Can an odd number of fermions be created due to chiral anomaly?

Abstract

We describe a possibility of creation of an odd number of fractionally charged fermions in 1+1 dimensional Abelian Higgs model. We point out that for 1+1 dimensions this process does not violate any symmetries of the theory, nor makes it mathematically inconsistent. We construct the proper definition of the fermionic determinant in this model and underline its non-trivial features that are of importance for realistic 3+1 dimensional models with fermion number violation.