Higher-form symmetries of 6d and 5d theories

Understand

We describe general methods for determining higher-form symmetry groups of known 5d and 6d superconformal field theories (SCFTs), and 6d little string theories (LSTs).

• The 6d theories can be described as supersymmetric gauge theories in 6d which include both ordinary non-abelian 1-form gauge fields and also abelian 2-form gauge fields.
• Similarly, the 5d theories can also be often described as supersymmetric non-abelian gauge theories in 5d.
• Naively, the 1-form symmetry of these 6d and 5d theories is captured by those elements of the center of ordinary gauge group which leave the matter content of the gauge theory invariant.