Chiral Gravity Research Articles

A chiral limit for Chern-Simons-matter theories

Large N quasi-fermionic Chern-Simons-matter theories have an approximate higher-spin symmetry that strongly constrains their correlation functions. In particular, the 3-point functions for generic spins are combinations of 3 structures (with specific dependence on the positions and helicities), and the coupling-dependence of the coefficient of each structure is uniquely determined. In the past few years, several relations between different structures were found. In this paper we show that all the relations between the structures follow from (or, conversely, they imply) a specific form written by Skvortsov for the vertices of the dual higher-spin gravity theory on four-dimensional anti-de Sitter space, when written in spinor-helicity variables. The dual bulk theory has a specific limit where it simplifies and becomes a “chiral higher-spin gravity theory”, and we discuss what can be said about this limit in the dual Chern-Simons-matter theories, where it involves an analytic continuation to complex couplings.

Low spin solutions of higher spin gravity: BPST instanton

Higher spin gravities do not have a low energy limit where higher-spin fields decouple from gravity. Nevertheless, it is possible to construct fine-tuned exact solutions that activate low-spin fields without sourcing the higher-spin fields. We show that BPST (Belavin-Polyakov-Schwartz-Tyupkin) instanton is an exact solution of Chiral Higher Spin Gravity, i.e. it is also a solution of the holographic dual of Chern-Simons matter theories. This gives an example of a low-spin solution. The instanton sources the opposite helicity spin-one field and a scalar field. We derive an Effective Field Theory that describes the coupling between an instanton and the other two fields, whose action starts with the Chalmers-Siegel action and has certain higher derivative couplings.

Strong homotopy algebras for chiral higher spin gravity via Stokes theorem

Chiral higher spin gravity is defined in terms of a strong homotopy algebra of pre-Calabi-Yau type (noncommutative Poisson structure). All structure maps are given by the integrals over the configuration space of concave polygons and the first two maps are related to the (Shoikhet-Tsygan-)Kontsevich Formality. As with the known formality theorems, we prove the A∞-relations via Stokes’ theorem by constructing a closed form and a configuration space whose boundary components lead to the A∞-relations. This gives a new way to formulate higher spin gravities and hints at a construct encompassing the known formality theorems.

Chiral higher spin gravity and convex geometry

Chiral Higher Spin Gravity is the minimal extension of the graviton with propagating massless higher spin fields. It admits any value of the cosmological constant, including zero. Its existence implies that Chern-Simons vector models have closed subsectors and supports the 3d3d bosonization duality. In this letter, we explicitly construct an A_\inftyA∞-algebra that determines all interaction vertices of the theory. The algebra turns out to be of pre-Calabi-Yau type. The corresponding products, some of which originate from Shoikhet-Tsygan-Kontsevich formality, are given by integrals over the configuration space of convex polygons.

Celestial chiral algebras, colour-kinematics duality and integrability

We study celestial chiral algebras appearing in celestial holography, using the light-cone gauge formulation of self-dual Yang-Mills theory and self-dual gravity, and explore also a deformation of the latter. The recently discussed w1+∞ algebra in self-dual gravity arises from the soft expansion of an area-preserving diffeomorphism algebra, which plays the role of the kinematic algebra in the colour-kinematics duality and the double copy relation between the self-dual theories. The W1+∞ deformation of w1+∞ arises from a Moyal deformation of self-dual gravity. This theory is interpreted as a constrained chiral higher-spin gravity, where the field is a tower of higher-spin components fully constrained by the graviton component. In all these theories, the chiral structure of the operator-product expansion exhibits the colour-kinematics duality: the implicit ‘left algebra’ is the self-dual kinematic algebra, while the ‘right algebra’ provides the structure constants of the operator-product expansion, ensuring its associativity at tree level. In a scattering amplitudes version of the Ward conjecture, the left algebra ensures the classical integrability of this type of theories. In particular, it enforces the vanishing of the tree-level amplitudes via the double copy.

Chiral higher spin gravity in (A)dS4 and secrets of Chern–Simons matter theories

Chiral Higher Spin Gravity with cosmological constant is constructed as a Free Differential Algebra, i.e. at the level of equations of motion, which is a smooth deformation of its flat space cousin [34]. Chiral Higher Spin Gravity is a unique class of local higher spin theories; its very existence implies that there is a closed and, most likely, integrable sub-sector of Chern–Simons Matter Theories, which has important consequences both for the theories themselves and for three-dimensional bosonization duality.

Minimal model of Chiral Higher Spin Gravity

A unique class of local Higher Spin Gravities with propagating massless fields in 4d — Chiral Higher Spin Gravity — was first found in the light-cone gauge. We construct a covariant form of the corresponding field equations in all orders, thus completing the previous analysis of arXiv:2204.10285. This result is equivalent to taking the minimal model (in the sense of L∞-algebras) of the jet-space BV-BRST formulation of Chiral Higher Spin Gravity, thereby, containing also information about counterterms, anomalies, etc.

Why Do Elementary Particles Have Such Strange Mass Ratios?—The Importance of Quantum Gravity at Low Energies

When gravity is quantum, the point structure of space-time should be replaced by a non-commutative geometry. This is true even for quantum gravity in the infra-red. Using the octonions as space-time coordinates, we construct pre-spacetime, pre-quantum Lagrangian dynamics. We show that the symmetries of this non-commutative space unify the standard model of particle physics with SU(2)R chiral gravity. The algebra of the octonionic space yields spinor states which can be identified with three generations of quarks and leptons. The geometry of the space implies quantisation of electric charge, and leads to a theoretical derivation of the mysterious mass ratios of quarks and the charged leptons. Quantum gravity is quantisation not only of the gravitational field, but also of the point structure of space-time.

Minimal models of field theories: Chiral higher spin gravity

There exists a unique class of local higher spin gravities with propagating massless fields in $4d$---chiral higher spin gravity. Originally, it was formulated in the light-cone gauge. We construct a covariant form of this theory as a free differential algebra up to the next-to-leading order, i.e., at the level of equations of motion. It also contains the recently discovered covariant forms of the higher spin extensions of self-dual Yang-Mills and self-dual gravity, as well as self-dual Yang-Mills and self-dual gravity themselves. From the mathematical viewpoint the result is equivalent to taking the minimal model (in the sense of ${L}_{\ensuremath{\infty}}$-algebras) of the jet-space extension of the BV-BRST formulation of chiral higher spin gravity, thereby, containing also information about (presymplectic AKSZ) action, counterterms, anomalies, etc.

BMS-invariant free scalar model

The BMS (Bondi--van der Burg--Metzner--Sachs) symmetry arises as the asymptotic symmetry of flat spacetime at null infinity. In particular, the BMS algebra for three-dimensional flat spacetime (${\mathrm{BMS}}_{3}$) is generated by the super-rotation generators that form a Virasoro subalgebra with central charge ${c}_{L}$, together with mutually commuting super-translation generators. The super-rotation and supertranslation generators have nontrivial commutation relations with another central charge ${c}_{M}$. In this paper, we study a free scalar theory in two dimensions exhibiting ${\mathrm{BMS}}_{3}$ symmetry, which can also be understood as the ultrarelativistic limit of a free scalar ${\mathrm{CFT}}_{2}$ in the flipped representation. Upon canonical quantization on the highest weight vacuum, the central charges are found to be ${c}_{L}=2$ and ${c}_{M}=0$. Because of the vanishing central charge ${c}_{M}=0$, the theory features novel properties: there exist primary states which form a multiplet, and the Hilbert space can be organized by an enlarged version of BMS modules dubbed the staggered modules. We further calculate correlation functions and the torus partition function, the latter of which is also shown explicitly to be modular invariant. Is it interesting to note that our model has vanishing ${c}_{M}$, a feature also shared by the so-called flat space chiral gravity in Bagchi et al. [Flat-Space Chiral Gravity, Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 151301 (2012)].

Flat limit chiral gravity in GMMG and EGMG

In this work we extend the holographic correspondence between flat space limit of chiral topological massive gravity and a specific unitary field theory to flat space limit of chiral general minimal massive gravity and chiral exotic general massive gravity. To check the conjecture, we compare the entropy and partition function of flat limit of BTZ black hole from viewpoint of both sides.

Cosmological constant and the use of cutoffs

Of the contributions to the cosmological constant, zero-point energy contributions scale as ${\ensuremath{\delta}}^{4}(0)\ensuremath{\sim}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}^{4}$ where $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ is an ultraviolet cutoff used to regulate the calculations. I show that such contributions vanish when calculated in perturbation theory. This demonstration uses a little-known modification to perturbation theory found by Honerkamp and Meetz and by Gerstein, Jackiw, Lee, and Weinberg which comes into play when using cutoffs and interactions with multiple derivatives, as found in chiral theories and gravity. In a path integral treatment, the new interaction arises from the path integral measure and cancels the ${\ensuremath{\delta}}^{4}(0)$ contributions. This reduces the sensitivity of the cosmological constant to the high energy cutoff, although it does not resolve the cosmological constant problem. The feature removes one of the common motivations for supersymmetry. It also calls into question some of the results of the asymptotic safety program. Covariance and quadratic cutoff dependence are also briefly discussed.

Actions for self-dual Higher Spin Gravities

Higher Spin Gravities are scarce, but covariant actions for them are even scarcer. We construct covariant actions for contractions of Chiral Higher Spin Gravity that represent higher spin extensions of self-dual Yang-Mills and self-dual Gravity theories. The actions give examples of complete higher spin theories both in flat and (anti)-de Sitter spaces that feature gauge and gravitational interactions. The actions are based on a new description of higher spin fields, whose origin can be traced to early works on twistor theory. The new description simplifies the structure of interactions. In particular, we find a covariant form of the minimal gravitational interaction for higher spin fields both in flat and anti-de Sitter space, which resolves some of the puzzles in the literature.

One-loop finiteness of Chiral Higher Spin Gravity

One of the main ideas behind Higher Spin Gravities is that the higher spin symmetry is expected to leave no room for counterterms, thereby eliminating UV divergences that make the pure gravity non-renormalizable. However, until recently it has not been clear if such a mechanism is realized. We show that Chiral Higher Spin Gravity is one-loop finite, the crucial point being that all one-loop S-matrix elements are UV-convergent despite the fact that the theory is naively not renormalizable by power counting. For any number of legs the one-loop S-matrix elements coincide with all-plus helicity one-loop amplitudes in pure QCD and SDYM, modulo a certain higher spin dressing, which is an unusual relation between the non-gravitational theories and a higher spin gravity.

Chiral gauge theory and gravity from unconventional supersymmetry

From a gauge SU (2, 2|2) model with broken supersymmetry, we construct an action for SU(2)×U (1) Yang-Mills theory coupled to gravity and matter in four dimensions. The connection components for AdS boosts and special conformal translations are auxiliary fields and their fixing reduces the theory to two distinct sectors: a vector-like gauge theory with general relativity and a chiral gauge theory where gravity drops out. We discuss some of the main classical features of the model such as the predicted tree level gauge couplings, cosmological constant value, mass-like terms and the Einstein equations.

More on quantum chiral higher spin gravity

Chiral Higher Spin Gravity is unique in being the smallest higher spin extension of gravity and in having a simple local action both in flat and (anti)-de Sitter spaces. It must be a closed subsector of any other higher spin theory in four dimensions, which makes it an important building block and benchmark. Using the flat space version for simplicity, we perform a thorough study of quantum corrections in Chiral Theory, which strengthen our earlier results arXiv:1805.00048. Even though the interactions are naively non-renormalizable, we show that there are no UV-divergences in two-, three- and four-point amplitudes at one loop thanks to the higher spin symmetry. We also give arguments that the AdS Chiral Theory should exhibit similar properties. It is shown that Chiral Theory admits Yang-Mills gaugings with $U(N)$, $SO(N)$ and $USp(N)$ groups, which is reminiscent of the Chan-Paton symmetry in string theory.

Gedanken experiments to destroy a BTZ black hole

We consider Gedanken experiments to destroy an extremal or near-extremal Banados-Teitelboim-Zanelli (BTZ) black hole by throwing matter into the horizon. These black holes are vacuum solutions to ($2+1$)-dimensional gravity theories, and are asymptotically ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{3}$. Provided the null energy condition for the falling matter, we prove the following---(i) in a Mielke-Baekler model without ghost fields, when torsion is present, an extremal BTZ black hole can be overspun and becomes a naked conical singularity; (ii) in three-dimensional Einstein gravity and chiral gravity, which both live in the torsionless limits of the Mielke-Baekler model, an extremal BTZ black hole cannot be overspun; and (iii) in both Einstein gravity and chiral gravity, a near-extremal BTZ black hole cannot be overspun, leaving the weak cosmic censorship preserved. To obtain these results, we follow the analysis of Sorce and Wald on their Gedanken experiments to destroy a Kerr-Newman black hole, and calculate the second order variation of the black hole mechanics. Furthermore, Wald's type of Gedanken experiments provide an operational procedure of proving the third law of black hole dynamics. Through the $\mathrm{AdS}/\mathrm{CFT}$ correspondence, our results on BTZ black holes also indicate that a third law of thermodynamics holds for the holographic conformal field theories dual to three-dimensional Einstein gravity and chiral gravity.

A conformal collider for holographic CFTs

We develop a formalism to study the implications of causality on OPE coefficients in conformal field theories with large central charge and a sparse spectrum of higher spin operators. The formalism has the interpretation of a new conformal collider-type experiment for these class of CFTs and hence it has the advantage of requiring knowledge only about CFT three-point functions. This is accomplished by considering the holographic null energy operator which was introduced in [1] as a generalization of the averaged null energy operator. Analyticity properties of correlators in the Regge limit imply that the holographic null energy operator is a positive operator in a subspace of the total CFT Hilbert space. Utilizing this positivity condition, we derive bounds on three-point functions 〈TO1O2〉 of the stress tensor with various operators for CFTs with large central charge and a sparse spectrum. After imposing these constraints, we also find that the operator product expansions of all primary operators in the Regge limit have certain universal properties. All of these results are consistent with the expectation that CFTs in this class, irrespective of their microscopic details, admit universal gravity-like holographic dual descriptions. Furthermore, this connection enables us to constrain various inflationary observables such as the amplitude of chiral gravity waves, non-gaussanity of gravity waves and tensor-to-scalar ratio.

Quantum Chiral Higher Spin Gravity.

An example of a higher spin gravity in four-dimensional flat space has recently been constructed by D. Ponomarev and E. D. Skvortsov, J. Phys. A, 50, 095401(2017). This theory is chiral and the action is written in the light-cone gauge. The theory has certain stringy features, e.g., admits Chan-Paton factors. We show that the theory is consistent, both at the classical and quantum level. Even though the interactions are nontrivial, due to the coupling conspiracy all tree level amplitudes vanish on shell. The loop corrections also vanish. Therefore, the full quantum S matrix is one and the theory is consistent with the numerous no-go theorems. This provides the first example of a (quantum) interacting higher spin gravity with an action. We argue that higher spin gravities in anti-de Sitter space should display the same features.

Linearization instability of chiral gravity

Carrying out an analysis of the constraints and their linearizations on a spacelike hypersurface, we show that topologically massive gravity has a linearization instability at the chiral gravity limit about $AdS_3$. We also calculate the symplectic structure for all the known perturbative modes (including the log-mode) for the linearized field equations and find it to be degenerate (non-invertible) hence these modes do not approximate exact solutions and so do not belong to the linearized phase space of the theory. Naive perturbation theory fails: the linearized field equations are necessary but not sufficient in finding viable linearized solutions. This has important consequences for both classical and possible quantum versions of the theory.