Path Integral Quantization of Dual Abelian Gauge Theory

TL;DR

This paper reformulates 3+1 abelian gauge theory using path integrals and antisymmetric fields, revealing dualities, confinement, and mass generation phenomena that mirror non-abelian gauge theory effects.

Contribution

It introduces a dual action framework for abelian gauge theory that incorporates monopole and electric currents in a gauge-invariant way, highlighting new physical effects.

Findings

Dual action couples electric and magnetic currents

Photon propagator can show confinement or mass generation

Reproduces standard QED when monopoles are absent

Abstract

The path integral for 3+1 abelian gauge theory is rewritten in terms of a real antisymmetric field allowing a dual action that couples the electric and magnetic currents to the photon and each other in a gauge invariant manner. Standard perturbative abelian quantum electrodynamics reemerges when the monopole current vanishes. For certain simple relationships between the monopole current and the electric current, the altered photon propagator can exhibit abelian charge confinement or develop mass, modeling effects believed to be present in non-abelian theories.