Anomalous Commutator Algebra for Conformal Quantum Mechanics

Abstract

The structure of the commutator algebra for conformal quantum mechanics is considered. Specifically, it is shown that the emergence of a dimensional scale by renormalization implies the existence of an anomaly or quantum-mechanical symmetry breaking, which is explicitly displayed at the level of the generators of the SO(2,1) conformal group. Correspondingly, the associated breakdown of the conservation of the dilation and special conformal charges is derived.

Comments: 23 pages. A few typos corrected in the final version (which agrees with the published Phys. Rev. D article)