Color-kinematic duality in ABJM theory without amplitude relations

Abstract

We explicitly show that the Bern–Carrasco–Johansson color-kinematic duality holds at tree level through at least eight points in Aharony–Bergman–Jafferis–Maldacena theory with gauge group [Formula: see text]. At six points we give the explicit form of numerators in terms of amplitudes, displaying the generalized gauge freedom that leads to amplitude relations. However, at eight points no amplitude relations follow from the duality, so the diagram numerators are fixed unique functions of partial amplitudes. We provide the explicit amplitude-numerator decomposition and the numerator relations for eight-point amplitudes.