text:
# Quark zero modes in intersecting center vortex gauge fields11footnote 1supported by DFG under grant-No. DFG-Re 856/4-1 and DFG 436 RUS 113/477/4

## 1 Introduction

There are two fundamental, principally non-perturbative phenomena of the strong interaction which should be explained by QCD: confinement and chiral symmetry breaking. Soon after the advent of QCD chiral symmetry breaking has been explained by assuming that the QCD vacuum contains an ensemble of instantons and anti-instantons . Lattice simulations have, however, shown that instantons cannot be responsible for confinement since they account for only about ten percent of the string tension . On the other hand, recent lattice calculations have produced mounting evidence that confinement is due to the condensation of center vortices in the Yang-Mills vacuum . Since on the lattice the confinement phase transition is observed to occur at the same temperature  at which chiral symmetry is restored, one expects that chiral symmetry breaking and confinement are triggered by the same mechanism.

Since instantons cannot explain confinement one wonders whether center vortices are also capable of producing chiral symmetry breaking in addition to confinement. Indeed, it has been shown that in a Yang-Mills ensemble devoid of center vortices the relevant order parameter, the quark condensate vanishes . This does, however, not yet mean that center vortices produce chiral symmetry breaking in the QCD vacuum, since the field-configurations which produce it could be tied or attached to center vortices and simultaneously removed with the latter. It is therefore still an open question whether center vortices produce chiral symmetry breaking and what the underlying mechanism behind this is.

In order to get an idea how chiral symmetry breaking could be produced by center vortices let us first recall how it arises in the instanton picture of the QCD vacuum. In this picture the zero modes of quarks in the instanton background play a crucial role. These zero modes occur due to the topological charge of the instantons and are localized near their topological charge density .

In an instanton-anti-instanton ensemble the localized zero modes of the individual instantons spread out in space and form a continuum of quasi zero modes which by the Banks-Casher relation give rise to a non-zero quark condensate . In fact, independent of the instanton picture lattice calculations show a strong correlation between topological charge density and the quark condensate . This correlation is mainly due to the zero modes which exist in topologically non-trivial gauge fields with non-vanishing Pontryagin index due to the Atiyah-Singer index theorem  and which are localized at topological charge.

In center vortex field configurations topological charge is concentrated at the intersection points and other singular points like twisting points . Near these singular points we expect localization of quark zero modes which could play a similar role in the explanation of chiral symmetry breaking in the vortex picture as they do in the instanton picture. In a first attempt towards an understanding of chiral symmetry breaking in the vortex picture, in the present paper we study the quark zero modes in intersecting center vortex background fields. A more rigorous understanding of the mechanism of chiral symmetry breaking in the vortex picture is presently under investigation.

We examine zero modes of the Dirac operator in vortex backgrounds in two and four dimensions for different Euclidean space-time topologies. In sections 2 and 3 fermionic zero modes in the background of vortices in $`^2`$ and intersecting flat vortices in $`^4`$ are studied and their relation to solutions found by other authors  is shortly discussed. In sections 4 and 5 this analysis is repeated for space-time given by $`𝕋^2`$ and $`𝕋^4`$, respectively.

## 2 Fermionic zero modes in non-intersecting center vortex fields

In $`D=4`$ center vortices represent closed two-dimensional flux sheets. We are interested here in the quark modes in the background of such vortex sheets. Locally a center vortex sheet represents a two-dimensional plane. For simplicity we will consider in the following flat (planar) vortex sheets. In this case we have translational invariance parallel to the vortex sheets and the solution of the Dirac equation reduces to the two-dimensional problem in the plane defined by the 2 directions perpendicular to the vortex sheet. In this plane the vortex appears as intersection point. We will first study the Dirac equation in this plane, i.e. in $`D=2`$.

We will consider the zero modes of the Dirac operator in the background of Abelian gauge potentials representing Dirac strings and center vortices. We can consider these gauge potentials as living in the Cartan sub-algebra of a $`SU(2)`$ gauge group. Having this in mind we say that a gauge potential describes a center vortex or Dirac string at a point $`z_0`$, if the Wilson loop around $`z_0`$ is $`\mathrm{𝟙}`$ or $`+\mathrm{𝟙}`$, respectively. Equivalently, the magnetic flux carried by a center vortex or a Dirac string is given by $`\mathrm{\Phi }_{center}=(m+1/2),m`$ or $`\mathrm{\Phi }_{Dirac}=m,m`$, respectively222Our conventions are summarized in Appendix A..

The solution of the Dirac equation in two dimensions can be related to the theory of functions of a complex variable. We introduce the complex variable $`z`$ by

$$z=x+iy,\overline{z}=xiy,_z=\frac{1}{2}\left(_xi_y\right),_{\overline{z}}=\frac{1}{2}\left(_x+i_y\right)$$
(2.1)
and a complex notation for the gauge potential. We define1

$$A_z:=\frac{1}{2}\left(A_xiA_y\right),A_{\overline{z}}:=\frac{1}{2}\left(A_x+iA_y\right)=\overline{A_z},A_x=2i\mathrm{}A_z,A_y=2i\mathrm{}A_z,$$
(2.2)
where $`\mathrm{}A_z`$ is the imaginary part and $`\mathrm{}A_z`$ is the real part of $`A_z`$. The Dirac equation1

$$i\gamma _\mu \mathrm{D}_\mu \psi =\lambda \psi ,\psi =\left(\begin{array}{c}\psi _1\\ \psi _2\end{array}\right),\mathrm{D}_\mu =_\mu +A_\mu $$
(2.3)
in spinor components reads

$`2i\left(_z+A_z\right)\psi _2`$ $`=`$ $`\lambda \psi _1,`$ (2.4)
$`2i\left(_{\overline{z}}+A_{\overline{z}}\right)\psi _1`$ $`=`$ $`\lambda \psi _2.`$ (2.5)
The most simple case is the free Dirac equation, i.e. $`A_z=0`$. Zero modes ($`\lambda =0`$) of the free Dirac equation are obviously given by analytic functions $`\psi _1`$ and anti-analytic functions $`\psi _2`$. A normalizable zero mode has to go to zero at infinity. But every (anti-)analytic function without singularities which goes to zero at infinity has to be zero everywhere. This means there are no smooth zero modes. In principle the zero mode may have singularities, in this case poles. But a pole in the zero mode is a non-integrable singularity and the zero mode would be not normalizable. Hence, there are no normalizable zero modes for the free Dirac equation.

Next we consider the Dirac field in the background of a straight plane center vortex. Its gauge potential reads

$$A_x=y\frac{f(r^2)}{r^2}\frac{i}{2},A_y=x\frac{f(r^2)}{r^2}\frac{i}{2},r^2=x^2+y^2=z\overline{z}.$$
(2.6)
Here we introduced the profile function $`f(r^2)`$ which fulfills $`f(0)=0`$ and $`f(r^2)1`$ as $`r\mathrm{}`$. The complexified gauge potential is then given by

$$A_z:=\frac{1}{2}\left(A_xiA_y\right)=\frac{f(r^2)}{4r^2}\left(iy+x\right)=\frac{f(r^2)}{4r^2}\left(\overline{z}\right).$$
(2.7)
Introducing the function

$$\varphi (x):=_1^x\frac{f(x^{})}{2x^{}}dx^{}$$
(2.8)
the gauge potential $`A_z`$ can simply be written as

$$A_z=\frac{1}{2}_z\varphi (z\overline{z}).$$
(2.9)
Inserting the gauge potential into the Dirac equation we obtain the differential equations

$`2i\left(_z+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}_z\varphi (z\overline{z})\right)\psi _2`$ $`=`$ $`\lambda \psi _1,`$ (2.10)
$`2i\left(_{\overline{z}}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}_{\overline{z}}\varphi (z\overline{z})\right)\psi _1`$ $`=`$ $`\lambda \psi _2.`$ (2.11)
We are mainly interested in the zero modes $`\lambda =0`$. Furthermore, let us first consider an idealized vortex with $`f(r^2)1`$ (this function obviously does not have the properties of a profile function, because $`f(0)=10`$). For $`f(r^2)=1`$ the function $`\varphi `$ becomes $`\varphi (r^2)=\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{log}(r^2)`$, which is - up to a factor - the Greens function of the Laplace operator in two dimensions. For $`\lambda =0`$ and $`\varphi (r^2)=\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{log}(r^2)`$ the differential equations (2.10, 2.11) can again be easily solved

$`\psi _1`$ $`=`$ $`\left(\sqrt[4]{z\overline{z}}\right)\chi _1(z),`$ (2.12)
$`\psi _2`$ $`=`$ $`\left(\sqrt[4]{z\overline{z}}\right)^1\overline{\chi _2(z)},`$ (2.13)
where $`\chi _1`$ and $`\chi _2`$ are analytic functions of $`z`$ and $`\overline{\chi _2(z)}`$ is the complex conjugate of $`\chi _2(z)`$. Choosing e.g. $`\chi _1=1`$ we get $`\psi _1=\sqrt{r}`$, i.e. a real-valued function of $`x`$ and $`y`$. The zero modes (2.12, 2.13) of the Dirac operator in the background of a single center vortex are not normalizable. This is because normalizable analytic functions $`\chi _{1/2}`$ have to approach zero at infinity, and therefore, have to be identically zero or have a pole which yields a non-integrable singularity as was already discussed above.

This result is in accord with the index theorem for $`U(1)`$ gauge fields in $`D=2`$. The theorem states that the difference between the numbers of right- and left-handed fermionic zero modes, say $`n`$, in the background of a $`U(1)`$ gauge potential on $`^2`$ is related to the total flux $`\mathrm{\Phi }=\frac{1}{2\pi i}_^2F`$ by

$$n=\left[\mathrm{\Phi }\right],$$
(2.14)
where $`[x]`$ is the largest integer smaller than $`x`$ (i.e. $`[1]=0`$). In the case of a single center vortex on $`^2`$ the total flux is equal to $`1/2`$, i.e. the number of left-handed zero modes is equal to the number of right-handed zero modes (in the present case there are no normalizable left- or right-handed zero modes). There exists an extensive literature about the Dirac operator in the background of Abelian gauge fields in two dimensions. A few remarks about some papers concerning also eigenmodes of such Dirac operators are in order here. In  the authors considered zero modes of the Dirac operator in the background of a flux tube on a disc with finite radius and APS boundary conditions. In this case the index $`n`$ of the Dirac operator receives contributions from the boundary of the space-time manifold333We consider in the present paper space-time manifolds with the topology $`^N`$, $`S^N`$ or $`𝕋^N`$. The latter two have no boundary whereas on $`^N`$ the gauge potential vanishes at infinity. Therefore in our case there are no boundary contributions to the index.. In  self-adjoint extensions of the Dirac operator in the background of a singular magnetic vortex have been examined. Due to the boundary conditions used in these papers the encountered eigenmodes differ from the ones found here. In our opinion it is not clear which boundary conditions are the correct ones in a physical context. Therefore we will consider a smooth gauge potential representing a smeared out vortex. This way we get rid of the singularity of the vortex field and avoid the discussion of self-adjoint extensions of the Dirac operator at the position of the vortex. We choose a profile function $`f(r^2)=r^2/(\epsilon ^2+r^2),\epsilon `$, i.e. we work with the gauge potential

$$A_x=\frac{y}{r^2+\epsilon ^2}\frac{i}{2},A_y=\frac{x}{r^2+\epsilon ^2}\frac{i}{2}.$$
(2.15)
For this profile function $`f`$ we obtain $`\varphi (r^2)=\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{log}(r^2+\epsilon ^2)`$. For $`\lambda =0`$ the differential equations (2.10, 2.11) can be solved also in this case:

$`\psi _1`$ $`=`$ $`\left(\sqrt[4]{r^2+\epsilon ^2}\right)\stackrel{~}{\chi }_1(z),`$ (2.16)
$`\psi _2`$ $`=`$ $`\left(\sqrt[4]{r^2+\epsilon ^2}\right)^1\overline{\stackrel{~}{\chi }_2(z)}.`$ (2.17)
For $`\stackrel{~}{\chi }_{1/2}=1`$ these solutions are obviously not normalizable. With the same arguments as before we conclude that there are no normalizable zero modes.

As discussed already above in connection with the index theorem the asymptotic behavior of the zero mode of the Dirac operator changes if we change the magnitude of the magnetic flux. Multiplying the gauge potential $`A`$ in (2.15) by a factor $`\rho ^+`$ the flux $`\mathrm{\Phi }`$ becomes $`\rho /2`$ and the solutions $`\psi _{1/2}`$, cf. eqs. (2.16, 2.17), change to $`(\psi _{1/2})^\rho `$. This means that for $`\rho >2`$ we get a total flux $`\mathrm{\Phi }>1`$ and a normalizable zero mode with chirality $`1`$:

$`\psi _2`$ $`=`$ $`(\sqrt[4]{r^2+\epsilon ^2})^\rho ,\psi _10.`$ (2.18)
The probability density of this zero mode has a maximum at $`r=0`$, i.e. at the location of the vortex.

Since the differential equations (2.10, 2.11) are of first order type it is also possible to explicitly write down zero modes for multi-vortex background fields, because the multi-vortex gauge potential can be written as the sum over the gauge potentials of several simple vortices. The solution of the corresponding multi-vortex differential equation is then simply the product of the solutions to the several one-vortex differential equations. As an example take two vortices, one at $`z=a`$ and a second at $`z=b`$. The solutions $`\psi _{1/2}`$ then read

$`\psi _1`$ $`=`$ $`\left(\sqrt[4]{(za)(\overline{z}\overline{a})+\epsilon ^2}\sqrt[4]{(zb)(\overline{z}\overline{b})+\epsilon ^2}\right)\chi _1(z),`$ (2.19)
$`\psi _2`$ $`=`$ $`\left(\sqrt[4]{(za)(\overline{z}\overline{a})+\epsilon ^2}\sqrt[4]{(zb)(\overline{z}\overline{b})+\epsilon ^2}\right)^1\overline{\chi _2(z)}.`$ (2.20)
There is one quasi-normalizable444Strictly speaking we have to increase the magnetic flux infinitesimally to get a normalizable zero mode. zero mode: $`(0,\psi _2)`$. This zero mode is obviously localized at the centers of the vortices (at $`z=a`$ and $`z=b`$) and on the line between them, cf. fig. 2. A similar calculation on the compact sphere $`S^2`$ yields a normalizable zero mode, cf. Appendix B. According to the index theorem we obtain normalizable zero modes as soon as the net flux of the vortices exceeds 1 (i.e. two units of the flux of a center vortex).

## 3 Fermionic zero modes of the Dirac operator for intersecting center vortex fields

So far we have considered the fermionic modes in the background of parallel non-intersecting flat center vortex sheets. Due to the translational invariance parallel to the vortex sheets it was sufficient to study the Dirac operator in the plane perpendicular to the vortex sheet, where the vortices appear as intersection points. In the confined phase the center vortices percolate . The vortices then have arbitrary directions and also intersect. In intersection points all four space directions participate and, consequently to study the fermionic modes in the background of intersecting vortices we have to consider the full 4-dimensional Dirac operator.

In the following we consider four vortex sheets consisting of two orthogonal pairs of parallel vortex sheets. One vortex pair is given by two planes parallel to the $`x_1x_2`$ plane located at $`x_4=0`$ and $`x_3=\pm a`$. The other vortex pair consists of two planes parallel to the $`x_3x_4`$ plane located at $`x_2=0`$ and $`x_1=\pm b`$. The four vortices intersect in four points given by $`x_4=x_2=0`$, $`x_3=\pm a`$, $`x_1=\pm b`$. Each of the intersection points carries topological charge $`\pm 1/2`$. If we choose the orientation of the flux of the two vortex sheets to be equal we find a total Pontryagin index of $`\nu =\pm 2`$, otherwise (if the fluxes are anti-parallelly oriented) the Pontryagin index vanishes. For definiteness we choose the direction of the flux in parallel vortex pairs to be the equal. Then the gauge potential can be chosen as

$`\begin{array}{cccccc}\hfill A_1& =[x_2{\displaystyle \frac{f(s_+^2)}{s_+^2}}x_2{\displaystyle \frac{f(s_{}^2)}{s_{}^2}}]{\displaystyle \frac{i}{2}},A_2=& \left[(x_1+b){\displaystyle \frac{f(s_+^2)}{s_+^2}}+(x_1b){\displaystyle \frac{f(s_{}^2)}{s_{}^2}}\right]{\displaystyle \frac{i}{2}},\hfill & & & \\ & & & & & \\ \hfill A_3& =[x_4{\displaystyle \frac{f(r_+^2)}{r_+^2}}x_4{\displaystyle \frac{f(r_{}^2)}{r_{}^2}}]{\displaystyle \frac{i}{2}},A_4=& \left[(x_3+a){\displaystyle \frac{f(r_+^2)}{r_+^2}}+(x_3a){\displaystyle \frac{f(r_{}^2)}{r_{}^2}}\right]{\displaystyle \frac{i}{2}},\hfill & & & \end{array}`$
where

$`r_\pm ^2`$ $`=`$ $`(x_3\pm a)^2+x_4^2,s_\pm ^2=(x_1\pm b)^2+x_2^2,a,b^+,`$ (3.24)
$`f(r^2)`$ $`=`$ $`r^2/(r^2+\epsilon ^2).`$ (3.25)
The field strength $`F_{\mu \nu }`$ of the above gauge potential is given by

$`F_{12}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{i}{2}}\left({\displaystyle \frac{2\epsilon ^2}{(s_+^2+\epsilon ^2)^2}}+{\displaystyle \frac{2\epsilon ^2}{(s_{}^2+\epsilon ^2)^2}}\right)`$
$`F_{34}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{i}{2}}\left({\displaystyle \frac{2\epsilon ^2}{(r_+^2+\epsilon ^2)^2}}+{\displaystyle \frac{2\epsilon ^2}{(r_{}^2+\epsilon ^2)^2}}\right).`$
Splitting the field strength into (anti-)self-dual components

$$F_{\mu \nu }=\left(\alpha \eta _{\mu \nu }^3+\beta \overline{\eta }_{\mu \nu }^3\right),$$
(3.26)
where $`\eta _{\mu \nu }^a`$ and $`\overline{\eta }_{\mu \nu }^a`$ are the t’ Hooft symbols and $`\alpha =F_{12}+F_{34}`$, $`\beta =F_{12}F_{34}`$, one finds that in the limit $`\epsilon 0`$ the field strength is self-dual ($`\beta =0`$) at the intersection points.

To determine the zero modes of the Dirac operator in the background of the considered intersecting vortices we introduce complex variables $`u`$ and $`v`$

$$u=x_3+ix_4,v=x_1+ix_2$$
(3.27)
and the corresponding complex derivatives $`_u`$ and $`_v`$

$$_u=\frac{1}{2}\left(_{x_3}i_{x_4}\right),_v=\frac{1}{2}\left(_{x_1}i_{x_2}\right).$$
(3.28)
We also introduce two complexified gauge potentials $`A_u`$ and $`A_v`$ as in equation (2.7). These gauge potentials can be written as

$`A_u`$ $`={\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}_u\varphi ,A_v`$ $`={\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}_v\varphi ,`$ (3.29)
where

$`\varphi =\varphi (u,\overline{u},v,\overline{v})`$ $`=\mathrm{log}[`$ $`((ua)(\overline{u}a)+\epsilon ^2)((u+a)(\overline{u}+a)+\epsilon ^2)`$ (3.30)
$`((vb)(\overline{u}b)+\epsilon ^2)((u+b)(\overline{u}+b)+\epsilon ^2)].`$
The Dirac operator in the background of the gauge potential (3) reads

$`i\gamma _\mu \mathrm{D}_\mu \psi `$ $`=`$ $`i\left(\begin{array}{cccc}0& 0& i\mathrm{D}_4+\mathrm{D}_3& \mathrm{D}_1i\mathrm{D}_2\\ 0& 0& \mathrm{D}_1+i\mathrm{D}_2& i\mathrm{D}_4\mathrm{D}_3\\ i\mathrm{D}_4+\mathrm{D}_3& \mathrm{D}_1i\mathrm{D}_2& 0& 0\\ \mathrm{D}_1+i\mathrm{D}_2& i\mathrm{D}_4\mathrm{D}_3& 0& 0\end{array}\right)\left(\begin{array}{c}\psi _1\\ \psi _2\\ \psi _3\\ \psi _4\end{array}\right),`$ (3.39)
where $`\mathrm{D}_\mu =_\mu +A_\mu `$ is the covariant derivative. For the considered vortex gauge potential (3) the eigenvalue equation (2.3) for the Dirac operator reduces to four coupled differential equations:

$`\lambda \psi _1`$ $`=`$ $`i\left(2_{\overline{u}}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}_{\overline{u}}\varphi \right)\psi _3+i\left(2_v+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}_v\varphi \right)\psi _4,`$
$`\lambda \psi _2`$ $`=`$ $`i\left(2_{\overline{v}}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}_{\overline{v}}\varphi \right)\psi _3+i\left(2_u{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}_u\varphi \right)\psi _4,`$
$`\lambda \psi _3`$ $`=`$ $`i\left(2_u+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}_u\varphi \right)\psi _1+i\left(2_v+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}_v\varphi \right)\psi _2,`$
$`\lambda \psi _4`$ $`=`$ $`i\left(2_{\overline{v}}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}_{\overline{v}}\varphi \right)\psi _1+i\left(2_{\overline{u}}+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}_{\overline{u}}\varphi \right)\psi _2,`$
which can be easily solved for $`\lambda =0`$, since in this case the upper and lower components of the Dirac spinor decouple. The $`\lambda =0`$ solutions read

$`\psi _1`$ $`=`$ $`\left(\sqrt[4]{(r_+^2+\epsilon ^2)(r_{}^2+\epsilon ^2)}\right)^1\sqrt[4]{(s_+^2+\epsilon ^2)(s_{}^2+\epsilon ^2)}\chi _1(\overline{u},v),`$
$`\psi _2`$ $`=`$ $`\sqrt[4]{(r_+^2+\epsilon ^2)(r_{}^2+\epsilon ^2)}\left(\sqrt[4]{(s_+^2+\epsilon ^2)(s_{}^2+\epsilon ^2)}\right)^1\chi _2(u,\overline{v}),`$
$`\psi _3`$ $`=`$ $`\sqrt[4]{(r_+^2+\epsilon ^2)(r_{}^2+\epsilon ^2)}\sqrt[4]{(s_+^2+\epsilon ^2)(s_{}^2+\epsilon ^2)}\chi _3(u,v),`$
$`\psi _4`$ $`=`$ $`\left(\sqrt[4]{(r_+^2+\epsilon ^2)(r_{}^2+\epsilon ^2)}\right)^1\left(\sqrt[4]{(s_+^2+\epsilon ^2)(s_{}^2+\epsilon ^2)}\right)^1\chi _4(\overline{u},\overline{v}).`$
The analytic functions $`\chi _i`$ have to be chosen constant to avoid non-integrable singularities as was discussed for the $`D=2`$ case. The only spinor component going to zero at infinity is $`\psi _4`$. Therefore, only the spinor with non-vanishing component $`\psi _4`$ (and all other components zero) yields a normalizable zero mode (normalizable up to a logarithmic divergence from the integration $`r_\pm \mathrm{}`$ and $`s_\pm \mathrm{}`$ \- but these divergences become integrable if the vortex gauge potential is multiplied with $`\rho =1+\alpha ,\alpha >0`$). Embedding the $`U(1)`$ gauge group into an $`SU(2)`$ gauge group results in a second zero mode with opposite iso-spin (corresponding to inverting the sign in front of the vortex gauge potential (3)) and the same chirality as the above zero mode. This second zero mode is given by555Embedding the $`U(1)`$ gauge group into $`SU(2)`$ gives the Pontryagin index 2 for this configuration. This corresponds to the $`2`$ observed zero modes.

$`\psi _1`$ $`=`$ $`\psi _2=\psi _40,`$
$`\psi _3`$ $`=`$ $`\left(\sqrt[4]{(r_+^2+\epsilon ^2)(r_{}^2+\epsilon ^2)}\right)^1\left(\sqrt[4]{(s_+^2+\epsilon ^2)(s_{}^2+\epsilon ^2)}\right)^1.`$
The probability density of the zero modes is peaked at the four vortex intersection points and at the vortex sheets, cf. fig. 2.

## 4 Center vortices and Dirac equation on the 2-torus

In this chapter we consider zero modes of the Dirac operator in the background of Abelian gauge potentials representing Dirac strings and center vortices on the torus $`𝕋^2`$. There is a variety of reasons for studying $`𝕋^2`$ in addition to $`^2`$: first, $`𝕋^2`$ allows to use the Atiyah-Singer index theorem in a stringent fashion and allows for normalizable spinors in the background of integer flux. Second, from a physical point of view one would want the mechanism of chiral symmetry breaking to depend on local quantities rather than on global characteristics like boundary conditions imposed from the manifold. However, individual solutions of differential equations may depend strongly on the boundary conditions. So if the envisaged mechanism of chiral symmetry breaking contains a truncation to a subset of modes of the Dirac operator, it is not a priori clear that the mechanism is indeed independent of the boundary conditions. Therefore the proposed mechanism has to be checked for different topologies of the space-time manifold. Third, the torus simulates a periodic arrangement of vortices. This is much closer to a percolated vortex cluster than a single vortex in $`^2`$. It will turn out that the zero modes are again localized at the position of the vortex, thus strengthening the point of view that the zero modes are indeed influenced by local properties of the gauge potential only. Finally, the torus is the space-time manifold that is also used in lattice calculations.

At this point it should be mentioned that zero modes of the Dirac operator in the background of ideal vortices on the torus are also relevant to find instantons on a (dual) torus by the Nahm transformation .

### 4.1 Periodicity properties of the gauge potential on the torus

We first consider flat vortices so that we can restrict ourselves to a two-torus where the vortices appear as piercing points. Instead of working on the compact torus we can work on its covering manifold - on $`\stackrel{~}{𝕋}^2=^2`$. But in this case we have to demand that physical, i.e. gauge invariant, observables are periodic. This implies that the gauge potential has to be periodic up to gauge transformations. We choose the two-torus to have circumferences $`1`$ and $`\tau `$. Then the gauge potential $`A`$ has to fulfill “quasi-periodicity” conditions

$`A(z+1)=A^{U_x(z)}(z),A(z+i\tau )=A^{U_y(z)}(z),`$ (4.40)
where $`A_\mu ^U=U^1A_\mu U+U^1_\mu U`$ is the gauge transform of $`A`$. The transition functions $`U_x,U_y`$ have to fulfill the cocycle condition

$`U_x(z)U_y(z+1)=U_y(z)U_x(z+i\tau ).`$ (4.41)
We can always choose $`U_x=\mathrm{𝟙}`$ and $`U_y`$ independent of $`y`$. This implies periodicity of $`A(z)`$ in $`x`$-direction. Furthermore, $`U_y`$ as function of $`x`$ defines a mapping from $`S^1`$ into $`U(1)`$. Such mappings fall into homotopy classes $`\pi _1(U(1))=\pi _1(S^1)`$ which are characterized by a winding number $`n`$. A simple calculation shows that this winding number is related to the magnetic flux $`\mathrm{\Phi }`$ through the torus

$$\mathrm{\Phi }=n,$$
(4.42)
reflecting the quantization of the magnetic flux through the torus.

### 4.2 Dirac string on the torus

Before we write down the gauge potential of center vortices on the torus let us consider the gauge potential of a single Dirac string. The reason is that a single center vortex does not exist on a torus while a single Dirac string does.

On the two-torus the gauge potential of a singular point-like object can be expressed by means of the theta functions

$$\theta (z,i\tau )=\underset{n}{}e^{\pi \tau n^2+2\pi inz},\tau _+$$
(4.43)
which are analytic in $`z`$ and obey the periodicity properties

$$\theta (z+1,i\tau )=\theta (z,i\tau ),\theta (z+i\tau ,i\tau )=e^{\pi \tau 2\pi iz}\theta (z,i\tau ).$$
(4.44)
The only zeros of this function are at the points

$$z=(m+1/2)+(n+1/2)i\tau ,m,n.$$
(4.45)
For subsequent consideration let us also introduce the real-valued function

$$\varphi _0(z,z_0)=\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{log}\left(\theta _\tau (z,z_0)\overline{\theta _\tau (z,z_0)}\right),\theta _\tau (z,z_0):=\theta (z+1/2+1/2i\tau z_0,i\tau ),$$
(4.46)
which (up to a factor of $`2\pi `$) represents a (non-periodic) Greens function of the Laplacian on the two-torus666On the torus there is no periodic Greens function of the Laplacian. By Taylor expanding $`\theta _\tau (z,z_0)`$ around its zero at $`z=z_0`$ one finds that the Greens function $`\varphi _0(z,z_0)`$ behaves near $`z_0`$ as $`\mathrm{log}|zz_0|`$. By means of this Greens function the gauge potential of a Dirac string on the two-torus can be expressed as

$$A_x=i_y\varphi _0,A_y=i_x\varphi _0.$$
(4.47)
Using the same notation as in equation (2.2)

$$A_z:=1/2(A_xiA_y),A_x=2i\mathrm{}(A_z),A_y=2i\mathrm{}(A_z),$$
(4.48)
we obtain

$$A_z=\frac{1}{2}(i_y\varphi _0+_x\varphi _0)=_z\varphi _0=\frac{1}{2}\frac{_z\theta _\tau (z,z_0)}{\theta _\tau (z,z_0)},$$
(4.49)
where we used that $`\theta _\tau (z,z_0)`$ is an analytic function of $`z`$ and $`\overline{\theta }_\tau (z,z_0)`$ is an anti-analytic function, i.e. it does not depend on $`z`$. The periodicity properties of $`A_z,A_x`$ and $`A_y`$ can simply be derived using equation (4.44)

$`A_z(z+1)`$ $`=`$ $`A_z(z),A_z(z+i\tau )=\pi i+A_z(z),`$ (4.50)
$`A_y(z+1)`$ $`=`$ $`A_y(z+i\tau )=A_y(z),`$ (4.51)
$`A_x(z+1)`$ $`=`$ $`A_x(z),A_x(z+i\tau )=2\pi i+A_x(z).`$ (4.52)
This means that the gauge potential fulfills equation (4.40) with $`U_x(x,y)=\mathrm{𝟙}`$ and $`U_y(x,y)=\mathrm{exp}(2\pi ix)\mathrm{𝟙}`$. Furthermore, computing explicitly the flux going through the torus, we obtain (using Stokes theorem)

$`\mathrm{\Phi }`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2\pi i}}\left({\displaystyle _{(0,0)}^{(1,0)}}A_xdx+{\displaystyle _{(1,0)}^{(1,\tau )}}A_ydy+{\displaystyle _{(1,\tau )}^{(0,\tau )}}A_xdx+{\displaystyle _{(0,\tau )}^{(0,0)}}A_ydy\right)`$ (4.53)
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2\pi i}}\left({\displaystyle _0^1}(A_x(x,0)A_x(x,\tau ))dx+{\displaystyle _0^\tau }(A_y(1,y)A_y(0,y))dy\right)=1,`$
which is consistent with (4.42). The Dirac string is located at the point where $`\theta _\tau (z,z_0)=0`$, i.e. at $`z=z_0+m+in\tau ,m,n`$. The field strength of the Dirac string configuration vanishes at points where $`\theta _\tau (z,z_0)0`$, because

$$F_{xy}=_xA_y_yA_x=i(_x^2+_y^2)\varphi =\mathrm{}(4_{\overline{z}}_z\varphi )=2\mathrm{}_{\overline{z}}(_z\theta _\tau (z,z_0)/\theta _\tau (z,z_0))=0.$$
(4.54)
Here we used again that $`\theta (z,z_0)`$ is an analytic function, i.e. it is independent of $`\overline{z}`$. On the other hand the flux through the torus is $`1`$, cf. (4.53), from which we conclude that we have a Dirac string (which is represented by a point in $`D=2`$) at the zero of the function $`\theta _\tau (z,z_0)`$, i.e. at $`z=z_0+m+ni\tau `$.

The Dirac string can also be written as a pure gauge. If we define the $`U(1)`$ gauge function

$$g(z)=\frac{\theta _\tau (z,z_0)}{|\theta _\tau (z,z_0)|}=\sqrt{\frac{\theta _\tau (z,z_0)}{\overline{\theta _\tau (z,z_0)}}}U(1),$$
(4.55)
which is singular at the zeros of $`\theta _\tau (z,z_0)`$, the gauge potential

$$A_\mu =g^1_\mu g$$
(4.56)
becomes

$`A_z`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}(A_xiA_y)=g^1_zg=\sqrt{{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{\theta _\tau (z,z_0)}}{\theta _\tau (z,z_0)}}}_z\sqrt{{\displaystyle \frac{\theta _\tau (z,z_0)}{\overline{\theta _\tau (z,z_0)}}}}`$ (4.57)
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}{\displaystyle \frac{_z\theta _\tau (z,z_0)}{\theta _\tau (z,z_0)}},`$ (4.58)
which agrees with equation (4.49). The periodicity properties of $`g`$ are as follows:

$$g(z+1)=g(z),g(z+i\tau )=e^{\pi i((zz_0)+(\overline{z}\overline{z}_0))}g(z).$$
(4.59)
Since the gauge potential of the Dirac string is a pure gauge we can simply write down the zero modes of the corresponding Dirac operator. The zero mode is nothing but the gauge transformation of a constant Dirac field.

In the following we will consider only smeared out vortices on the torus. This way we avoid the discussion of boundary conditions of the the spinor field at the position of the singularity of an ideal vortex. This discussion would involve the problem of selfadjoint extension of the naive Dirac operator, see e.g. .

The gauge potential of a smeared out Dirac string at the point $`z_0`$ is given by equation (4.47) with the function $`\varphi _0(z,z_0)`$ replaced by

$`\varphi (z,z_0)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\mathrm{log}(\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_0)\overline{\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_0)}+\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_0)\overline{\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_0)}),`$ (4.60)
$`\theta _\tau ^\pm (z,z_0)`$ $`=`$ $`\theta (z+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}+{\displaystyle \frac{i}{2}}\tau z_0\pm \epsilon ,i\tau ),\epsilon _+,`$ (4.61)
i.e. by

$`A_z`$ $`=`$ $`1/2(A_xiA_y)=_z\varphi (z,z_k)`$ (4.62)
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)}_z\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)+\overline{\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)}_z\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)}{\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)}+\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)}}}.`$ (4.63)
By Taylor expanding around $`z_k`$ we obtain the behavior of the gauge potential for small distances $`r`$ from the center $`z_0`$ of the Dirac string:

$$A_x=y\frac{i}{(r^2+\epsilon ^2)},A_y=x\frac{i}{(r^2+\epsilon ^2)}.$$
(4.64)
This gauge potential indeed represents a smeared out Dirac string. In the limit $`\epsilon 0`$ $`A`$ becomes the gauge potential of an ideal Dirac string  on the torus.

### 4.3 Fermionic zero modes of center vortices on the torus

A center vortex living in the Cartan sub-algebra can be represented by half the gauge potential of a Dirac string. However, for a single center vortex it is not possible to relate the gauge potential at $`z`$ with the gauge potential at $`z+i\tau `$ by a transition function $`U_y`$ which is periodic in $`x`$. Instead we need an even number of center vortices on the torus, in accord with the quantization of magnetic flux through the torus, cf. (4.42). We consider the configuration, see eqs. (4.60,4.61),

$`A_z`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\left(_z\varphi (z,z_1)+_z\varphi (z,z_2)\right)`$
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}{\displaystyle \underset{k=1}{\overset{2}{}}}{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)}_z\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)+\overline{\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)}_z\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)}{\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)}+\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)}}},`$
which consists of two (smeared out) center vortices at the points $`z_1`$ and $`z_2`$ and fulfills the periodicity properties (4.40) with transition functions $`U_x=\mathrm{𝟙}`$ and $`U_y=\mathrm{exp}(2\pi ix)\mathrm{𝟙}=\mathrm{exp}(\pi i(\overline{z}+z))\mathrm{𝟙}`$.

We are interested in the $`\lambda =0`$ eigenfunctions of the Dirac operator in the background of these two vortices. In accord with the boundary conditions to the gauge field (4.40) we impose the boundary conditions

$$\psi (z+1)=U_x(z)^1\psi (z)=\psi (z),\psi (z+i\tau )=U_y(z)^1\psi (z)=e^{\pi i(\overline{z}+z)}\psi (z)$$
(4.66)
to the Dirac spinor $`\psi `$. The Dirac eigenvalue equation for the two spinor components reads

$`i(2_z+2A_z)\psi _2`$ $`=`$ $`\lambda \psi _1,`$ (4.67)
$`i(2_{\overline{z}}+2A_{\overline{z}})\psi _1`$ $`=`$ $`\lambda \psi _2,`$ (4.68)
where $`A_{\overline{z}}=1/2(A_x+iA_y)=\overline{A_z}`$. Because of the simple form of the two-vortex gauge potential (4.3) the zero modes of the Dirac operator can be found explicitly. A short calculation yields

$`\psi _1`$ $`=`$ $`\left({\displaystyle \underset{k=1}{\overset{2}{}}}\left(\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)}+\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)}\right)\right)^{1/4}\chi _1(z),`$ (4.69)
$`\psi _2`$ $`=`$ $`\left({\displaystyle \underset{k=1}{\overset{2}{}}}\left(\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)}+\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)}\right)\right)^{1/4}\overline{\chi _2(z)}.`$ (4.70)
The analytic functions $`\chi _1(z)`$ and $`\chi _2(z)`$ have to be chosen such that $`\psi _{1/2}`$ are normalizable and fulfill the periodicity properties (4.66). To render $`\psi _{1/2}`$ normalizable the functions $`\chi _{1/2}`$ must not have poles777A pole of $`\chi _{1/2}`$ would yield a non-integrable (logarithmically divergent) singularity in the norm of the spinor $`\psi `$, because the pre-factors of $`\chi _{1/2}`$ in equations (4.69,4.70) are non-zero on the whole torus, since we only consider smeared out vortices.. Inserting equations (4.70, 4.69) into (4.66) and using the periodicity properties (4.44) of the theta function we arrive at

$`\chi _1(z+i\tau )`$ $`=`$ $`e^{\left(\pi \tau +2\pi i\left(z+\frac{i}{2}\tau \frac{i}{2}\mathrm{}(z_1+z_2)\right)\right)}\chi _1(z),\chi _1(z+1)=\chi _1(z),`$ (4.71)
$`\chi _2(z+i\tau )`$ $`=`$ $`e^{\left(\pi \tau 2\pi i\left(z+\frac{i}{2}\tau \frac{i}{2}\mathrm{}(z_1+z_2)\right)\right)}\chi _2(z),\chi _2(z+1)=\chi _2(z).`$ (4.72)
If we require analyticity of $`\chi _2`$ on the whole torus then this function is fixed (up to a factor) by the periodicity properties (4.72) to be the theta function

$$\chi _2(z)=\theta (z+\frac{i}{2}\tau \frac{i}{2}\mathrm{}(z_1+z_2),i\tau ).$$
(4.73)
This is proven in Appendix C. The function $`\psi _2`$, cf. (4.70), is obviously normalizable, because it has no singularities. The only zeros of $`\chi _2(z)`$ are at the points $`z=\frac{1}{2}+\frac{i}{2}\mathrm{}(z_1+z_2)+m+ni\tau `$. On the other hand the required periodicity properties for $`\chi _1`$ (4.71) show that there is no (non-trivial) function $`\chi _1`$ which is analytic on the whole torus. The function $`\chi _1`$ has to have at least one pole. Such a solution is given by the inverse of a theta function

$$\chi _1(z)=1/\theta (z+\frac{i}{2}\tau \frac{i}{2}\mathrm{}(z_1+z_2),i\tau ).$$
(4.74)
The poles of this function are at the points $`z=z_{mn}=\frac{1}{2}+\frac{i}{2}\mathrm{}(z_1+z_2)+m+ni\tau ,m,n`$. Our considerations show that there is only one normalizable zero mode (with $`\psi _10`$). If the component $`\psi _1`$ of the Dirac spinor is not identically zero then it would have a pole at $`z=z_{mn}`$, because the pre-factor of $`\chi _1`$ in equation (4.69) is non-zero on the hole torus. This pole would yield a logarithmic divergence.

In Appendix D multi-vortex configurations and the corresponding zero modes of the Dirac operator are presented.

There is another interesting point related to the periodicity properties given by (4.40, 4.66). Multiplying the transition functions $`U_x`$ and $`U_y`$ by constant phases, say $`e^{i\alpha }`$ and $`e^{i\beta }`$, resp., the center vortex and Dirac string gauge potentials, (4.3) and (4.47), still fulfill the periodicity properties with the new transition functions $`\stackrel{~}{U}_x=e^{i\alpha }\mathrm{𝟙}`$ and $`\stackrel{~}{U}_y=e^{2\pi ixi\beta }\mathrm{𝟙}`$. But these new periodicity properties change the zero modes of the Dirac operator by changing the periodicity properties of the analytic functions $`\chi _{1/2}(z)`$. The new solution reads

$$\stackrel{~}{\chi }_2(z)=e^{i\alpha z}\theta (z+\frac{i}{2}\tau \frac{i\alpha }{2\pi }\tau \frac{i}{2}\mathrm{}(z_1+z_2)+\frac{\beta }{2\pi },i\tau )$$
(4.75)
The zeros of this function are at the points $`z=\frac{1}{2}+\frac{i}{2}\mathrm{}(z_1+z_2)+\frac{i\alpha }{2\pi }\tau \frac{\beta }{2\pi }+m+ni\tau `$, i.e. the zeros are shifted by $`\frac{i\alpha \tau \beta }{2\pi }`$ compared to the original case, where $`\stackrel{~}{U}_x=\mathrm{𝟙}`$ and $`\stackrel{~}{U}_y=e^{2\pi ix}\mathrm{𝟙}`$.

The change of the transition functions by multiplying with constant phases $`e^{i\alpha }`$ and $`e^{i\beta }`$ is equivalent to introducing a constant background gauge potential $`A_z=\frac{1}{2}(\frac{\beta }{\tau }+i\alpha )`$ and leaving the transition functions unchanged.

The above considerations have shown that for a two-vortex gauge potential (smeared out vortices) we get exactly one normalizable zero mode which has exactly one zero on the torus. The position of the zero depends on the imaginary parts (y-coordinates) of the positions of the vortices and on the periodicity properties of the gauge potential (or equivalently on the presence of a constant background field) and of the spinor field. Furthermore, the probability density of the spinor field is peaked at the positions of the vortices.

## 5 Fermionic zero modes for intersecting vortices on the 4-torus

As in the case of space-time $`^4`$ the fermionic zero modes for intersecting vortices on $`𝕋^4`$ can be explicitly written down.

We consider four smeared out center vortex sheets consisting of two orthogonal pairs of parallel vortex sheets intersecting in 4 points as in section 3. Introducing complex variables $`u`$ and $`v`$, cf. eq. (3.28), the complexified gauge potential $`A_z`$ can be chosen as

$`A_z`$ $`=`$ $`_u(\varphi (u,u_1)+\varphi (u,u_2))+_v(\varphi (v,v_1)+\varphi (v,v_2)),`$
where the function $`\varphi (z,z_k)`$ is defined in equation (4.60). As in the case of the space-time manifold $`^4`$ there is only one normalizable zero mode given by

$`\psi _1`$ $`=`$ $`\psi _2=\psi _30,`$
$`\psi _4`$ $`=`$ $`\left({\displaystyle \underset{k=1}{\overset{2}{}}}(\theta _\tau ^+(u,u_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^+(u,u_k)}+\theta _\tau ^{}(u,u_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^{}(u,u_k)})\right)^{1/4}\times `$
$`\times \left({\displaystyle \underset{k=1}{\overset{2}{}}}\left(\theta _\tau ^+(v,v_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^+(v,v_k)}+\theta _\tau ^{}(v,v_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^{}(v,v_k)}\right)\right)^{1/4}\overline{\chi _4(u,v)},`$
where $`\chi _4(u,v)`$ is an analytic function of $`u`$ and $`v`$ given by

$$\chi _4(u,v)=\theta (u+\frac{i}{2}\tau \frac{i}{2}\mathrm{}(u_1+u_2),i\tau )\theta (v+\frac{i}{2}\tau \frac{i}{2}\mathrm{}(v_1+v_2),i\tau ).$$
(5.76)
The probability distribution of this zero mode in the plane $`\mathrm{}u=\mathrm{}v=0`$ for $`u_1=u_2=0.25i,u_2=v_2=0.75i`$ is plotted in fig. 4.

## 6 Concluding remarks

In the present paper we have studied the properties of fermionic zero modes in a center vortex background field. We have demonstrated that these zero modes are concentrated at the localization of the center vortices. In accord with this the probability density of these zero modes is sharply peaked at the vortex intersection points which carry (localized) topological charge $`1/2`$. This result is consistent with the localization of the fermionic zero modes in an instanton background field at the instanton center. In fact lattice calculations show a strong correlation between the topological charge density distribution and the distribution of the quark condensate $`\overline{q}(x)q(x)`$, the order parameter of chiral symmetry breaking. Given the localization of the quark zero modes at the localization of topological charge, we expect the quark zero modes in the vortex background field to play a crucial role for the spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry in the vortex picture. This will be subject to future investigations.

## 7 Acknowledgments

One of the authors (H.R.) is grateful to I. Zahed for stimulating discussions as well as for the hospitality extended to him during a visit at Stony Brook. V. Ch. Zh. gratefully acknowledges the hospitality, extended to him by the theory group of the Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Tübingen during his stay there. The authors are also grateful to C. Ford and J.M. Pawlowski for drawing our attention to reference  and to the existence of additional zero modes in the case of ideal (singular) center vortices. This work has been supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft under grants DFG-Re 856/4-1 and DFG 436 RUS 113/477/4.

## Appendix A Conventions

We choose the generators of the gauge group to be anti-hermitian. Therefore the components $`A_\mu `$ of the gauge potential are anti-hermitian, e.g. purely imaginary for the gauge group $`U(1)`$. The magnetic flux $`\mathrm{\Phi }`$ through a closed loop $`𝒞`$ is defined by

$$\mathrm{\Phi }=\frac{1}{2\pi i}_𝒞A_\mu dx_\mu $$
(A.77)
and thus real valued.

The complex conjugate of the complex number z is denoted by $`\overline{z}`$. Furthermore, $`\mathrm{}(z)`$ and $`\mathrm{}(z)`$ denote real and the imaginary part of $`z`$, respectively.

We consider the Dirac equation in Euclidean space-time. In $`D=2`$ we choose the $`2\times 2`$ Dirac matrices

$$\gamma _1=\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& 1\\ 1& 0\end{array}\right),\gamma _2=\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& i\\ i& 0\end{array}\right),\gamma _5=i\gamma _1\gamma _2=\left(\begin{array}{cc}1& 0\\ 0& 1\end{array}\right).$$
(A.78)
In $`D=4`$ we use the chiral representation for the Dirac matrices:

$`\gamma _4`$ $`=`$ $`\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& i\mathrm{𝟙}\\ i\mathrm{𝟙}& 0\end{array}\right),\gamma _i=\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& \sigma _i\\ \sigma _i& 0\end{array}\right),i=1,2,3,\gamma _5=\left(\begin{array}{cc}\mathrm{𝟙}& 0\\ 0& \mathrm{𝟙}\end{array}\right),`$ (A.85)
where $`\mathrm{𝟙}`$ is the $`2\times 2`$ unit matrix and $`\sigma _i`$ are the (hermitian) Pauli matrices.

## Appendix B Dirac zero modes on $`S^2`$

We consider the Dirac operator on the sphere $`S^2`$ with radius $`R`$. We use stereographic coordinates $`x_{1/2}`$ on $`S^2`$ defined by

$$y_i=\frac{2R^2}{R^2+x^2}x_i,i=1,2,y_3=\frac{R^2x^2}{R^2+x^2}R,x^2=x_1^2+x_2^2,$$
(B.86)
where $`\stackrel{}{y}=(y_1,y_2,y_3)`$ is the vector in $`^3`$ of the corresponding point of the embedded sphere $`S^2`$ with radius $`R`$. The metric on $`S^2`$ in stereographic coordinates has the form

$$\mathrm{d}s^2=\mathrm{\Omega }_R^2(\mathrm{d}x_1^2+\mathrm{d}x_2^2),$$
(B.87)
where $`\mathrm{\Omega }_R=2R^2/(R^2+x^2)`$. The Dirac operator $`\widehat{\mathrm{D}}`$ in these coordinates is given by

$$\widehat{\mathrm{D}}=\mathrm{\Omega }_R^{3/2}\mathrm{D}\mathrm{\Omega }_R^{1/2},$$
(B.88)
where $`\mathrm{D}`$ is the Dirac operator on $`^2`$. Therefore the zero modes $`\widehat{\psi }`$ of the Dirac operator on $`S^2`$ are related to the zero modes $`\psi `$ of the Dirac operator on $`^2`$ by

$$\widehat{\psi }=\mathrm{\Omega }_R^{1/2}\psi .$$
(B.89)
With $`z=x_1+ix_2`$ the zero mode of the Dirac operator in the presence of two smeared out center vortices at the points $`z=a`$ and $`z=b`$ reads

$$\psi _10,\psi _2=\frac{\sqrt{z\overline{z}+R^2}}{\sqrt[4]{(za)(\overline{z}\overline{a})+\epsilon ^2}\sqrt[4]{(zb)(\overline{z}\overline{b})+\epsilon ^2}}.$$
(B.90)
This zero mode is normalizable with respect to the measure on $`S^2`$ which is given by $`\mathrm{\Omega }_R^2\mathrm{d}x_1\mathrm{d}x_2`$.

## Appendix C Uniqueness of $`\chi _2`$ from periodicity properties

The existence of an analytic function with the periodicity properties (4.72) is seen by choosing

$$\chi _2(z)=\theta (z+\frac{i}{2}\tau \frac{i}{2}\mathrm{}(z_1+z_2),i\tau ),$$
(C.91)
cf. eq. (4.44). To show the uniqueness (up to a constant factor) of $`\chi _2`$ we assume that there is another analytic function $`\stackrel{~}{\chi }_2`$ satisfying equation (4.72). Now consider the meromorphic function $`f(z):=\stackrel{~}{\chi }_2(z)/\chi _2(z)`$. This is an elliptic function with periods $`1`$ and $`i\tau `$. But $`f(z)`$ has only a single pole in the fundamental domain ($`0<Re(z)<1`$ , $`\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}0}<\mathrm{}(z)<\tau `$) at the zero of $`\theta (z+\frac{i}{2}\tau \frac{i}{2}\mathrm{}(z_1+z_2),i\tau )`$. But an elliptic function has to have at least two poles in the fundamental domain or it is a constant . Hence, we infer that $`f(z)`$ is a constant and $`\chi _2(z)`$ is (up to a constant factor) given by (C.91).

## Appendix D Multi vortex solution on $`𝕋^2`$

Let us assume we have a number of thick vortices and anti-vortices at the points $`z_k,k=1,\mathrm{},m^+`$ and $`z_l,l=m^++1,\mathrm{},m^++m^{}`$, respectively, where the total number $`m^++m^{}=m`$ of vortices is even. The corresponding gauge potential reads

$$A_z=\frac{1}{4}_z\left(\underset{k=1}{\overset{m^+}{}}\varphi (z,z_k)\underset{l=m^++1}{\overset{m^++m^{}}{}}\varphi (z,z_l)\right),$$
(D.92)
where $`\varphi (z,z_k)`$ is defined by equation (4.60). The fermionic zero modes $`\psi _{1/2}(z)`$ are given by

$`\psi _1`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \underset{k=1}{\overset{m^+}{}}}(\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)}+\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)}))^{1/4}\times `$
$`\times {\displaystyle \underset{l=m^++1}{\overset{m^++m^{}}{}}}(\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_l)\overline{\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_l)}+\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_l)\overline{\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_l)}))^{1/4}\chi _1(z),`$
$`\psi _2`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \underset{k=1}{\overset{m^+}{}}}(\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_k)}+\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)\overline{\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_k)}))^{1/4}\times `$
$`\times {\displaystyle \underset{l=m^++1}{\overset{m^++m^{}}{}}}(\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_l)\overline{\theta _\tau ^+(z,z_l)}+\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_l)\overline{\theta _\tau ^{}(z,z_l)}))^{1/4}\overline{\chi _2(z)},`$
where $`\theta ^\pm `$ is defined by equation (4.61). The periodicity properties of $`\psi _{1/2}`$, cf. eq. (4.66), define the periodicity properties of the analytic functions $`\chi _{1/2}(z)`$:

$`\chi _1(z+i\tau )`$ $`=`$ $`e^{\left((\mathrm{\Delta }m/2)(\pi \tau 2\pi i(z+i\tau /2))\pi \mathrm{}\left(_{k=1}^{m^+}z_k_{l=m^++1}^mz_l\right)\right)}\chi _1(z),`$ (D.93)
$`\chi _1(z+1)`$ $`=`$ $`\chi _1(z),`$ (D.94)
$`\chi _2(z+i\tau )`$ $`=`$ $`e^{\left((\mathrm{\Delta }m/2)(\pi \tau 2\pi i(z+i\tau /2))\pi \mathrm{}\left(_{k=1}^{m^+}z_k_{l=m^++1}^mz_l\right)\right)}\chi _2(z),`$ (D.95)
$`\chi _2(z+1)`$ $`=`$ $`\chi _2(z),`$ (D.96)
where $`\mathrm{\Delta }m=m^+m^{}`$ and $`m=m^++m^{}`$. If $`\mathrm{\Delta }m>0`$ we find a $`\mathrm{\Delta }m/2`$-dimensional vector space of left-handed zero modes $`\psi _2`$ with analytic functions $`\chi _2(z)`$. In the case $`\mathrm{\Delta }m<0`$ we find a $`\mathrm{\Delta }m/2`$-dimensional vector space of right-handed zero modes with analytic functions $`\chi _1(z)`$. The functions $`\chi _{1/2}`$ are then given by products of theta functions. In the case $`\mathrm{\Delta }m>0`$ we obtain

$$\chi _2(z)=\underset{j=1}{\overset{\mathrm{\Delta }m/2}{}}\theta (z+i\tau /2\stackrel{~}{z}_j,i\tau ),$$
(D.97)
where the complex numbers $`\stackrel{~}{z}_j`$ have to fulfill the conditions

$$\mathrm{}(\underset{j=1}{\overset{\mathrm{\Delta }m/2}{}}\stackrel{~}{z}_j)=0,\mathrm{}(\underset{j=1}{\overset{\mathrm{\Delta }m/2}{}}\stackrel{~}{z}_j)=\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{}\left(\underset{k=1}{\overset{m^+}{}}z_k\underset{l=m^++1}{\overset{m}{}}z_l\right).$$
(D.98)
The set of functions $`\chi _2`$ given by equations (D.97, D.98) forms an $`\mathrm{\Delta }m/2`$-dimensional vector space.


format: text

text:
# On a possible new type of a T odd skewon field linked to electromagnetism11footnote 1Proceedings of the 1st Mexican Meeting on Mathematical and Experimental Physics, held at El Colegio Nacional, Mexico City, 10 to 14 September 2001.

## 1 The constitutive tensor density $`\chi `$ of vacuum spacetime and its irreducible decomposition

In pre-metric electrodynamics  the axioms of electric charge and of magnetic flux conservation manifest themselves in the Maxwell equations for the excitation $`H=(𝒟,)`$ and the field strength $`F=(E,B)`$:

$$dH=J,dF=0.$$
(1)
If local coordinates $`x^i`$ are given, with $`i,j,\mathrm{}=0,1,2,3`$, we can decompose the excitation and field strength 2-forms into their components according to

$$H=\frac{1}{2}H_{ij}dx^idx^j,F=\frac{1}{2}F_{ij}dx^idx^j.$$
(2)
Then a linear spacetime relation, see , reads

$$H_{ij}=\frac{1}{2}\kappa _{ij}{}_{}{}^{kl}F_{kl}^{}=\frac{1}{4}\widehat{ϵ}_{ijkl}\chi ^{klmn}F_{mn}.$$
(3)
The constitutive tensor density $`\chi `$ has 36 independent components. If we decompose it with respect to the 4-dimensional linear group into irreducible pieces, then we find

$$\chi ={}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi +{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi +{}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi ,\mathrm{with}36=20151$$
(4)
independent components, respectively. In components, we have the following definitions for the irreducible pieces of $`\chi `$:

$`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$ $`:=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\left(\chi ^{ijkl}\chi ^{klij}\right),{}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}:=\chi ^{[ijkl]},`$ (5)
$`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$ $`:=`$ $`\chi ^{ijkl}{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}{}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}.`$ (6)
Then, by explicit substitution of the definitions, it is straightforward to show that the irreducible piece $`a`$ of the irreducible piece $`b`$, for $`a,b=1,2,3`$, with the Kronecker $`\delta ^{ab}`$, behaves as follows:

$$^{(a)}\left[{}_{}{}^{(b)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}\right]=\delta ^{ab}{}_{}{}^{(a)}\chi _{}^{ijkl},\mathrm{no}\mathrm{sum}\mathrm{over}a.$$
(7)
More explicitly, we have, e.g.,

$${}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}={}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{klij},{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}={}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{klij}.$$
(8)
A simple way to see the correctness of this irreducible decomposition is to recall that $`\chi ^{ijkl}`$ is antisymmetric in the first and in the last pair of indices; then it is possible to map it to a $`6\times 6`$ matrix. And this matrix can be decomposed in its symmetric tracefree piece corresponding to $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$, the antisymmetric piece $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$, and its trace $`{}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$, see (4).

### 1.1 Principal piece $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi `$ and light cone structure

Let us try to get a rough picture of the physical meaning of these different irreducible pieces. From $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$ alone, if electric/magnetic reciprocity is assumed additionally to hold for (3), then, up to an arbitrary conformal factor, the Lorentzian metric of spacetime can be derived . One can think of this reduction in the way that electric/magnetic reciprocity cuts the 20 components of $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$ into half, that is, only 10 components for the metric are left. Modulo the undetermined function, we have then 9 remaining components.

These 9 components determine the light cone at each point of spacetime. Accordingly, in $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$ the light cone of spacetime is hidden and thereby conventional Maxwell-Lorentzian vacuum electrodymanics as well. To put it more geometrically, the first irreducible piece of $`\chi `$, via electric/magnetic reciprocity, yields the conformal structure of spacetime. In this sense, there is no doubt that $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$ is the principal part of the constitutive tensor density $`\chi `$ of the vacuum.

### 1.2 Abelian axion $`\alpha `$

Thus one could be inclined to believe that it is best to require the vanishing of the second and the third irreducible piece of $`\chi `$. But this would appear to be premature before one has inquired into the possible meanings of these pieces. In fact, the abelian axion $`\alpha (x)`$, introduced by Ni  in 1973, is represented by $`{}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$. This field is P odd (P stands for parity), i.e., it is a pseudo- or axial-scalar in conventional language. Experimentally, this field hasn’t been found so far . Nevertheless, as we shall see below, the axion does not interfere with the light cone structure of spacetime at all. Therefore, this chapter is not yet closed, the abelian axion remains a serious option for a particle search in experimental high energy physics.

### 1.3 Skewon piece $`\overline{)}S_i^j`$ and dissipation

If two irreducible pieces of a quantity don’t vanish possibly, it is not too far-fetched to reflect on the remaining piece $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$ and on what its existence may mean. The conventional argument for discarding $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$ runs as follows, see Post . Suppose a Lagrangian 4-form $`L`$ exists for the electromagnetic field. In general $`HL/F`$. If $`H`$ is assumed to be linear in $`F`$, as is done in (3), then $`L`$ reads

$$LHF=\chi FF=^{(1)}\chi FF+^{(3)}\chi FF.$$
(9)
The term with $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi `$ eventually becomes the Maxwell Lagrangian, the term with $`{}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi `$ part of the axion Lagrangian. The piece with $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$ drops out of the Lagrangian $`L`$ because of the antisymmetry of $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$ according to $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}=^{(2)}\chi ^{klij}`$. Since we conventionally assume that all information of a physical system is collected in its Lagrangian, we reject $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}0`$ as being unphysical. This presents the state of the art.

However, we would like to point out that the argument with the Lagrangian does not forbid the existence of a non-vanishing $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi 0`$. It only implies that $`L`$ is ‘insensitive’ to $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$. In other words, if $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi 0`$, then not all information about the system is contained in the Lagrangian.

Remember that pre-metric electrodynamics is based on the conservation laws of electric charge and magnetic flux and on an axiom about the (kinematic) electromagnetic energy-momentum current $`{}_{}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\mathrm{\Sigma }_{\alpha }^{}`$. No Lagrangian is needed nor assumed. But, of course, the proto-Lagrangian $`\mathrm{\Lambda }:=HF/2`$ exists anyway and has indeed been introduced in the context of the discussion of $`{}_{}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\mathrm{\Sigma }_{\alpha }^{}`$. Accordingly, in pre-metric electrodynamics, even when linearity is introduced according to (3), $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ has no decisive meaning — and that $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ does not depend on $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$ is interesting to note but no reason for a headache.

This reminds us of a complementary property of the axion $`\alpha `$ or of $`{}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi `$. It features in $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$, see (9), but it drops out of $`{}_{}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\mathrm{\Sigma }_{\alpha }^{}`$, as we will see below. Should we be alarmed that the axion doesn’t contribute to the electromagnetic energy-momentum current? No, not really. As has been shown by Ni, in spite of this ‘insensitivity’ of $`{}_{}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\mathrm{\Sigma }_{\alpha }^{}`$ against $`\alpha `$, one can set up a reasonable theory of the axion.

Consequently, in linear pre-metric electrodynamics, it is not alarming that $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$ drops out from the proto-Lagrangian $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$, and in future we will take the possible existence of $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$ for granted.

What is then the possible physical meaning of $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$? In pre-metric electrodynamics , the energy-momentum current reads

$${}_{}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\mathrm{\Sigma }_{\alpha }^{}:=\frac{1}{2}[F(e_\alpha H)H(e_\alpha F)].$$
(10)
We can specify a certain vector field $`\xi =\xi ^\alpha e_\alpha `$, with the basis $`e_\alpha `$ of the tangent vector space at each point of spacetime. Then we can transvect the energy-momentum current with $`\xi ^\alpha `$:

$$𝒬:=\xi ^\alpha {}_{}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\mathrm{\Sigma }_{\alpha }^{}=\frac{1}{2}[F(\xi H)H(\xi F)].$$
(11)
The scalar-valued 3-form $`𝒬`$ is expected to be related to conserved quantities provided we can find suitable (Killing type) vector fields $`\xi `$. Therefore we determine its exterior derivative and find after some algebra, see Rubilar ,

$$d𝒬=(\xi F)J+\frac{1}{2}(F_\xi HH_\xi F),$$
(12)
or, in holonomic components, with $`𝒬^i:=ϵ^{ijkl}Q_{jkl}/6`$, $`𝒥^i:=ϵ^{ijkl}J_{jkl}/6`$, and $`^{ij}:=ϵ^{ijkl}H_{kl}/2`$,

$$_i𝒬^i=\xi ^kF_{kl}𝒥^l+\frac{1}{4}\left(F_{kl}_\xi ^{kl}^{kl}_\xi F_{kl}\right).$$
(13)
Here $`_\xi `$ denotes the Lie derivative along $`\xi `$. Now we substitute the linear relation (3), or $`^{kl}=\chi ^{klmn}F_{mn}/2`$, and find

$$_i𝒬^i=\xi ^kF_{kl}𝒥^l+\frac{1}{8}\left[F_{kl}_\xi (\chi ^{klmn}F_{mn})\chi ^{klmn}F_{mn}_\xi F_{kl}\right].$$
(14)
We apply the Leibniz rule of the Lie derivative and rearrange a bit:

$$_i𝒬^i=\xi ^kF_{kl}𝒥^l+\frac{1}{8}\left[(_\xi \chi ^{ijkl})F_{ij}F_{kl}+(\chi ^{ijkl}\chi ^{klij})F_{ij}_\xi F_{kl}\right].$$
(15)
We substitute the irreducible pieces of $`\chi ^{ijkl}`$. Then we have

$$_i𝒬^i=\xi ^kF_{kl}𝒥^l+\frac{1}{8}_\xi \left({}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}+^{(3)}\chi ^{ijkl}\right)F_{ij}F_{kl}+\frac{1}{4}^{(2)}\chi ^{ijkl}F_{ij}_\xi F_{kl}.$$
(16)
If $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi `$ and $`{}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi `$ carry a reasonable symmetry, namely $`_\xi ^{(1)}\chi =_\xi ^{(2)}\chi `$ $`=0`$, and are thus well-behaved, then, in vacuum, i.e., for $`𝒥^i=0`$, we have non-conservation of energy, for example, because of the offending term $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi F\dot{F}`$. Here the dot symbolizes the ‘time’ derivative along $`\xi `$.

In any case we see that $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$ induces a dissipative term with first ‘time’ derivative. This is what we might have expected since dissipative phenomena in general cannot be described in a Lagrangian framework.

It is then our hypothesis that $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$ can represent fields which are odd under T transformations. Of course, we must investigate how these skewons, as we may call them in a preliminary way, disturb the light cone and whether there is perhaps a viable subclass of the skewons.

## 2 The skewon field $`\overline{)}S_i^j`$

The skewon piece of the constitutive tensor density $`\chi ^{ijkl}`$ is defined in (5)1 Therefrom we can read off the algebraic symmetries

$${}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}={}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{klij},{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{[ijkl]}=0.$$
(17)
¿From $`\chi ^{ijkl}`$, the skewon piece inherits the antisymmetry in the first and the second pair of indices:

$${}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{(ij)kl}=0,{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ij(kl)}=0.$$
(18)
Thus $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$ can be mapped to an antisymmetric (or skewsymmetric) $`6\times 6`$ matrix. For this reason we called it the skewon piece of $`\chi ^{ijkl}`$. Since this matrix has 15 independent components, we expect that it is equivalent to a 2nd rank tensor in 4 dimensions (16 components) with vanishing trace (1 component). Accordingly, we define the skewon field by

$$S_i{}_{}{}^{j}:=\frac{1}{4}\widehat{ϵ}_{iklm}{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{klmj}.$$
(19)
Because of (17)2, its trace vanishes, indeed,

$$S_n{}_{}{}^{n}=\frac{1}{4}\widehat{ϵ}_{nklm}{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{[klmn]}=0.$$
(20)
If we define the tracefree part of $`S_i^j`$ by

$$\overline{)}S_i{}_{}{}^{j}:=S_i^j\frac{1}{4}S_k{}_{}{}^{k}\delta _{i}^{j},$$
(21)
then for our $`S_i^j`$, we have $`S_i{}_{}{}^{j}=\overline{)}S_i^j`$.

Let us invert (19). We multiply by $`ϵ^{inpq}`$ and find

$$ϵ^{inpq}S_i{}_{}{}^{j}:=\frac{1}{4}ϵ^{inpq}\widehat{ϵ}_{iklm}{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{klmj}=\frac{1}{4}\delta _{klm}^{npq}{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{[klm]j}$$
(22)
or

$${}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{[ijk]l}=\frac{2}{3}ϵ^{ijkm}S_m{}_{}{}^{l}.$$
(23)
We expand the bracket:

$${}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}+{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{jkil}+{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{kijl}=2ϵ^{ijkm}S_m{}_{}{}^{l}.$$
(24)
The second term on the left hand side of this equation, by means of the symmetries (17)1 and (18)1, can be rewritten as $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{jkil}={}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{iljk}={}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{lijk}`$. Thus,

$${}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}+2{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{(k|ij|l)}=2ϵ^{ijkm}S_m^l$$
(25)
or, because of (18)2,

$${}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}=2ϵ^{ijm[k}S_m{}_{}{}^{l]}.$$
(26)
In order to make the symmetry (17)1 manifest, we rename the indices

$${}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{klij}=2ϵ^{klm[i}S_m^{j]}$$
(27)
and subtract (27) from (26). This yields the final result

$${}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}=ϵ^{ijm[k}S_m{}_{}{}^{l]}ϵ^{klm[i}S_m{}_{}{}^{j]}.$$
(28)
For (28), all the symmetries (17) and (18) can be verified straightforwardly. In (19), we chose the conventional factor as $`1/4`$ in order to find in (28) a formula free of inconvenient factors.

## 3 Decomposing the “dual” constitutive tensor density $`\kappa _{ij}^{kl}`$ and recovering the skewon field

Let us recall that the starting point for the discussion of the constitutive (spacetime) relation is the $`\kappa `$-map. Namely, we have the tensor density $`\kappa _{ij}^{kl}`$ with 36 components, see  Eq.(D.1.11). One can decompose this object into its irreducible pieces. Obviously, contraction is the only tool for such a decomposition. Following Post , we can define the contacted tensor of type (1,1),

$$\kappa _i{}_{}{}^{k}:=\kappa _{il}{}_{}{}^{kl},$$
(29)
with 16 independent components. The second contraction yields the pseudo-scalar function

$$\kappa :=\kappa _k{}_{}{}^{k}=\kappa _{kl}{}_{}{}^{kl}.$$
(30)
The traceless piece

$$\overline{)}\kappa _i{}_{}{}^{k}:=\kappa _i{}_{}{}^{k}\frac{1}{4}\kappa \delta _i^k$$
(31)
has 15 independent components. These pieces can now be subtracted from the original constitutive tensor. Then,

$`\kappa _{ij}^{kl}`$ $`=`$ $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\kappa _{ij}^{}{}_{}{}^{kl}+{}_{}{}^{(2)}\kappa _{ij}^{}{}_{}{}^{kl}+{}_{}{}^{(3)}\kappa _{ij}^{}^{kl}`$ (32)
$`=`$ $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\kappa _{ij}^{}{}_{}{}^{kl}+2\overline{)}\kappa _{[i}{}_{}{}^{[k}\delta _{j]}^{l]}+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{6}}\kappa \delta _{[i}^k\delta _{j]}^l.`$ (33)
By construction, $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\kappa _{ij}^{}^{kl}`$ is the totally traceless part of the constitutive map:

$${}_{}{}^{(1)}\kappa _{il}^{}{}_{}{}^{kl}=0.$$
(34)
Thus, we split $`\kappa `$ according to $`36=20+15+1`$, and the (2,2) tensor $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\kappa _{ij}^{}^{kl}`$ is subject to the 16 constraints (34) and carries $`20=3616`$ components.

Now we are prepared to proceed with the analysis of the $`\chi `$-picture. By definition, we have

$$\chi ^{ijkl}:=\frac{1}{2}ϵ^{ijmn}\kappa _{mn}{}_{}{}^{kl}.$$
(35)
Substituting here the decomposition (33), we find

$$\chi ^{ijkl}={}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}+{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}+{}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}.$$
(36)
In correspondence with (33), we have the irreducible pieces:

$`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}ϵ^{ijmn}{}_{}{}^{(1)}\kappa _{mn}^{}{}_{}{}^{kl},`$ (37)
$`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}ϵ^{ijmn}{}_{}{}^{(2)}\kappa _{mn}^{}{}_{}{}^{kl}=ϵ^{ijm[k}\overline{)}\kappa _m{}_{}{}^{l]},`$ (38)
$`{}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}ϵ^{ijmn}{}_{}{}^{(3)}\kappa _{mn}^{}{}_{}{}^{kl}={\displaystyle \frac{1}{12}}ϵ^{ijkl}\kappa .`$ (39)
Let us identify the skewon and the axion fields by

$$S_i{}_{}{}^{j}=\frac{1}{2}\overline{)}\kappa _i{}_{}{}^{j},\alpha =\frac{1}{12}\kappa .$$
(40)
Using the S-identity (92), we have

$${}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}=2ϵ^{ijm[k}S_m{}_{}{}^{l]}=\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}ϵ^{klm[i}S_m^{j]}$$
(41)
or

$${}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}=ϵ^{ijm[k}S_m{}_{}{}^{l]}ϵ^{klm[i}S_m{}_{}{}^{j]}.$$
(42)
Thus, the S-identity (92) guarantees the skew-symmetry of $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$ under exchange of the first with the second index pair:

$${}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}={}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{klij}.$$
(43)
On the other hand, the K-identity (99) provides the symmetry of the $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi `$:

$${}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}={}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{klij}.$$
(44)
This holds true because of the tracelessness property (34).

It is thus very satisfactory to find the one-to-one correspondence of the irreducible decomposition (33) of $`\kappa _{ij}^{kl}`$ \[based on the trace extraction\] and the irreducible decomposition (36) of $`\chi ^{ijkl}`$ \[based on the separation into symmetric and skew-symmetric parts\].

## 4 The skewon field as $`6\times 6`$ matrix

It is convenient to put the $`S_i^j`$ also into the conventional $`6\times 6`$ matrix since this provides the interpretation of the spacetime relation in terms of the 3-dimensional electromagnetic field $`𝒟,,B,E`$. Therefore we compute the $`3\times 3`$ matrices with the help of (28) in a fairly messy but straightforward way, see :

$`{}_{}{}^{(2)}𝒜_{}^{ba}`$ $`:=`$ $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{0a0b}=ϵ^{abc}S_c{}_{}{}^{0},`$ (45)
$`{}_{}{}^{(2)}_{ba}^{}`$ $`:=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}\widehat{ϵ}_{acd}\widehat{ϵ}_{bef}{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{cdef}=\widehat{ϵ}_{abc}S_0{}_{}{}^{c},`$ (46)
$`{}_{}{}^{(2)}𝒞_{}^{a}_b`$ $`:=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\widehat{ϵ}_{bcd}{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{cd0a}=S_b{}_{}{}^{a}+\delta _b^aS_c{}_{}{}^{c},`$ (47)
$`{}_{}{}^{(2)}𝒟_{a}^{}^b`$ $`:=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\widehat{ϵ}_{acd}{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{0bcd}=S_a{}_{}{}^{b}\delta _a^bS_c{}_{}{}^{c}.`$ (48)
Quite generally, we have

$$\chi ^{IJ}=\left(\begin{array}{cc}_{ab}& 𝒟_a^b\\ 𝒞^a_b& 𝒜^{ab}\end{array}\right).$$
(49)
For the skewon piece666For future reference we display here also the principal and the axion pieces as $`6\times 6`$ matrices, respectively, namely
$${}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{IJ}=\left(\begin{array}{cc}_{(ab)}& \frac{1}{2}(\overline{)}𝒟_a{}_{}{}^{b}+\overline{)}𝒞^b{}_{a}{}^{})\\ \frac{1}{2}(\overline{)}𝒞^a{}_{b}{}^{}+\overline{)}𝒟_b{}_{}{}^{a})& 𝒜^{(ab)}\end{array}\right)=\left(\begin{array}{cc}{}_{}{}^{(1)}_{ab}^{}& {}_{}{}^{(1)}𝒟_{a}^{}^b\\ {}_{}{}^{(1)}𝒞_{}^{a}_b& {}_{}{}^{(1)}𝒜_{}^{ab}\end{array}\right),$$
here we used the notation $`\overline{)}M_a{}_{}{}^{b}:=M_a{}_{}{}^{b}M_c{}_{}{}^{c}\delta _{a}^{b}/3`$, and
$${}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi _{}^{IJ}=\frac{1}{6}(𝒞^c{}_{c}{}^{}+𝒟_c{}_{}{}^{c})\left(\begin{array}{cc}0_3& 1_3\\ 1_3& 0_3\end{array}\right)=\frac{1}{6}(𝒞^c{}_{c}{}^{}+𝒟_c{}_{}{}^{c})ϵ^{IJ}.$$
(50) , we have specifically

$${}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{IJ}=\left(\begin{array}{cc}_{[ab]}& \frac{1}{2}(𝒟_a{}_{}{}^{b}𝒞^b{}_{a}{}^{})\\ \frac{1}{2}(𝒞^a{}_{b}{}^{}𝒟_b{}_{}{}^{a})& 𝒜^{[ab]}\end{array}\right)=\left(\begin{array}{cc}{}_{}{}^{(2)}_{ab}^{}& {}_{}{}^{(2)}𝒟_{a}^{}^b\\ {}_{}{}^{(2)}𝒞_{}^{a}_b& {}_{}{}^{(2)}𝒜_{}^{ab}\end{array}\right)$$

$$=\left(\begin{array}{cc}\widehat{ϵ}_{abc}S_0^c& +S_a{}_{}{}^{b}\delta _a^bS_c^c\\ S_b{}_{}{}^{a}+\delta _b^aS_c^c& ϵ^{abc}S_c^0\end{array}\right).$$
(51)
The rest is done easily. We substitute (51) into the spacetime relation

$$\left(\begin{array}{c}_a\\ 𝒟^a\end{array}\right)=\left(\begin{array}{cc}𝒞^b_a& _{ba}\\ 𝒜^{ba}& D_b^a\end{array}\right)\left(\begin{array}{c}E_b\\ B^b\end{array}\right)$$
(52)
and find quite generally for the skewon contributions of the 3D excitations,

$`{}_{}{}^{(2)}𝒟_{}^{a}`$ $`=`$ $`ϵ^{abc}S_c{}_{}{}^{0}E_{b}^{}+(\delta _b^aS_c{}_{}{}^{c}+S_b{}_{}{}^{a})B^b,`$ (53)
$`{}_{}{}^{(2)}_{a}^{}`$ $`=`$ $`(\delta _a^bS_c{}_{}{}^{c}+S_a{}_{}{}^{b})E_b\widehat{ϵ}_{abc}S_0{}_{}{}^{c}B_{}^{b}.`$ (54)
The diagonal terms of the 3D tensor $`(\delta _a^bS_c{}_{}{}^{c}+S_a{}_{}{}^{b})`$ are of the type as those postulated by Nieves and Pal  for describing a “…third electromagnetic constant of an isotropic medium”. However, our “medium” is spacetime, i.e., the vacuum itself.

We stress that for the derivation of (53) and (54) we neither specialized the skewon field $`S_i^j`$ nor did we apply any metric distilled from $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$. Therefore the 1+3 decompositions in (53) and (54) are generally valid for any linear spacetime relation.

## 5 Spatially isotropic skewon field and the
ansatz of Nieves and Pal

If we specialize first to 3-dimensional isotropy, then we have, with the 3D pseudo-scalar function $`s=s(x)`$,

$$S_a{}_{}{}^{b}=\frac{s}{2}\delta _a^b,S_0{}_{}{}^{a}=0,S_b{}_{}{}^{0}=0.$$
(55)
It was possible to formulate isotropy for the skewon piece without taking recourse to a metric tensor since $`S_i^j`$ is a mixed variant tensor of 2nd rank. Thus,

$$S_i{}_{}{}^{j}=\frac{s}{2}\left(\begin{array}{cccc}\hfill 3& 0& 0& 0\\ \hfill 0& 1& 0& 0\\ \hfill 0& 0& 1& 0\\ \hfill 0& 0& 0& 1\end{array}\right)$$
(56)
and

$$\delta _a^bS_c{}_{}{}^{c}+S_a{}_{}{}^{b}=s\delta _a^b.$$
(57)
Consequently, equations (53) and (54) become

$${}_{}{}^{(2)}𝒟_{}^{a}=sB^a,^{(2)}_a=sE_a,$$
(58)
exactly what Nieves and Pal had postulated and discussed subsequently . Accordingly, the spacetime relations (53) and (54) are anisotropic generalizations of the Nieves and Pal ansatz. The off diagonal terms with $`S_0^a`$ and $`S_b^0`$ lead, respectively, to magnetic and electric Faraday type of effects of the spacetime under consideration, i.e., these terms rotate the polarization of a wave propagating in such a spacetime.

## 6 On the four electromagnetic constants for vacuum spacetime with spatial isotropy

Since the axion field also contributes to the spacetime relation of the type (58), we are going to determine it. We have

$${}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}:=\alpha ϵ^{ijkl},\alpha =\frac{1}{4!}\widehat{ϵ}_{ijkl}^{(3)}\chi ^{ijkl},$$
(59)
$${}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi _{}^{IJ}=\alpha \left(\begin{array}{cc}0_3& 1_3\\ 1_3& 0_3\end{array}\right)=\alpha ϵ^{IJ}.$$
(60)
Because of (52), we find

$`{}_{}{}^{(3)}𝒟_{}^{a}`$ $`=`$ $`+\alpha B^a,`$ (61)
$`{}_{}{}^{(3)}_{a}^{}`$ $`=`$ $`\alpha E_a.`$ (62)
If we take (78) from below in Cartesian coordinates, i.e., we have a Lorentz metric $`o_{ij}\stackrel{}{=}(c^2,1,1,1)`$ with $`o_{ab}\stackrel{}{=}\delta _{ab}`$, then the spacetime relation becomes

$`𝒟^a`$ $`=`$ $`\epsilon _0\delta ^{ab}E_b+\left(s+\alpha \right)B^a,`$ (63)
$`_a`$ $`=`$ $`\left(s\alpha \right)E_a+\mu _0^1\delta _{ab}B^b.`$ (64)
In the special case when skewon and axion become constant fields, we can say that we found 4 electromagnetic constants for a spacetime (vacuum) with spatial isotropy: The electric constant $`\epsilon _0`$, the magnetic constant $`\mu _0`$, the isotropic part $`s`$ of the skewon $`S_a^b`$, and the axion $`\alpha `$.

## 7 How does the skewon field affect light propagation ?

For any linear spacetime relation, the Fresnel equation can be written as

$$𝒢^{ijkl}q_iq_jq_kq_l=0,$$
(65)
where $`q_i`$ is the wave covector. The fourth order tensor density of weight $`+1`$, the Fresnel tensor, as we may call it, is defined by

$$𝒢^{ijkl}:=\frac{1}{4!}\widehat{ϵ}_{mnpq}\widehat{ϵ}_{rstu}\chi ^{mnr(i}\chi ^{j|ps|k}\chi ^{l)qtu}.$$
(66)
First, we recall  that the Fresnel equation is independent of the axion piece $`{}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi `$ of the constitutive tensor:

$$𝒢^{ijkl}(\chi )=𝒢^{ijkl}({}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi +{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi ).$$
(67)
Thus, for arbitrary $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi `$ and $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$, we have

$$𝒢^{ijkl}(^{(3)}\chi )=0.$$
(68)
Furthermore, due to the skewsymmetry (17)1 of $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$, we have

$$𝒢^{ijkl}({}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi )=0.$$
(69)
By explicit calculations, we used computer algebra for it, we find

$$𝒢^{ijkl}({}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi +{}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi )=0.$$
(70)
This identity is non-trivial since $`𝒢`$ depends cubically on the constitutive tensor $`\chi `$. The identity (70) shows that the symmetric piece $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi `$ is indispensable in order to obtain well behaved wave properties: If $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi =0`$, the Fresnel equation is trivially satisfied and thus no light cone structure could be induced.

Furthermore, since in general

$$𝒢^{ijkl}({}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi +{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi )𝒢^{ijkl}({}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi ),$$
(71)
the skewon field does influences the Fresnel equation, and therefore, eventually the light cone structure. An example of this general result can be found in the asymmetric constitutive tensor studied by Nieves and Pal . Actually, after some algebra one finds

$`𝒢^{ijkl}({}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi +{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi )`$ $`=`$ $`𝒢^{ijkl}({}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi )`$ (72)
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{2}{4!}}\widehat{ϵ}_{mnpq}\widehat{ϵ}_{rstu}{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{mnr(i}{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{j|ps|k}{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{l)qtu}`$
$`+`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4!}}\widehat{ϵ}_{mnpq}\widehat{ϵ}_{rstu}{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{mnr(i}{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{j|ps|k}{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{l)qtu}`$
or, in a (more of less) obvious notation, see the definition (66),

$`𝒢^{ijkl}(\chi ,\chi ,\chi )`$ $`=`$ $`𝒢^{ijkl}({}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi ,{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi ,{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi )+2𝒢^{ijkl}({}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi ,{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi ,{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi )`$ (73)
$`+𝒢^{ijkl}({}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi ,{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi ,{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi ).`$
The other terms vanish due to the symmetry properties of each irreducible piece.

Take now (72) and substitute the parametrization of $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$ in terms of $`S_i^j`$, see (19). After some lengthy but straightforward algebra, one finds that the two last contributions to the right hand side of (72) are actually equal, namely

$`𝒢^{ijkl}({}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi ,{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi ,{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi )`$ $`=`$ $`𝒢^{ijkl}({}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi ,{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi ,{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi )`$ (74)
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}}{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{m(i|n|j}S_m^kS_n^{l)}.`$ (75)
Therefore, the final result reads

$$𝒢^{ijkl}(\chi )=𝒢^{ijkl}({}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi +{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi )=𝒢^{ijkl}({}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi )+{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{m(i|n|j}S_m^kS_n^{l)},$$
(76)
a very simple expression, indeed.

For the particular case of Nieves and Pal, we will use the ansatz

$$S_i{}_{}{}^{j}=\overline{)}S_i{}_{}{}^{j}=\omega _iv^j\frac{1}{4}\omega _kv^k\delta _i^j$$
(77)
and assume additionally the existence of a metric $`g_{ij}`$ (resulting from $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi `$!) for raising and lowering indices: $`\omega _i=g_{il}v^l`$. This determines $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$ via (28). Furthermore, we assume for the principal part the usual metric dependent expression for the vacuum in a Riemannian spacetime, namely

$$^{(1)}\chi ^{ijkl}=2\sqrt{\frac{\epsilon _0}{\mu _0}}\sqrt{g}g^{i[k}g^{l]j}.$$
(78)
Because of (67), the axion piece is not required. Accordingly, we substitute $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi `$ and $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$ into (66). Then,

$`𝒢^{ijkl}q_iq_jq_kq_l`$ $`=`$ $`\sqrt{{\displaystyle \frac{\epsilon _0}{\mu _0}}}\sqrt{g}\times `$ (79)
$`\left[{\displaystyle \frac{\epsilon _0}{\mu _0}}(qq)^2(qq)(vv)(vq)^2+(vq)^4\right]=0.`$
We now use $`q_i\stackrel{}{=}(\omega ,\stackrel{}{k})`$, $`v^i\stackrel{}{=}(v,0,0,0)`$, $`g_{ij}=o_{ij}\stackrel{}{=}(c^2,1,1,1)`$, and $`c^2=\frac{1}{\epsilon _0\mu _0}`$. Thus,

$$\frac{1}{\epsilon _0^3}𝒢^{ijkl}q_iq_jq_kq_l\stackrel{}{=}\left[\omega ^2(c\stackrel{}{k})^2\right]^2+\left[\frac{cv^2}{\epsilon _0}\omega c\stackrel{}{k}\right]^2=0.$$
(80)
This equation describes how the skewon piece, via $`v`$, affects light propagation. In general, for $`v0`$, the Fresnel equation will have complex solutions. This is again a manifestation of the dispersive properties described by the skewon piece $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$ of the constitutive tensor. Modulo different conventions, our result (80) agrees with that of Nieves and Pal  Eq.(5.7).

## 8 Discussion

The skewon and the axion part of $`\chi `$ are explicitly known:

$`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$ $`=`$ $`ϵ^{ijm[k}S_m{}_{}{}^{l]}ϵ^{klm[i}S_m{}_{}{}^{j]},`$ (81)
$`{}_{}{}^{(3)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}`$ $`=`$ $`\alpha ϵ^{ijkl}.`$ (82)
Accordingly, we found a traceless 2nd rank tensor field $`S_i{}_{}{}^{j}=\overline{)}S_i^j`$ and a pseudo-scalar $`\alpha `$. For the principal part $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi `$ with its 20 independent components things are more difficult.

We can tentatively assume

$$^{(1)}\chi ^{ijkl}g^{[i|[k}h^{l]|j]}+g^{[k|[i}h^{j]|l]}+ϵ^{ijm[k}a_m{}_{}{}^{l]}+ϵ^{klm[i}a_m{}_{}{}^{j]},$$
(83)
with two symmetric $`g^{ij}=g^{ji},h^{ij}=h^{ji}`$ and a traceless tensor $`a_i^j`$, with $`a_k{}_{}{}^{k}=0`$. However, a second look convinces us that in (83) the two last terms (with $`a`$) should be deleted. The reason is the S-identity, see Appendix. In view of (92), a traceless (1,1) tensor can only contribute to the $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$, not to $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi `$. So, the structure of $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi `$ is most probably determined only by the two symmetric tensors $`g^{ij}`$ and $`h^{ij}`$ with $`10+10`$ independent components.

Furthermore, it is clear that the two terms on the r.h.s. of (83) are equal: $`g^{[i|[k}h^{l]|j]}=g^{[k|[i}h^{j]|l]}`$. Indeed:

$`4g^{[i|[k}h^{l]|j]}`$ $`=`$ $`g^{ik}h^{lj}g^{il}h^{kj}g^{jk}h^{li}+g^{jl}h^{ki}=4g^{[k|[i}h^{j]|l]}`$ (84)
$`=`$ $`g^{ki}h^{jl}g^{kj}h^{il}g^{li}h^{jk}+g^{lj}h^{ik}.`$ (85)
Since both tensors are symmetric, $`g^{ij}=g^{ji}`$ and $`h^{ij}=h^{ji}`$, the two expressions are equivalent. Thus only one term is left over:

$$^{(1)}\chi ^{ijkl}g^{[i|[k}h^{l]|j]}$$
(86)
By the way, if we turn to the $`\kappa `$-representation, we have:

$${}_{}{}^{(1)}\kappa _{ij}^{}{}_{}{}^{kl}\widehat{ϵ}_{ijmn}g^{m[k}h^{l]n}.$$
(87)
For the symmetric $`g^{ij}=g^{ji}`$ and $`h^{ij}=h^{ji}`$, a contraction is automatically zero, $`{}_{}{}^{(1)}\kappa _{il}^{}{}_{}{}^{kl}0`$. This means that such a term belongs indeed to the first irreducible part, in accordance with Sec.3. Such a structure looks very much as the most general parametrization of the first irreducible part, but a proof is still not available.

Summarizing: it seems that the general structure of the first irreducible part reads

$${}_{}{}^{(1)}\chi _{}^{ijkl}g^{[i|[k}h^{l]|j]}.$$
(88)
It would be desirable to find a corresponding proof.

### Acknowledgments

G.F.R. would like to thank the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for financial support. We are grateful to Alfredo Macías, UAM-Iztapalapa, for inviting us to contribute to the Mexican Physics Meeting quoted above. This project has been partly supported by CONACyT Grants: 28339E, 32138E, by a FOMES Grant: P/FOMES 98–35–15, and by the joint German–Mexican project CONACyT — DFG: E130–655 — 444 MEX 100.

## Appendix A Two identities

We can rederive our results (19) and (28) in an alternative way in order to get more insight in the relevant structure. In 4D, any object with five completely antisymmetrized indices is zero, $`Z_{\mathrm{}}^{[ijmkl]}0`$. When 4 of these 5 indices belong to the Levi-Civita symbol, we have the identity:

$$ϵ^{ijmk}Z_{\mathrm{}}^lϵ^{ljmk}Z_{\mathrm{}}^i+ϵ^{ilmk}Z_{\mathrm{}}^j+ϵ^{ijlk}Z_{\mathrm{}}^m+ϵ^{ijml}Z_{\mathrm{}}^k.$$
(89)
Applying this for the case when $`Z=S_m^l`$, we find the identity

$$ϵ^{ijmk}S_m{}_{}{}^{l}ϵ^{ljmk}S_m{}_{}{}^{i}+ϵ^{ilmk}S_m{}_{}{}^{j}+ϵ^{ijlk}S_m{}_{}{}^{m}+ϵ^{ijml}S_m{}_{}{}^{k}.$$
(90)
Suppose that $`S_i^j`$ is a traceless tensor, i.e. $`S_m{}_{}{}^{m}=0`$. Then a simple rearrangement of the terms in the above identity yields:

$$ϵ^{ijmk}S_m{}_{}{}^{l}ϵ^{ijml}S_m{}_{}{}^{k}ϵ^{klmi}S_m{}_{}{}^{j}+ϵ^{klmj}S_m{}_{}{}^{i}.$$
(91)
Summarizing, we proved the S-identity: Every (1,1) tensor $`S_i^j`$ which is traceless, $`S_k{}_{}{}^{k}=0`$, has the property

$$ϵ^{ijm[k}S_m{}_{}{}^{l]}ϵ^{klm[i}S_m{}_{}{}^{j]}.$$
(92)
This identity always holds true in four dimensions, just because of the properties of the Levi-Civita symbol. Eq.(92) can also be found by adding (26) and (27). The S-identity underlies the possibility to express $`{}_{}{}^{(2)}\chi `$ in terms of the skewon tensor.

Let us now demonstrate another identity which holds for a (2,2) tensor $`K_{ij}^{kl}`$. Consider the contraction

$$ϵ^{ijmn}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{[kl]}=\frac{1}{2}(ϵ^{ijmn}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{kl}ϵ^{ijmn}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{lk}).$$
(93)
Apply the identity (89) to the indices $`[ijmnk]`$ in the first term on the r.h.s. and to the indices $`[ijmnl]`$ in the second term:

$`ϵ^{ijmn}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{kl}=ϵ^{kjmn}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{il}+ϵ^{ikmn}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{jl}+ϵ^{ijkn}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{ml}+ϵ^{ijmk}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{nl},`$ (94)
$`ϵ^{ijmn}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{lk}=ϵ^{ljmn}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{ik}+ϵ^{ilmn}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{jk}+ϵ^{ijln}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{mk}+ϵ^{ijml}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{nk}.`$ (95)
Suppose that the tensor $`K`$ is traceless: $`K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{mk}=0`$. Then using (94)-(95) in (93), we find:

$$ϵ^{ijmn}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{[kl]}=ϵ^{jmn[k}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{l]i}ϵ^{imn[k}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{l]j}.$$
(96)
Now we once again apply the identity (89):

$$ϵ^{jmnk}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{li}=ϵ^{jmnl}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{ki}+ϵ^{jmlk}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{ni}+ϵ^{jlnk}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{mi}+ϵ^{lmnk}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{ji}.$$
(97)
Taking into account the tracelessness, $`K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{mk}=0`$, we can rearrange the terms (move the first term from the r.h.s. to the l.h.s.) and find

$$ϵ^{jmn[k}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{l]i}=\frac{1}{2}ϵ^{klmn}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{ij}.$$
(98)
Finally, using (98) in (96), we prove the K-identity: Every (2,2) tensor $`K_{ij}^{kl}`$ that is traceless $`K_{ki}{}_{}{}^{kj}=0`$ has the property

$$ϵ^{ijmn}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{[kl]}=ϵ^{klmn}K_{mn}{}_{}{}^{[ij]}.$$
(99)
\[Incidentally, this property applies in particular to the Weyl curvature tensor $`C_{ij}^{kl}`$. In this case, we recover from (99) the well known anti-self double-duality of the Weyl tensor: $`C_{ij}{}_{}{}^{kl}=\frac{1}{4}ϵ^{klmn}\widehat{ϵ}_{ijpq}C_{mn}^{pq}`$\].