{L}</annotation></semantics></math> along <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mover><mi>v</mi><mo stretchy="false">^</mo></mover></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">\hat v</annotation></semantics></math> is <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/horizontal+derivative">horizontally exact</a>, then the <a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/flow">flow</a> of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" class="maruku-mathml"><semantics><mrow><mover><mi>v</mi><mo stretchy="false">^</mo></mover></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">\hat v</annotation></semantics></math> preserves the prolonged shell.</p> </div> <p>(<a href="#Olver95">Olver 95, theorem 5.53</a>)</p> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ul> <li> <p><em><a href="https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/higher-prequantum-geometry-ii-principle-extremal-action-comonadically/">Higher prequantum geometry II: The principle of extremal action – comonadically</a></em></p> </li> <li id="Olver95"> <p><a class="existingWikiWord" href="/nlab/show/Peter+Olver">Peter Olver</a>, <em>Applications of Lie groups to differential equations</em>, Springer; <em>Equivalence, invariants, and symmetry</em>, Cambridge Univ. Press (1995) [<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-0274-2">doi:10.1007/978-1-4684-0274-2</a>]</p> </li> </ul> </body></html> </div> <div class="revisedby"> <p> Last revised on November 17, 2023 at 11:42:36. See the <a href="/nlab/history/shell" style="color: #005c19">history</a> of this page for a list of all contributions to it. </p> </div> <div class="navigation navfoot"> <a href="/nlab/edit/shell" accesskey="E" class="navlink" id="edit" rel="nofollow">Edit</a><a href="https://nforum.ncatlab.org/discussion/6779/#Item_2">Discuss</a><span class="backintime"><a href="/nlab/revision/shell/7" accesskey="B" class="navlinkbackintime" id="to_previous_revision" rel="nofollow">Previous revision</a></span><a href="/nlab/show/diff/shell" accesskey="C" class="navlink" id="see_changes" rel="nofollow">Changes from previous revision</a><a href="/nlab/history/shell" accesskey="S" class="navlink" id="history" rel="nofollow">History (7 revisions)</a> <a href="/nlab/show/shell/cite" style="color: black">Cite</a> <a href="/nlab/print/shell" accesskey="p" id="view_print" rel="nofollow">Print</a> <a href="/nlab/source/shell" id="view_source" rel="nofollow">Source</a> </div> </div>  </div>  </body> </html>