Noether theorems in a general setting

TL;DR

This paper generalizes Noether theorems within a broad Grassmann-graded Lagrangian framework, linking higher-stage identities, gauge symmetries, and BRST cohomology, with applications to various gauge theories.

Contribution

It extends Noether theorems to reducible degenerate Grassmann-graded Lagrangian systems, incorporating higher-stage identities and gauge symmetries in a homological context.

Findings

Formulation of Noether theorems in a general graded setting

Connection between gauge symmetries and BRST cohomology

Application to topological and gravitational gauge theories

Abstract

The first and second Noether theorems are formulated in a general case of reducible degenerate Grassmann-graded Lagrangian theory of even and odd variables on graded bundles. Such Lagrangian theory is characterized by a hierarchy of non-trivial higher-stage Noether identities and the corresponding higher-stage gauge symmetries which are described in the homology terms. In these terms, the second Noether theorems associate to the Koszul - Tate chain complex of higher-stage Noether identities the gauge cochain sequence whose ascent operator provides higher-order gauge symmetries of Lagrangian theory. If gauge symmetries are algebraically closed, this operator is extended to the nilpotent BRST operator which brings the gauge cochain sequence into the BRST complex. In this framework, the first Noether theorem is formulated as a straightforward corollary of the first variational formula. It associates to any variational Lagrangian symmetry the conserved current whose total differential vanishes on-shell. We prove in a general setting that a conserved current of a gauge symmetry is reduced to a total differential on-shell. The physically relevant examples of gauge theory on principal bundles, gauge gravitational theory on natural bundles, topological Chern - Simons field theory and topological BF theory are present. The last one exemplifies a reducible Lagrangian system.