Explain the selective emergence of time-reversal symmetry

Explain why time-reversal symmetry, rather than other candidate symmetries, emerges at the topological quantum critical point of a time-reversal-breaking two-dimensional chiral p-wave superconductor in class D.

Background

The paper uses the class-D chiral p-wave superconductor as a basic example in which an infrared time-reversal symmetry emerges at criticality even though time-reversal symmetry is broken in the gapped phases. The authors identify the origin and selectivity of this emergent symmetry as unresolved.

References

This technical similarity suggests a holographic nature of the 2D tQCP from the point of view of the emergent symmetry, although it is not fully understood why only TRS emerges at this tQCP, but not other symmetries.

— Holographic Representations of Topological Quantum Criticality: Emergent Symmetry Approach around the Bott Clock  (2608.30335 - Yang et al., 31 Aug 2026) in Section 1, Introduction