We discuss the conditions under which classically conformally invariant models in four dimensions can arise out of non-conformal (Einstein) gravity. As an ‘existence proof’ that this is indeed possible we show how to derive N = 4 super Yang Mills theory with any compact gauge group G from non-conformal gauged N = 4 supergravity as a special flat space limit. We stress the role that the anticipa...

Scale-invariant actions in arbitrary dimensions are investigated in curved space to clarify the relation between scale-, Weyland conformal invariance on the classical level. The global Weyl-group is gauged. Then the class of actions is determined for which Weyl-gauging may be replaced by a suitable coupling to the curvature (Ricci gauging). It is shown that this class is exactly the class of ac...

At the beginning of the semester we motivated our investigation of symmetries by illustrating that, given differential equations which were symmetric, the solutions had to transform into each other under the symmetries as a representation of the symmetry. The first illustrations considered Schrödinger equations with symmetric potentials, such as the electrons in the spherically symmetric potent...