Stückelberg-modified massive Abelian 3-form theory: Constraint analysis, conserved charges and BRST algebra

For the Stückelberg-modified massive Abelian 3-form theory in any arbitrary D-dimension of spacetime, we show that its classical gauge symmetry transformations are generated by the first-class constraints. We establish that the Noether conserved charge (corresponding to the local gauge symmetry transformations) is same as the standard form of the generator for the underlying local gauge symmetry transformations (expressed in terms of the first-class constraints). We promote these classical local, continuous and infinitesimal gauge symmetry transformations to their quantum counterparts Becchi–Rouet–Stora–Tyutin (BRST) and anti-BRST symmetry transformations which are respected by the coupled (but equivalent) Lagrangian densities. We derive the conserved (anti-)BRST charges by exploiting the theoretical potential of Noether’s theorem. However, these charges turn out to be non-nilpotent. Some of the highlights of our present investigation are (i) the derivation of the off-shell nilpotent versions of the (anti-)BRST charges from the standard non-nilpotent Noether conserved (anti-)BRST charges, (ii) the appearance of the operator forms of the first-class constraints at the quantum level through the physicality criteria with respect to the nilpotent versions of the (anti-)BRST charges, and (iii) the deduction of the Curci–Ferrari-type restrictions from the straightforward equality of the coupled (anti-)BRST invariant Lagrangian densities as well as from the requirement of the absolute anticommutativity of the off-shell nilpotent versions of the conserved (anti-)BRST charges.