Complete topological quantization of higher gauge fields

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Authors: Hisham Sati, Urs Schreiber
Cited by: 0

Abstract

After global completion of higher gauge fields (as appearing in higher-dimensional supergravity) by proper flux quantization in extraordinary nonabelian cohomology, the (non-perturbative, renormalized) topological quantum observables and quantum states of solitonic field histories are completely determined through a topological form of light-front quantization. We survey the logic of this construction and expand on aspects of the quantization argument. In the instructive example of 5D Maxwell-Chern-Simons theory (the gauge sector of 5D SuGra) dimensionally reduced to 3D, a suitable choice of flux quantization in Cohomotopy (“Hypothesis h”) recovers this way the fine detail of the traditionally renormalized (Wilson loop) quantum observables of abelian Chern-Simons theory and makes novel predictions about anyons in fractional quantum (anomalous) Hall systems. An analogous choice (“Hypothesis H”) of global completion of 11D higher Maxwell-Chern-Simons theory (the higher gauge sector of 11D SuGra) realizes various aspects of the topological sector of the conjectural “M-theory” and its M5-branes.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Black Holes and Theoretical Physics Topological Materials and Phenomena Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics

Publication details

Journal / source
SciPost Physics Lecture Notes
Publication date
15 June 2026
Language
EN