A 3-form Gauge Potential in 5D in connection with a Possible Dark Sector of 4D-Electrodynamics

We here propose a 5-dimensional {\bf Abelian gauge} model based on the mixing between a $U(1)$ potential and an Abelian 3-form field by means of a topological mass term. An extended covariant derivative is introduced to minimally couple a Dirac field to the $U(1)$ potential, while this same covariant derivative non-minimally couples the 3-form field to the charged fermion. A number of properties are discussed in 5D; in particular, the appearance of a topological fermionic current. A 4-dimensional reduced version of the model is investigated and, { \bf in addition to the $U(1)$ electric- and magnetic-sort of fields,} there emerges an extra set of electric- and magnetic-like fields which contribute a negative pressure and may be identified as a possible fraction of dark energy. The role of the topological fermionic current is also contemplated upon dimensional reduction from 5D to 4D. Other issues we present in 4 space-time dimensions are the emergence {\bf of a pseudo-scalar massive particle,} an extra massive neutral gauge boson,{\bf which we interpret as a kind of paraphoton}, and the calculation of spin- and velocity-dependent interparticle potentials associated to the exchange of the intermediate bosonic fields of the model.Comment: -- 30 pages -- L. P. R. Ospedal appears as a new co-author; modifications by inclusion of the gravitational sector and the attainment of a spin- and velocity-dependent potential as an application have been worked out in this Revised Versio

Hamiltonian symplectic embedding of the massive noncommutative U(1) Theory

We show that the massive noncommutative U(1) theory is embedded in a gauge theory using an alternative systematic way, which is based on the symplectic framework. The embedded Hamiltonian density is obtained after a finite number of steps in the iterative symplectic process, oppositely to the result proposed using the BFFT formalism. This alternative formalism of embedding shows how to get a set of dynamically equivalent embedded Hamiltonian densities.Comment: 16 pages, no figures, revtex4, corrected version, references additione

Considerations on the ModMax electrodynamics in the presence of an electric and magnetic background

The properties of the modified Maxwell electrodynamics (ModMax) are investigated in the presence of an external and uniform electromagnetic field. We expand the non-linear theory around an electromagnetic background up to second order in the propagating fields to obtain the permittivity and permeability tensors, the dispersion relations, the group velocity and the refractive index of the wave as functions of the uniform electric and magnetic fields. The case in which these background fields are perpendicular is analyzed. The birefringence phenomenon is discussed where the parameter of the non-linear theory has a fundamental role. We calculate the difference of the refractive indices as function of the ModMax parameter, and of the electric and magnetic fields. Finally, we compute the interaction energy for an axionic ModMax electrodynamics in the presence of an external magnetic background fields, within the framework of the gauge-invariant, but path-dependent variables formalism. Our results show that the interaction energy contains a linear term leading to the confinement of static probe charges.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure

Considerations on anomalous photon and Z-boson self-couplings from the Born-Infeld weak hypercharge action

We investigate the effects of the Born-Infeld action on the Abelian sector of the electroweak model. The consequence of this approach is the emergence of anomalous couplings in the neutral sector of the $Z$-gauge boson and photon. These new couplings consist of quartic interactions of the photon with the $Z$-particle, as for example, three-photon-and-one-$Z$ vertex. With that, we obtain the decay width of $Z \to 3\,\gamma$ from which we impose a bound on the Born-Infeld parameter. Other bounds are also obtained from the photon quartic couplings. Subsequently, we consider the presence of an external uniform magnetic field in connection with this Born-Infeld weak hypercharge model. The magnetic background field yields new kinematic effects, like the kinetic mixing between the photon and the $Z$-boson, and we obtain thereby the corresponding dispersion relations for the mixed photon-$Z$-particle system. Finally, we calculate the lowest-order modifications to the interaction energy for the anomalous coupling $3\gamma-Z$, within the framework of the gauge-invariant but path-dependent variables formalism. Our results show that the interaction energy contains a linear term leading to the confinement of static probe charges. With the help of the potential that comes out, interparticle forces are estimated.Comment: 11 pages, no figures, version published in the EPJ

A Dirac-material-inspired non-linear electrodynamic model

We propose and study the properties of a non-linear electrodynamics that emerges inspired on the physics of Dirac materials. This new electrodynamic model is an extension of the one-loop corrected non-linear effective Lagrangian computed in the work of ref. [3]. In the particular regime of a strong magnetic and a weak electric field, it reduces to the photonic non-linear model worked out by the authors of ref. [3]. We pursue our investigation of the proposed model by analyzing properties of the permittivity and permeability tensors, the energy-momentum tensor and wave propagation effects in presence of a uniform magnetic background. It is shown that the electrodynamics here presented exhibits the vacuum birefringence phenomenon. Subsequently, we calculate the lowest-order modifications to the interaction energy, considering still the presence of a uniform external magnetic field. Our analysis is carried out within the framework of the gauge-invariant but path-dependent variables formalism. The calculation reveals a screened Coulomb-like potential with an effective electric charge that runs with the external magnetic field but, as expected for Dirac-type materials, the screening disappears whenever the external magnetic field is switched off.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

The axion-photon mixing in non-linear electrodynamic scenarios

In this contribution, we re-assess some aspects of axionic electrodynamics by coupling non-linear electromagnetic effects to axion physics. We present a number of motivations to justify the coupling of the axion to the photon in terms of a general non-linear extension of the electromagnetic sector. Our emphasis in the paper relies on the investigation of the constitutive permittivity and permeability tensors, for which the axion contributes by introducing dependence on the frequency and wave vector of the propagating radiation. Also, we point out how the axion mass and the axion-photon-photon coupling constant contribute to a dispersive behavior of the electromagnetic waves, in contrast to what happens in the case of non-linear extensions, when effective refractive indices appear which depend only on the direction of the propagation with respect to the external fields. The axion changes this picture by yielding refractive indices with dependence on the wavelength. We apply our results to the special case of the Born-Infeld Electrodynamics and we show that it becomes birefringent whenever the axion is coupled. The paper is supplemented by an Appendix, where we approach the recent discussion on the controversy in defining the Poynting vector of axionic electrodynamics. We present our path to tackle the question and give the expressions we work out for both the Poynting vector and the momentum density transported by the waves.Comment: 30 pages, no figure

Probing the interference between non-linear, axionic and space-time-anisotropy effects in the QED vacuum

We pursue the investigation of a generic non-linear extension of axionic electrodynamics (ED) in a Carroll-Field-Jackiw (CFJ) scenario that implements Lorentz-symmetry violation (LSV). The model consists of an arbitrary non-linear ED action coupled to the axion field in presence of an anisotropy four-vector that realizes the breaking of Lorentz symmetry under the particle point of view. The non-linear electromagnetic field is expanded around a constant and uniform magnetic background up to second order in the propagating photon field. Our attention is the study of the material properties of the vacuum in the particular case of a space-like CFJ $4$-vector. The dispersion relations associated to the plane wave solutions are explicitly worked out in two situations: the magnetic background perpendicular and parallel to the wave direction. We extend these results to consider the analysis of the birefringence phenomenon in presence of non-linearity, the axion and the LSV manifested through the spatial anisotropy. Three specific proposals of non-linear ED are contemplated: Euler-Heisenberg, Born-Infeld and the Modified Maxwell ED. Throughout the paper, we shall justify why we follow the unusual path of connecting, in a single Lagrangian density, three pieces of physics beyond the Standard Model, namely, non-linearity, axions and LSV. We anticipate that we shall not be claiming that the simultaneous introduction of these three topics beyond the Standard Model will bring new insights or clues for the efforts to detect axions or to constrain parameters associate to both non-linear ED and LSV physics . Our true goal is to actually inspect and describe how axionic, non-linear and LSV effects interfere with one another whenever physical entities like refraction indices and birefringence are computed in presence of an external constant and homogeneous magnetic background.Comment: 27 pages, no figure

Operatorial quantization of Born-Infeld Skyrmion model and hidden symmetries

The SU(2) collective coordinates expansion of the Born-Infeld\break Skyrmion Lagrangian is performed. The classical Hamiltonian is computed from this special Lagrangian in approximative way: it is derived from the expansion of this non-polynomial Lagrangian up to second-order variable in the collective coordinates. This second-class constrained model is quantized by Dirac Hamiltonian method and symplectic formalism. Although it is not expected to find symmetries on second-class systems, a hidden symmetry is disclosed by formulating the Born-Infeld Skyrmion %model as a gauge theory. To this end we developed a new constraint conversion technique based on the symplectic formalism. Finally, a discussion on the role played by the hidden symmetry on the computation of the energy spectrum is presented.Comment: A new version of hep-th/9901133. To appear in JP