Functional integration and gauge ambiguities in generalized abelian gauge theories

Abstract

We consider the covariant quantization of generalized abelian gauge theories on a closed and compact n-dimensional manifold whose space of gauge invariant fields is the abelian group of Cheeger-Simons differential characters. The space of gauge fields is shown to be a non-trivial bundle over the orbits of the subgroup of smooth Cheeger-Simons differential characters. Furthermore each orbit itself has the structure of a bundle over a multi-dimensional torus. As a consequence there is a topological obstruction to the existence of a global gauge fixing condition. A functional integral measure is proposed on the space of gauge fields which takes this problem into account and provides a regularization of the gauge degrees of freedom. For the generalized p-form Maxwell theory closed expressions for all physical observables are obtained. The Greens functions are shown to be affected by the non-trivial bundle structure. Finally the vacuum expectation values of circle-valued homomorphisms, including the Wilson operator for singular p-cycles of the manifold, are computed and selection rules are derived.