Phase spaces in field theory: Reduction vs. resolution

Abstract: In this note we review the concept of phase space in classical field theory, discussing several variations on the basic notion, as well as the relation between them. In particular we will focus on the case where the field theory admits local (gauge) symmetry, in which case the physical phase space of the system emerges after a (usually singular) quotient with respect to the action of the symmetry group. We will highlight the symplectic and Poisson underpinnings of the reduction procedure that defines a phase space, and discuss how one can replace quotients with graded smooth objects within classical field theory via cohomological resolutions, a practice that goes under the name of Batalin--Vilkovisky formalism. Special attention is placed on the reduction and resolution of gauge theories on manifolds with corners, which famously depend on a number of arbitrary choices. We phrase these choices in terms of homotopies for the variational bicomplex, and define a homotopy version of Noether's current and conservation theorem.