Marc Henneaux

Publications (10)1.94 Total impact

• Source

  Available from: arxiv.org

  Article: Monopoles for gravitation and for higher spin fields

  Claudio Bunster, Rubén Portugues, Sandrine Cnockaert, Marc Henneaux
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  ABSTRACT: We consider massless higher spin gauge theories with both electric and magnetic sources, with a special emphasis on the spin two case. We write the equations of motion at the linear level (with conserved external sources) and introduce Dirac strings so as to derive the equations from a variational principle. We then derive a quantization condition that generalizes the familiar Dirac quantization condition, and which involves the conserved charges associated with the asymptotic symmetries for higher spins. Next we discuss briefly how the result extends to the nonlinear theory. This is done in the context of gravitation, where the Taub-NUT solution provides the exact solution of the field equations with both types of sources. We rederive, in analogy with electromagnetism, the quantization condition from the quantization of the angular momentum. We also observe that the Taub-NUT metric is asymptotically flat at spatial infinity in the sense of Regge and Teitelboim (including their parity conditions). It follows, in particular, that one can consistently consider in the variational principle configurations with different electric and magnetic masses.
  Phys. Rev. D. 05/2006; 73(10).
• Source

  Available from: Nicolas Boulanger

  Article: A note on spin-s duality

  Nicolas Boulanger, Sandrine Cnockaert, Marc Henneaux
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  ABSTRACT: Duality is investigated for higher spin ($s \geq 2$), free, massless, bosonic gauge fields. We show how the dual formulations can be derived from a common "parent", first-order action. This goes beyond most of the previous treatments where higher-spin duality was investigated at the level of the equations of motion only. In D=4 spacetime dimensions, the dual theories turn out to be described by the same Pauli-Fierz (s=2) or Fronsdal ($s \geq 3$) action (as it is the case for spin 1). In the particular s=2 D=5 case, the Pauli-Fierz action and the Curtright action are shown to be related through duality. A crucial ingredient of the analysis is given by the first-order, gauge-like, reformulation of higher spin theories due to Vasiliev. Comment: Minor corrections, reference added
  06/2003;
• Source

  Available from: Nicolas Boulanger

  Article: Consistent deformations of dual formulations of linearized gravity: A no-go result

  Xavier Bekaert, Nicolas Boulanger, Marc Henneaux
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  ABSTRACT: The consistent, local, smooth deformations of the dual formulation of linearized gravity involving a tensor field in the exotic representation of the Lorentz group with Young symmetry type (D-3,1) (one column of length D-3 and one column of length 1) are systematically investigated. The rigidity of the Abelian gauge algebra is first established. We next prove a no-go theorem for interactions involving at most two derivatives of the fields. Comment: Reference added. Version to appear in Phys. Rev. D
  10/2002;
• Source

  Available from: Nicolas Boulanger

  Article: Conformal (super)gravities with several gravitons

  Nicolas Boulanger, Marc Henneaux, Peter van Nieuwenhuizen
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  ABSTRACT: We construct consistent interacting gauge theories for M conformal massless spin-2 fields ("Weyl gravitons") with the following properties: (i) in the free limit, each field fulfills the equation ${\cal B}^{\mu \nu} = 0$, where ${\cal B}^{\mu \nu}$ is the linearized Bach tensor, (ii) the interactions contain no more than four derivatives, just as the free action and (iii) the internal metric for the Weyl gravitons is not positive definite. The interacting theories are obtained by gauging appropriate non-semi-simple extensions of the conformal algebra $so(4,2)$ with commutative, associative algebras of dimension M. By writing the action in terms of squares of supercurvatures, supersymmetrization is immediate and leads to consistent conformal supergravities with M interacting gravitons. Comment: 19+1 pages, LaTeX. Reference added
  01/2002;
• Source

  Available from: Xavier Bekaert

  Article: Chiral Forms and Their Deformations

  Xavier Bekaert, Marc Henneaux, Alexander Sevrin
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  ABSTRACT: We systematically study deformations of chiral forms with applications to string theory in mind. To first order in the coupling constant, this problem can be translated into the calculation of the local BRST cohomological group at ghost number zero. We completely solve this cohomology and present detailed proofs of results announced in a previous letter. In particular, we show that there is no room for non-abelian, local, deformations of a pure system of chiral p-forms.
  Communications in Mathematical Physics 11/2001; 224(3):683-703. · 1.94 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Leonardo Gualtieri

  Article: No consistent cross-interactions for a collection of massless spin-2 fields

  Nicolas Boulanger, Thibault Damour, Leonardo Gualtieri, Marc Henneaux
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  ABSTRACT: We report a no-go theorem excluding consistent cross-couplings for a collection of massless, spin-2 fields described, in the free limit, by the sum of Pauli-Fierz actions (one for each field). We show that, in spacetime dimensions >2, there is no consistent coupling, with at most two derivatives of the fields, that can mix the various "gravitons". The only possible deformations are given by the sum of individual Einstein-Hilbert actions (one for each field) with cosmological terms. Our approach is based on the BRST-based deformation point of view.
  10/2000;
• Source

  Available from: Xavier Bekaert

  Article: Symmetry-deforming interactions of chiral p-forms

  Xavier Bekaert, Marc Henneaux, Alexander Sevrin
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  ABSTRACT: No-go theorems on gauge-symmetry-deforming interactions of chiral p-forms are reviewed. We consider the explicit case of p=4, D=10 and show that the only symmetry-deforming consistent vertex for a system of one chiral 4-form and two 2-forms is the one that occurs in the type II B supergravity Lagrangian. Comment: 7 pages, tiny typo corrections, based on a talk given by M. H. at the conference "Constrained Dynamics and Quantum Gravity " held in Villasimius (Sardinia), September 13-17 1999, to appear in the proceedings of the meeting (Nucl. Phys. B Proc. Suppl.)
  12/1999;
• Article: Strings and gravity : tying the forces together : Proceedings of the Fifth Francqui Colloquium, 19-21 October 2001, Brussels / Marc Henneaux, Alexander Sevrin (eds.)

  Belgium Brussels, Marc Henneaux, Alexander Sevrin
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  ABSTRACT: Incluye bibliografía
  SERBIULA (sistema Librum 2.0).
• Source

  Available from: Leonardo Gualtieri

  Article: Inconsistency of interacting, multi-graviton theories

  Nicolas Boulanger, Thibault Damour, Leonardo Gualtieri, Marc Henneaux
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  ABSTRACT: We investigate, in any space–time dimension ⩾3, the problem of consistent couplings for a (finite or infinite) collection of massless, spin-2 fields described, in the free limit, by a sum of Pauli–Fierz actions. We show that there is no consistent (ghost-free) coupling, with at most two derivatives of the fields, that can mix the various “gravitons”. In other words, there are no Yang–Mills-like spin-2 theories. The only possible deformations are given by a sum (or integral) of individual Einstein–Hilbert actions. The impossibility of cross-couplings subsists in the presence of scalar matter. Our approach is based on the BRST-based deformation point of view and uses results on the so-called “characteristic cohomology” for massless spin-2 fields which are explained in detail.
  Nuclear Physics B.
• Source

  Available from: Xavier Bekaert

  Article: Deformations of chiral two-forms in six dimensions

  Xavier Bekaert, Marc Henneaux, Alexander Sevrin
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  ABSTRACT: Motivated by a system consisting of a number of parallel M5-branes, we study possible local deformations of chiral two-forms in six dimensions. Working to first order in the coupling constant, this reduces to the study of the local BRST cohomological group at ghost number zero. We obtain an exhaustive list of all possible deformations. None of them allows for a satisfactory formulation of the M5-branes system leading to the conclusion that no local field theory can describe such a system.
  Physics Letters B.