Gauging in parameter space: A top-down perspective

In this paper, we discuss a novel top-down perspective on gauging parameters in quantum field theories (QFTs) by promoting them to partially dynamical fields. Through a generalized notion of symmetry theories, we explore the consequences of this promotion, revealing new topological defects, decompositions as well as generalized symmetry structures across various dimensions. We provide a systematic top-down derivation of symmetry theories for parameters and discuss how special types of branes, such as Euclidean branes and fluxbranes are related to gauging in the parameter space in QFTs. We illustrate our theoretical framework with two key examples: the modified instanton sum in 4D <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><a:mi mathvariant="script">N</a:mi><a:mo>=</a:mo><a:mn>4</a:mn></a:math> super Yang-Mills theory and the gauging of gauge ranks in 3D ABJ(M) theories.