Comments on the Covariant Sp(2)-Symmetric Lagrangian BRST Formalism

We give a simple geometrical picture of the basic structures of the covariant Sp(2) symmetric quantization formalism – triplectic quantization – recently suggested by Batalin, Marnelius and Semikhatov. In particular, we show that the appearance of an even Poisson bracket is not a particular property of triplectic quantization. Rather, any solution of the classical master equation generates on a Lagrangian surface of the antibracket an even Poisson bracket. Also other features of triplectic quantization can be identified with aspects of conventional Lagrangian BRST quantization without extended BRST symmetry. On leave of absence from the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, 141980 Russia e-mail: [email protected] On leave of absence from the Niels Bohr Institute, Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.