Wess-Zumino-Witten Interactions of Axions

TL;DR

This paper derives the complete gauge-invariant Wess-Zumino-Witten interactions of axions, providing a basis-independent framework and exploring collider search prospects for axion-like particles.

Contribution

It introduces a consistent derivation method for axion interactions, including counter-terms, using background gauge fields and auxiliary phases, ensuring gauge invariance and basis independence.

Findings

Derived basis-independent axion-gauge interactions.

Ensured gauge invariance with counter-terms.

Explored collider signatures of axion-like particles.

Abstract

We present a consistent derivation of the complete Wess-Zumino-Witten interactions of axions, including the counter-term necessary to guarantee the gauge invariance of the Standard Model. By treating the derivative of the axion field as a background gauge field and incorporating auxiliary chiral rotation phases, we ensure consistency in the axion-interaction Lagrangian. This approach allows us to derive basis-independent physical interactions of axions with gauge bosons and vector mesons. As an example, we explore the interaction of $a$-$\omega$-$\gamma$ to illustrate the potential for searching for axion-like particles at colliders.