Quantum duality in electromagnetism and the fine structure constant

Abstract

We describe the interplay between electric-magnetic duality and higher symmetry in Maxwell theory. When the fine structure constant is rational, the theory admits noninvertible symmetries which can be realized as composites of electric-magnetic duality and gauging a discrete subgroup of the one-form global symmetry. These noninvertible symmetries are approximate quantum invariances of the natural world which emerge in the infrared below the mass scale of charged particles. We construct these symmetries explicitly as topological defects and illustrate their action on local and extended operators. We also describe their action on boundary conditions and illustrate some consequences of the symmetry for Hilbert spaces of the theory defined in finite volume.