Benign vs. malicious ghosts in higher-derivative theories

DOI10.1016/J.NUCLPHYSB.2004.10.037zbMATH Open1137.81355arXivhep-th/0407231OpenAlexW2095841786MaRDI QIDQ874585

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Publication date: 10 April 2007

Published in: (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Interacting theories with higher derivatives involve ghosts. They correspond to instabilities that display themselves at the classical level. We notice that comparatively "benign" mechanical higher-derivative systems exist where the classical vacuum is stable with respect to small perturbations and the problems appear only at the nonperturbative level. We argue that benign higher-derivative field theories exist which are stable with respect to small fluctuations with nonzero momenta. A particular example is the 6D N=2 higher-derivative SYM theory, which is finite and unitary at the perturbative level. The inflation-like instability with respect to small fluctuations of static modes is always present, however.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0407231

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