Bosonisation Cohomology: Spin Structure Summation in Every Dimension

Abstract

Gauging fermion parity and summing over spin structures are subtly distinct operations. We introduce 'bosonisation cohomology' groups $H_B^{d+2}(X)$ to capture this difference, for theories in spacetime dimension $d$ equipped with maps to some $X$. Non-trivial classes in $H_B^{d+2}(X)$ contain theories for which $(-1)^F$ is anomaly-free, but spin structure summation is anomalous. We formulate a sequence of cobordism groups whose failure to be exact is measured by $H_B^{d+2}(X)$, and from here we compute it for $X=\text{pt}$. The result is non-trivial only in dimensions $d\in 4\mathbb{Z}+2$, being due to the presence of gravitational anomalies. The first few are $H_B^4=\mathbb{Z}_2$, probed by a theory of 8 Majorana-Weyl fermions in $d=2$, then $H_B^8=\mathbb{Z}_8$, $H_B^{12}=\mathbb{Z}_{16}\times \mathbb{Z}_2$. We rigorously derive a general formula extending this to every spacetime dimension. Along the way, we compile many general facts about (fermionic and bosonic) anomaly polynomials, and about spin and pin$^-$ (co)bordism generators, that we hope might serve as a useful reference for physicists working with these objects. We briefly discuss some physics applications, including how the $H_B^{12}$ class is trivialised in supergravity. Despite the name, and notation, we make no claim that $H_B^\bullet(X)$ actually defines a cohomology theory (in the Eilenberg-Steenrod sense).

Figures (4)

• Figure 1: The cobordism sequence \ref{['eq:int:seq']} in low degrees $n \leq 13$.
• Figure 2: An illustration of the suspension $\Sigma X$ for some space $X$ indicated by the blue disc. One can think of 'hanging' $X$ between two endpoints. For reduced suspension, all the basepoints, indicated by the red line, are also identified.
• Figure 3: Illustration of how to go left and right through the Smith isomorphism.
• Figure 4: The construction of the manifold $Y$ from $(M, \rho, A)$.