Wess-Zumino-Witten Interactions of Axions

Abstract

We present a consistent derivation of the complete Wess-Zumino-Witten interactions of axions, including the counter-term necessary to guarantee the gauge invariance of the standard model. By treating the derivative of the axion field as a background gauge field and incorporating auxiliary chiral rotation phases, we ensure consistency in the axion-interaction Lagrangian. This approach allows us to derive basis-independent physical interactions of axions with gauge bosons and vector mesons. These interactions have broad applications in axion phenomenology for both light and heavy axion particles. Published by the American Physical Society 2025