Carroll fermions, expansions and the lightcone

Abstract

We investigate fermions on Carrollian manifolds. We complement previous intrinsic analysis by deriving Carrollian fermion actions from a relativistic Dirac theory via a systematic expansion in the speed of light ($c$). We then study relativistic fermions in light-cone coordinates and their connection to Carrollian fermions in one lower dimension. This follows from the recent observation that the Poincar\'e algebra, written in lightcone coordinates contains (two) co-dimension one Carroll sub-algebras. Our results establish a clear bridge between intrinsic Carrollian constructions, small $c$-expansion and light-cone dynamics. In the process, we understand why Carrollian fermions in $D$-dimensions have features that relate them to relativistic fermions in both $D$ and $(D+1)$ dimensions.