Symmetry theories, Wigner’s function, compactification, and holography

The global symmetry data of a D -dimensional absolute quantum field theory (QFT) can sometimes be packaged in terms of a ( D + 1 )-dimensional bulk system obtained by extending along an interval, with a relative QFT D at one end and suitable gapped or free boundary conditions at the other end. The partition function of the QFT D can then be interpreted as a wave function depending on background fields. However, in some cases, it is not possible or simply cumbersome to fix an absolute form of the symmetry data. Additionally, it is also of interest to consider entangled and mixed states of relative QFTs as well as entangled and mixed states of gapped or free boundary conditions. We argue that Wigner’s quasiprobabilistic function on phase space provides a physical interpretation of the symmetry data in all such situations. We illustrate these considerations in the case of string compactifications and holographic systems.