MASSIVE p-FORMS: FIRST-CLASS APPROACHES

Abstract

Massive p-forms are analyzed from the point of view of the Hamiltonian path integral quantization. More precisely, the quantization procedure is based on the path integral of a first-class system equivalent (at both classical and quantum levels) with the original theory. This first-class system is constructed using the gauge unfixing approach and the Batalin–Fradkin method, respectively. Both methods finally output the manifestly Lorentz covariant path integral for p- and (D-p-1)-forms with topological coupling or (p-1)- and p-forms with Stückelberg coupling.