Chiral anomaly in (1+1) dimensions revisited: complementary kinetic perspective and universality

• Published in: arXiv.org
• Main Authors: Wei-Han, Hsiao, Wang, Chiao-Hsuan
• Format: Paper
• Language: English
• Published: Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 17.06.2023
• Subjects: Anomalies; Asymptotic properties; Boltzmann transport equation; Chirality; Current algebra; Distribution functions; Elementary excitations; Kinetic theory
• ISSN: 2331-8422

We reinvestigate the classic example of chiral anomaly in (1+1) dimensional spacetime. By reviewing the derivation of charge conservation with the semiclassical Boltzmann equation, we argue that chiral anomalies could emerge in (1+1) dimensions without Berry curvature corrections to the kinetic theory. The pivotal step depends only on the asymptotic behavior of the distribution function of the quasiparticle, and thus its dispersion relation, in the limit of \(|\mathbf p|\to\pm\infty\) rather than the detailed functional form of the dispersion. We address two subjects motivated by this observation. One concerns reformulating (1+1) dimensional chiral anomaly using kinetic theory with the current algebra approach and the gradient expansion of the Dirac Lagrangian, adding a complementary perspective to the existing approaches. The other demonstrates the universality of chiral anomaly across various quasiparticle dispersions. For two-band models linear in the temporal derivative, with Fujikawa's method we show it is sufficient tohave a chirality-odd strictly monotonic dispersion in order to exhibit chiral anomaly.