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Local phase space and edge modes for diffeomorphism-invariant theories

9 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.

9 Pith papers citing it
abstract

We discuss an approach to characterizing local degrees of freedom of a subregion in diffeomorphism-invariant theories using the extended phase space of Donnelly and Freidel, [JHEP 2016 (2016) 102]. Such a characterization is important for defining local observables and entanglement entropy in gravitational theories. Traditional phase space constructions for subregions are not invariant with respect to diffeomorphisms that act at the boundary. The extended phase space remedies this problem by introducing edge mode fields at the boundary whose transformations under diffeomorphisms render the extended symplectic structure fully gauge invariant. In this work, we present a general construction for the edge mode symplectic structure. We show that the new fields satisfy a surface symmetry algebra generated by the Noether charges associated with the edge mode fields. For surface-preserving symmetries, the algebra is universal for all diffeomorphism-invariant theories, comprised of diffeomorphisms of the boundary, $SL(2,\mathbb{R})$ transformations of the normal plane, and, in some cases, normal shearing transformations. We also show that if boundary conditions are chosen such that surface translations are symmetries, the algebra acquires a central extension.

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background 2 method 1

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fields

hep-th 8 gr-qc 1

years

2026 6 2025 3

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representative citing papers

Quantization of Gravity on Null Hypersurfaces

hep-th · 2026-07-08 · conditional · novelty 7.0

An operator-algebraic quantization of the characteristic initial-value problem yields a candidate on-shell algebra for a gravitational subregion bounded by two null hypersurfaces.

Smooth horizons from topology change in canonical quantum gravity

hep-th · 2026-06-04 · unverdicted · novelty 7.0

Topology change in canonical JT gravity resolves the firewall paradox by making the connected two-interior branch dominate after Page time, with gravitational constraints annihilating the firewall branch and identifying horizon vacuum and early radiation purity as the same Dirac observable.

Revisiting boundary electromagnetic duality and edge modes

hep-th · 2026-05-27 · unverdicted · novelty 6.0

In 4D Maxwell theory, standard Neumann/Dirichlet boundary conditions render large gauge transformations and edge mode shifts as gauge redundancies, while modified conditions make them physical symmetries generated by topological surface operators, with new electromagnetic dual boundary conditions co

Gravitons on Nariai Edges

hep-th · 2025-06-02 · unverdicted · novelty 6.0

The one-loop graviton path integral on S² × S^{d-1} factorizes into a bulk thermal graviton gas partition function in Nariai geometry and an edge contribution from shift-symmetric fields on S^{d-1}.

Mapping the Infrared Phase Space of Gravity to Finite Subregions

hep-th · 2026-06-10 · unverdicted · novelty 5.0

Phase space of arbitrary null cut in Minkowski spacetime is symplectomorphic to infrared phase space of asymptotically flat gravity, mapping cut fluctuations to leading soft graviton mode and supertranslation Goldstone mode to cut size times null time offset.

De Sitter Horizon Edge Partition Functions

hep-th · 2025-01-29 · unverdicted · novelty 5.0

Edge partition functions for totally symmetric tensors in dS_{d+1} are decomposed under so(d), with the linearized gravity case receiving contributions from shift-symmetric fields on S^{d-1} suggesting an embedded brane interpretation.

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