Constructing the cubic interaction vertex of higher spin gauge fields

We propose a method of construction of a cubic interaction in massless higher spin gauge theory both in flat and in AdS space-times of arbitrary dimensions. We consider a triplet formulation of the higher spin gauge theory and generalize the higher spin symmetry algebra of the free model to the corresponding algebra for the case of cubic interaction. The generators of this new algebra carry indexes which label the three higher spin fields involved into the cubic interaction. The method is based on the use of oscillator formalism and on the Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin (BRST) technique. We derive general conditions on the form of cubic interaction vertex and discuss the ambiguities of the vertex which result from field redefinitions. This method can in principle be applied for constructing the higher spin interaction vertex at any order. Our results are a first step towards the construction of a Lagrangian for interacting higher spin gauge fields that can be holographically studied.