Strong CP Phase and Parity in the Hamiltonian Formalism

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Kuchimanchi, Ravi
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Kuchimanchi, Ravi
author_facet Kuchimanchi, Ravi
contents We show using the Hamiltonian formalism that if parity is a good symmetry of QCD, then the strong CP phase $\barθ$ must be $0$ or $π$. We find that for $P$ to be a physical symmetry, it must leave the Hilbert space $\mathcal{H}_θ$ associated with the $θ$-vacuum invariant ($P: \mathcal{H}_θ\rightarrow \mathcal{H}_θ$), which is possible only for $θ= 0$ or $π$. We also show that forming linear combinations of states from different $θ$-sectors produces only classical statistical mixtures, consistent with superselection rules, confirming that $\mathcal{H}_θ$ is the most general Hilbert space for the quantum theory. Furthermore, we demonstrate that requiring $[P,Ω]=0$, where $Ω$ is the generator of large gauge transformations, independently enforces $\barθ=0$ (mod $π$), and that for complex quark mass matrix $M$, if a generalized parity operator $\mathcal{P}$ is a symmetry, then the value of $θ$ gets determined so that it exactly cancels $Arg Det M$, again giving $\barθ=0$ (mod $π$). These results establish the equivalence of the Hamiltonian and Lagrangian approaches to the strong CP problem.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_18620
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Strong CP Phase and Parity in the Hamiltonian Formalism
Kuchimanchi, Ravi
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Experiment
High Energy Physics - Theory
We show using the Hamiltonian formalism that if parity is a good symmetry of QCD, then the strong CP phase $\barθ$ must be $0$ or $π$. We find that for $P$ to be a physical symmetry, it must leave the Hilbert space $\mathcal{H}_θ$ associated with the $θ$-vacuum invariant ($P: \mathcal{H}_θ\rightarrow \mathcal{H}_θ$), which is possible only for $θ= 0$ or $π$. We also show that forming linear combinations of states from different $θ$-sectors produces only classical statistical mixtures, consistent with superselection rules, confirming that $\mathcal{H}_θ$ is the most general Hilbert space for the quantum theory. Furthermore, we demonstrate that requiring $[P,Ω]=0$, where $Ω$ is the generator of large gauge transformations, independently enforces $\barθ=0$ (mod $π$), and that for complex quark mass matrix $M$, if a generalized parity operator $\mathcal{P}$ is a symmetry, then the value of $θ$ gets determined so that it exactly cancels $Arg Det M$, again giving $\barθ=0$ (mod $π$). These results establish the equivalence of the Hamiltonian and Lagrangian approaches to the strong CP problem.
title Strong CP Phase and Parity in the Hamiltonian Formalism
topic High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Experiment
High Energy Physics - Theory
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.18620