Global anomalies, discrete symmetries and hydrodynamic effective actions

Abstract

We derive effective actions for parity-violating fluids in both (3 + 1) and (2 + 1) dimensions, including those with anomalies. As a corollary we confirm the most general constitutive relations for such systems derived previously using other methods. We discuss in detail connections between parity-odd transport and underlying discrete symmetries. In (3+1) dimensions we elucidate connections between anomalous transport coefficients and global anomalies, and clarify a previous puzzle concerning transports and local gravitational anomalies. Keywords: Anomalies in Field and String Theories; Discrete Symmetries; Effective Field Theories; Space-Time Symmetries