Anomaly inflow mechanism using Wilson line

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that Wilson lines can implement the anomaly inflow mechanism in odd-dimensional gauge theories, enabling the construction of anomaly-free models by canceling boundary quantum anomalies.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach using Wilson lines to realize anomaly inflow in odd dimensions, expanding the methods for anomaly cancellation in gauge theories.

Findings

Constructed a WZW-type action using Wilson line in odd dimensions

Showed the action accounts for anomalous gauge variations on boundaries

Provided a new method for anomaly cancellation in odd-dimensional gauge theories

Abstract

It is shown that the anomaly inflow mechanism can be implemented using Wilson line in odd dimensional gauge theories. An action of Wess-Zumino-Witten (WZW) type can be constructed using Wilson line. The action is understood in the odd dimensional bulk space-time rather than in the even dimensional boundary. This action is not gauge invariant. It gives anomalous gauge variations of the consistent form on boundary space-times. So it can be used to cancel the quantum anomalies localized on boundary space-times. This offers a new way to cancel the gauge anomaly and construct anomaly-free gauge theory in odd dimensional space-time.