Loop Effective Action Research Articles

Modified Einstein equations from the 1-loop effective action of the IKKT model

Abstract We derive the equations of motion that arise from the one-loop effective action for the geometry of 3+1 dimensional quantum branes in the IKKT matrix model. These equations are cast into the form of generalized Einstein equations, with extra contributions from dilaton and axionic fields, as well as a novel anharmonicity tensor Cµν capturing the classical Yang-Mills-type action. The resulting gravity theory approximately reduces to general relativity in some regime, but differs significantly at cosmic scales, leading to an asymptotically flat Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker cosmological evolution governed by the classical action.

One-loop effective action and emergent gravity on quantum spaces in the IKKT matrix model

A detailed derivation of 3 + 1 dimensional induced or emergent gravity in the IKKT matrix model at one loop is given, as announced in [1]. The mechanism requires a brane configuration with structure {mathcal{M}}^{3,1}times mathcal{K}subset {mathbb{R}}^{9,1} , where {mathcal{M}}^{3,1} is the noncommutative space-time brane, and mathcal{K} are compact fuzzy extra dimensions embedded in target space. The 3+1-dimensional Einstein-Hilbert action then arises in the one loop effective action of the maximally supersymmetric IIB or IKKT matrix model, with effective Newton constant determined by the Kaluza-Klein scale of mathcal{K} . At weak coupling, all physical modes are confined to the brane, leading to 3 + 1-dimensional low-energy physics. The Einstein-Hilbert action can be interpreted as interaction of mathcal{K} with the space-time brane via IIB supergravity. The vacuum energy does not act as cosmological constant, but stabilizes the brane structure at one loop.

Exact instantons via worldline deformations

The imaginary part of the one loop effective action in external backgrounds can be efficiently computed using worldline instantons which are closed periodic paths in spacetime. Exact solutions for nonstatic backgrounds are only known in certain cases. In this paper, we propose a novel technique allowing the construction of further exactly solvable models. In order to do so, we introduce a deformation function which maps the worldline instantons for a given model to the closed periodic stationary paths of a new model. Executing this procedure iteratively results in a chain of infinitely many solvable models. Similar ideas were applied to topological and nontopological defects in quantum field theory. We explicitly discuss the tunneling exponential in the Schwinger pair creation rate and illustrate the validity of the proposed technique for well-known cases.

Gravity as a quantum effect on quantum space-time

The 3+1-dimensional Einstein-Hilbert action is obtained from the 1-loop effective action on noncommutative branes in the IIB or IKKT matrix model. The presence of compact fuzzy extra dimensions K as well as maximal supersymmetry of the model is essential. The E-H action can be interpreted as interaction of K with the space-time brane via IIB supergravity, and the effective Newton constant is determined by the Kaluza-Klein scale of K. The classical matrix model defines a pre-gravity action with 2 derivatives less than the induced E-H action, governing the cosmological regime. The perturbative physics is confined to the space-time brane, which for covariant quantum space-times includes all dof of gravity, as well as a tower of higher-spin modes. The vacuum energy of the background is given in terms of the symplectic volume form, and hence does not act as cosmological constant.

Induced Einstein gravity from infinite towers of states

We consider four-dimensional quadratic gravity coupled to infinite towers of free massive scalar fields, Weyl fermions and vector bosons. We find that for specific numbers of towers, finite cosmological and Newton constants are induced in the 1-loop effective action. This is derived both in Adler's approach and by using the heat kernel method, which yield identical results. If the infinite number of massive states may be regarded as Kaluza–Klein modes arising from fields in higher dimensions, there are no Kaluza–Klein states associated with the four-dimensional graviton. Hence gravity is intrinsically four-dimensional.

Softly broken conformal symmetry with higher curvature terms

In a scalar-coupled-gravity model, the quadratically divergent counter term appearing in the mass renormalization of the scalar fields must inherit corrections arising out of gravitational interactions. In this work we have explicitly demonstrated that there are no such corrections of gravitational origin to the quadratic divergences in the mass counter terms. This statement holds true irrespective of the nature of the gravitational interaction, i.e., whether gravity is described by general relativity or f(R) theory. Interestingly, it also turns out that the one loop effective action of scalar-coupled-gravity system will be well-behaved \emph{if and only if} the $f(R)$ theory is free from ghosts. In particular, the results derived in the context of f(R) theory are shown to be in exact agreement with the corresponding results derived from the equivalent scalar-tensor representation. Our analysis suggests the tantalizing possibility that the masses of the scalar fields can be consistently kept smaller than some Ultra Violet (UV) cutoff scale and is independent of the nature of the gravity theory, which may involve higher curvature corrections. All these will be true provided the matter fields and the gravity theory can be embedded consistently into a UV complete theory at the Planck scale.

Anomaly of a gauge theory under rescaling of the fields

We determine the anomaly associated to an arbitrary scaling of the fields in a quantum gauge theory without making use of the Fujikawa method. We show that this anomaly is dependent on the spin term present in the action and at one loop can be directly extracted from the spin contribution to the one loop effective action. Our results can be readily applied to any gauge theory, supersymmetric or not and agree with previous determination for supersymmetric gauge theories based on the Fujikawa method.

Can the symmetry breaking in the SM be determined by the “second minimum” of the Higgs potential?

The possibility that the spontaneous symmetry breaking in the Standard Model (SM) may be generated by the Top-Higgs Yukawa interaction (which determines the so called ``second in the SM) is investigated. A former analysis about a QCD action only including the Yukawa interaction of a single quark with a scalar field is here extended. We repeat the calculation done in that study of the two loop effective action for the scalar field of the mentioned model. A correction of the former evaluation allowed to select a strong coupling $\alpha $($\mu,\Lambda_{QCD})=0.2254$ GeV at an intermediate scale $\mu=11.63$ GeV, in order to fix the minimum of the potential at a scalar mean field determining $175$ GeV for the single quark mass. Further, a scalar field mass $m=44$ GeV is evaluated, which is also of the order of the experimental Higgs mass. The work is also considering the effects of employing a running with momenta strong coupling. For this purpose, the finite part of the two loop potential contribution determined by the strong coupling, was represented as a momentum integral. Next, substituting in this integral the experimental values of the running coupling, the potential curve became very close to the one for constant coupling. This happened after simply assuming that the low momentum dependence of the coupling is saturated to a constant value being close to its lowest experimental value.

Novel all loop actions of interacting CFTs: Construction, integrability and RG flows

We construct the all loop effective action representing, for small couplings, simultaneously self- and mutually interacting current algebra CFTs realized by WZW models. This non-trivially generalizes our previous works where such interactions were, at the linear level, not simultaneously present. For the two coupling case we prove integrability and calculate the coupled RG flow equations. We also consider non-Abelian T-duality type limits. Our models provide concrete realizations of integrable flows between exact CFTs and exhibit several new features which we discuss in detail.

Antisymmetric Wilson loops in mathcal{N} = 4 SYM beyond the planar limit

We study the frac{1}{2} -BPS circular Wilson loop in the totally antisymmetric representation of the gauge group in mathcal{N} = 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills. This observable is captured by a Gaussian matrix model with appropriate insertion. We compute the first 1/N correction at leading order in ’t Hooft coupling by means of the matrix model loop equations. Disagreement with the 1-loop effective action of the holographically dual D5-brane suggests the need to account for gravitational backreaction on the string theory side.

The ξ/ξ2nd ratio as a test for Effective Polyakov Loop Actions

Effective Polyakov line actions are a powerful tool to study the finite temperature behaviour of lattice gauge theories. They are much simpler to simulate than the original (3+1) dimensional LGTs and are affected by a milder sign problem. However it is not clear to which extent they really capture the rich spectrum of the original theories, a feature which is instead of great importance if one aims to address the sign problem. We propose here a simple way to address this issue based on the so called second moment correlation length ξ2nd. The ratio ξ/ξ2nd between the exponential correlation length and the second moment one is equal to 1 if only a single mass is present in the spectrum, and becomes larger and larger as the complexity of the spectrum increases. Since both ξexp and ξ2nd are easy to measure on the lattice, this is an economic and effective way to keep track of the spectrum of the theory. In this respect we show using both numerical simulation and effective string calculations that this ratio increases dramatically as the temperature decreases. This non-trivial behaviour should be reproduced by the Polyakov loop effective action.

ξ/ξ2nd ratio as a tool to refine effective Polyakov loop models

Effective Polyakov line actions are a powerful tool to study the finite temperature behaviour of lattice gauge theories. They are much simpler to simulate than the original lattice model and are affected by a milder sign problem, but it is not clear to which extent they really capture the rich spectrum of the original theories. We propose here a simple way to address this issue based on the so called second moment correlation length $\xi_{2nd}$. The ratio $\xi/\xi_{2nd}$ between the exponential correlation length and the second moment one is equal to 1 if only a single mass is present in the spectrum, and it becomes larger and larger as the complexity of the spectrum increases. Since both $\xi$ and $\xi_{2nd}$ are easy to measure on the lattice, this is a cheap and efficient way to keep track of the spectrum of the theory. As an example of the information one can obtain with this tool we study the behaviour of $\xi/\xi_{2nd}$ in the confining phase of the ($D=3+1$) $\mathrm{SU}(2)$ gauge theory and show that it is compatible with 1 near the deconfinement transition, but it increases dramatically as the temperature decreases. We also show that this increase can be well understood in the framework of an effective string description of the Polyakov loop correlator. This non-trivial behaviour should be reproduced by the Polyakov loop effective action; thus, it represents a stringent and challenging test of existing proposals and it may be used to fine-tune the couplings and to identify the range of validity of the approximations involved in their construction.

Covariantly quantum Galileon

We derive the 1--loop effective action of the cubic Galileon coupled to quantum-gravitational fluctuations in a background and gauge-independent manner, employing the covariant framework of DeWitt and Vilkovisky. Although the bare action respects shift symmetry, the coupling to gravity induces an effective mass to the scalar, of the order of the cosmological constant, as a direct result of the nonflat field--space metric, the latter ensuring the field-reparametrization invariance of the formalism. Within a gauge-invariant regularization scheme, we discover novel, gravitationally induced non-Galileon higher-derivative interactions in the effective action. These terms, previously unnoticed within standard, noncovariant frameworks, are not Planck suppressed. Unless tuned to be subdominant, their presence could have important implications for the classical and quantum phenomenology of the theory.

Spin Gauge Interactions as a Topological Mechanism of Superconductivity

We talk about a low energy, effective, topological theory of superconductivity in which a topological mass term is radiatively induced in one loop effective action. In this field theoretic model, an antisymmetric tensor field couples with the vorticity current of charged Dirac fermions in the Lagrangian. The fermion loop generates a coupling between the gauge field and the antisymmetric tensor field below an ultraviolet cut-off. The spin interactions mediated by the antisymmetric tensor field induces a mass for the photon field indicating Meissner effect. The dual antisymmetric tensor field produces a current which satisfies the relativistic version of the London equations of superconductivity. In the non-relativistic limit, the static effective potential shows a linear, always attractive term between two electrons. Thus, the theory can be considered as an alternative, low energy, effective field theory of superconductivity without spontaneous symmetry breaking.

String states, loops and effective actions in noncommutative field theory and matrix models

Refining previous work by Iso, Kawai and Kitazawa, we discuss bi-local string states as a tool for loop computations in noncommutative field theory and matrix models. Defined in terms of coherent states, they exhibit the stringy features of noncommutative field theory. This leads to a closed form for the 1-loop effective action in position space, capturing the long-range non-local UV/IR mixing for scalar fields. The formalism applies to generic fuzzy spaces. The non-locality is tamed in the maximally supersymmetric IKKT or IIB model, where it gives rise to supergravity. The linearized supergravity interactions are obtained directly in position space at one loop using string states on generic noncommutative branes.

Toward precision holography with supersymmetric Wilson loops

We consider certain 1/4 BPS Wilson loop operators in SU(N) ${\cal N}=4$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory, whose expectation value can be computed exactly via supersymmetric localization. Holographically, these operators are mapped to fundamental strings in AdS5 x S5. The string on-shell action reproduces the large N and large coupling limit of the gauge theory expectation value and, according to the AdS/CFT correspondence, there should also be a precise match between subleading corrections to these limits. We perform a test of such match at next-to-leading order in string theory, by deriving the spectrum of quantum fluctuations around the classical string solution and by computing the corresponding 1-loop effective action. We discuss in detail the supermultiplet structure of the fluctuations. To remove a possible source of ambiguity in the ghost zero mode measure, we compare the 1/4 BPS configuration with the 1/2 BPS one, dual to a circular Wilson loop. We find a discrepancy between the string theory result and the gauge theory prediction, confirming a previous result in the literature. We are able to track the modes from which this discrepancy originates, as well as the modes that by themselves would give the expected result.

Natural solution in the refined Gribov-Zwanziger theory

We analyse the one loop effective action of the Gribov-Zwanziger Lagrangian and use the local composite operator formalism to include the most general Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin (BRST) dimension two mass operator for the localizing ghost fields. We show that the energetically favourable colour channel corresponds to what is known as the R direction.

Wormholes or gravastars?

The one loop effective action in a Schwarzschild background is here used to compute the Zero Point Energy (ZPE) which is compared to the same one generated by an existing gravastar. We find that only when we set up a difference between ZPE in these different background we can have an indication on which configuration is favored. Such a ZPE difference represents the Casimir energy. Such an energy, being negative, can be considered as a part of the Dark Energy necessary for the topology change. It is also shown that the expression of the ZPE is equivalent to the one computed by means of a variational approach. To handle with ZPE divergences, we use the zeta function regularization. A renormalization procedure to remove the infinities together with a renormalization group equation is introduced. We find that the final configuration is dependent on the ratio between the radius of the wormhole augmented by the ”brick wall” and the radius of the gravastar.

Effective action for higher spin fields on (A)dS backgrounds

We study the one loop effective action for a class of higher spin fields by using a first-quantized description. The latter is obtained by considering spinning particles, characterized by an extended local supersymmetry on the worldline, that can propagate consistently on conformally flat spaces. The gauge fixing procedure for calculating the worldline path integral on a loop is delicate, as the gauge algebra contains nontrivial structure functions. Restricting the analysis on (A)dS backgrounds simplifies the gauge fixing procedure, and allows us to produce a useful representation of the one loop effective action. In particular, we extract the first few heat kernel coefficients for arbitrary even spacetime dimension D and for spin S identified by a curvature tensor with the symmetries of a rectangular Young tableau of D/2 rows and [S] columns.

On the 1-loop effective action for the IKKT model and non-commutative branes

We study the one-loop effective action of the IKKT or IIB model on a 4-dimensional non-commutative brane background. The trace-U(1) sector is governed by non-commutativity, and leads - assuming no SUSY breaking - to a higher-derivative effective action. In contrast, the non-Abelian sector at low energies reduces to SU(n) N=4 Super-Yang-Mills on the brane, with a global SO(9,1) symmetry broken spontaneously by the background. In the Coulomb branch, we recover the leading contribution to the Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) action, exhibiting a S^5 \times AdS^5 bulk geometry around a stack of branes. SUSY may be broken by compact extra dimensions M^4 x K, leading to an induced gravitational action on M^4 due to the trace-U(1) sector. The one-loop effective action is UV finite on such backgrounds, and the UV/IR mixing is non-pathological.