Global Topology and Local Violation of Discrete Symmetries

Jeeva Anandan

Published 1997-06-25, updated 1997-07-24Version 2

Cosmological models that are locally consistent with general relativity and the standard model in which an object transported around the universe undergoes P, C and CP transformations, are constructed. This leads to generalization of the gauge fields that describe electro-weak and strong interactions by enlarging the gauge groups to include anti-unitary transformations. Gedanken experiments show that if all interactions obey Einstein causality then P, C and CP cannot be violated in these models. But another model, which would violate charge superselection rule even for an isolated system, is allowed. It is suggested that the fundamental physical laws must have these discrete symmetries which are broken spontaneously, or they must be non causal.