Symmetry topological field theory (SymTFT) is a very convenient tool to study finite generalized symmetries of a given quantum field theory (QFT). In particular, SymTFTs encode all the symmetry structure and properties including anomalies. Recently this tool has been applied to capture non-finite symmetries as well. I will present a different point of view, which consists of considering a free theory rather than a topological one in the bulk. We call it Symmetry Theory (SymTh). I will describe its topological operators together with the (free) boundary conditions, as well as a proposal for the sandwich construction (analogous to the one of SymTFTs), which allows us to obtain the physical QFT and its symmetries. I will present some explicit examples ranging from p-form global symmetries in d dimensions to 0-form global symmetries in quantum mechanics. Finally, I will illustrate the SymTh for Q/Z 0- and 1-form symmetries in 4 dimensions, highlighting both the top-down and bottom-up derivations. For the former, I will at last mention the UV origin of the topological dressing of the non-invertible defects in terms of string theory branes.
Self-intro: Fabio Apruzzi is an assistant professor in the Dept. Of Physics and Astronomy at the university of Padova, where he has been since 2022. Prior to this he was a postdoc at Bern university, university of Oxford and UNC Chapel Hill. Dr. Fabio Apruzzi received his Ph.D. from Leibniz Universität Hannover in 2015 and graduated at the university of Milano Bicocca in 2012. Dr. Apruzzi works on a number of topics within string theory, quantum field theory, supergravity, holography and more recently his focus has been on generalized symmetries.
Zoom Meeting:
https://cern.zoom.us/j/96357968034?pwd=K2REeGF0V2dqOElRd09hVGVRcDk4Zz09
Zoom meeting ID:963 5796 8034
pwd:125125
Prof. Yinan Wang