Dynamical Edge Modes in $p$-form Gauge Theories

Understand

We extend our recently identified dynamical edge mode boundary condition to $p$-form gauge theories, revealing their edge modes as Goldstone bosons arising from gauge transformations with support on the boundary.

• The symplectic conjugates of these edge modes correspond to the electric-field-like components normal to the boundary.
• We demonstrate that both the symplectic form and the Hamiltonian naturally decompose into bulk and edge parts.
• When the boundary is a stretched horizon, we show that the thermal edge partition function reduces to that of a codimension-two ghost $(p-1)$-form residing on the bifurcation surface.