Work

Generalized symmetries in shallow water

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Recent developments have extended the concept of global symmetries in several directions, offering new perspectives across a wide range of physical systems. This work shows that generalized global symmetries naturally emerge in shallow water systems. In particular, we demonstrate that two subsystem symmetries—previously studied primarily in exotic field theories—arise intrinsically in the dynamics of shallow water flows. A central result is that the local conservation of potential vorticity follows directly from the first subsystem symmetry, revealing that the classic Kelvin circulation theorem is rooted in these symmetries. Notably, the associated charge algebra forms a Kac-Moody current algebra, with the level determined by the spatial variation of the Coriolis parameter. Beyond the first subsystem symmetry, we also identify a second one, construct the corresponding Noether charges, and explore their potential applications.

Source: Physics Letters B

DOI: 10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139934

Authors: V. Taghiloo, M.H. Vahidinia

Institutions: Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Nonlinear Waves and Solitons

Subfield: Statistical and Nonlinear Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: Iran National Science Foundation

Award: G3936445936