The Observer's Ghost: a field-space connection-form and its application to gauge theories and general relativity

Abstract

We introduce a functional covariant differential as a tool for studying field space geometry in a manifestly covariant way. We then touch upon its role in gauge theories and general relativity over bounded regions, and in BRST symmetry. Due to the Gribov problem, we argue that our formalism ---allowing for a non-vanishing functional curvature---is necessary for a global treatment of gauge-invariance in field space. We conclude by suggesting that the structures we introduce satisfactorily implement the notion of a (non-asymptotic) observer in gauge theories and general relativity.

17 pages + appendix and references v2 includes more discussion on the meaning of the field space connection in the path integral