Chiral Invariance of Massive Fermions

Abstract

We show that a massive fermion theory, while not invariant under the conventional chiral transformation, is invariant under a $m$-deformed chiral transformation. These transformations and the associated conserved charges are nonlocal but reduce to the usual transformations and charges when $m=0$. The $m$-deformed charges commute with helicity and satisfy the conventional chiral algebra.