Topologically massive non-Abelian gauge theories: Constraints and deformations

Abstract

We study the relationship between three non-Abelian topologically massive gauge theories, viz., the naive non-Abelian generalization of the Abelian model, Freedman-Townsend model, and the dynamical 2-form theory, in the canonical framework. The Hamiltonian formulation of the naive non-Abelian theory is presented first. The other two non-Abelian models are obtained by deforming the constraints of this model. We study the role of the auxiliary vector field in the dynamical 2-form theory in the canonical framework and show that the dynamical 2-form theory cannot be considered as the embedded version of the naive non-Abelian model. The reducibility aspect and gauge algebra of the latter models are also discussed. © 2001 The American Physical Society.