Enhanced symmetries of gauge theory and resolving the spectrum of local operators
Abstract
Enhanced global non-abelian symmetries at zero coupling in Yang Mills theory play an important role in diagonalising the two-point functions of multi-matrix operators. Generalised Casimirs constructed from the iterated commutator action of these enhanced symmetries resolve all the multiplicity labels of the bases of matrix operators which diagonalise the two-point function. For the case of U (N) gauge theory with a single complex matrix in the adjoint of the gauge group we have a U(N)× 4 global symmetry of the scaling operator at zero coupling. Different choices of commuting sets of Casimirs, for the case of a complex matrix, lead to the restricted Schur basis previously studied in connection with string excitations of giant gravitons and the Brauer basis studied in connection with brane-anti-brane systems. More generally these remarks can be extended to the diagonalisation for any global symmetry group G. Schur-Weyl duality plays a central role in connecting the enhanced symmetries and the diagonal bases.