Duality-symmetric Action for Electromagnetic Theory with Electric and Magnetic Sources

Abstract

For the SL(2,\textbf{R}) duality-invariant generalization of Maxwell electrodynamics in the presence of both electric and magnetic sources, we formulate a local, manifestly duality-symmetric, Zwanziger-type action by introducing a pair of four-potentials $A^\mu$ and $B^\mu$ in a judicious way. On the two potentials $A^\mu$ and $B^\mu$ the SL(2,\textbf{R}) duality transformation acts in a simple linear manner. In quantum theory including charged source fields, this action can be recast as a SL(2,\textbf{Z})-invariant action. Also given is a Zwanziger-type action for SL(2,\textbf{R}) duality-invariant Born-Infeld electrodynamics which can be important for D-brane dynamics in string theory.