MISLEADING ANOMALY MATCHINGS

We investigate the low energy dynamics of N = 1 supersymmetric SO(N) g auge theories with a single symmetric tensor matter field. These theor ies exhibit non-trivial matching of global 't Hooft anomalies at the o rigin of moduli space. We argue that their quantum moduli spaces posse ss distinct Higgs and confining branches which touch at the origin in an interacting non-Abelian Coulomb phase. The matching of anomalies be tween microscopic degrees of freedom and colorless moduli therefore ap pears to be coincidental. We discuss a formal mathematical relation be tween the SO(N) model and an analogous Sp(2N) theory with a single ant isymmetric matter field which provides an explanation for the anomaly matching coincidence. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserv ed.