Top-Down Perspectives on Symmetry Theories

I will review the construction and utility of symmetry theories for string constructed quantum field theories. Symmetry theories are extra-dimensional auxiliary theories separating aspects of a quantum field theory’s symmetries from many of its more messy features. For QFTs with extra-dimensional string constructions the symmetry theory derives directly from the extra-dimensional geometry. This perspective allows for the study of symmetries of famously string engineered systems, such as SCFTs in 5D and 6D, which we will discuss on an example by example basis.