One-loop Terms Research Articles

Landau-Khalatnikov-Fradkin Gauge Transformations for the Propagator and Vertex in QED and QED2

The non-perturbative Landau-Khalatnikov-Fradkin (LKF) transformations describe how Green functions in quantum field theory transform under a change in the photon field’s linear covariant gauge parameter (denoted ξ). The transformations are framed most simply in coordinate space where they are multiplicative. They imply that information on gauge-dependent contributions from higher order diagrams in the perturbative series is contained in lower order contributions, which is useful in multi-loop calculations. We study the LKF transformations for the propagator and the vertex in both scalar and spinor QED, in some particular dimensions. A novelty of our work is to derive momentum-space integral representations of these transformations; our expressions are also applicable to the longitudinal and transverse parts of the vertex. Applying these transformations to the tree-level Green functions, we show that the one-loop terms obtained from the LKF transformation agree with the gauge dependent parts obtained from perturbation theory. Our results will be presented in more comprehensive form elsewhere.

ALP-LEFT Interference and the Muon (g − 2)

The low-energy effective field theory (LEFT) provides the appropriate framework to describe particle interactions below the scale of electroweak symmetry breaking, μw ~ v. By matching the Standard Model onto the LEFT, non-zero Wilson coefficients of higher-dimensional operators are generated, suppressed by the corresponding power of 1/v. An axion or axion-like particle (ALP) with mass ma ≪ μw that interacts with the Standard Model via classically shift-invariant dimension-five operators would also contribute to the LEFT Wilson coefficients, since it can appear as a virtual particle in divergent Green’s functions and thus has an impact on the renormalization of the LEFT operators. We present the full set of one-loop ALP-induced source terms modifying the renormalization-group evolution equations of the LEFT Wilson coefficients up to dimension-six order. Our framework allows for model-independent ALP searches at low energies from current bounds on LEFT Wilson coefficients. As a concrete application, we present an improved prediction for ALP effects on the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon.

Squeezed bispectrum and one-loop corrections in transient constant-roll inflation

In canonical single-field inflation, the production of primordial black holes (PBH) requires a transient violation of the slow-roll condition. The transient ultra slow-roll inflation is an example of such scenarios, and more generally, one can consider the transient constant-roll inflation. We investigate the squeezed bispectrum in the transient constant-roll inflation and find that Maldacena's consistency relation holds for a sufficiently long-wavelength mode, whereas it is violated for modes around the peak scale for the non-attractor case. We also demonstrate how the one-loop corrections are modified compared to the case of the transient ultra slow-roll inflation, focusing on representative one-loop terms originating from a time derivative of the second slow-roll parameter in the cubic action. We find that the perturbativity requirement on those terms does not rule out the production of PBH from the transient constant-roll inflation.Therefore, it is a simple counterexample of the recently claimed no-go theorem of PBH production from single-field inflation.

Wilson Loops at Large N and the Quantum M2-Brane.

The Wilson loop operator in the U(N)_{k}×U(N)_{-k} Aharony-Bergman-Jafferis-Maldacena theory at large N and fixed level k has a dual description in terms of a wrapped M2-brane in the M-theory given by the product of four-dimensional anti de Sitter space (AdS_{4}) and S^{7}/Z_{k}. We consider the localization result for the 1/2-Bogomol'nyi-Prasad-Sommerfield circular Wilson loop expectation value W in this regime and compare it to the prediction of the M2-brane theory. The leading large N exponential factor is matched as expected by the classical action of the M2-brane solution with AdS_{2}×S^{1} geometry. We show that the subleading k-dependent prefactor in W is also exactly reproduced by the one-loop term in the partition function of the wrapped M2-brane (with all Kaluza-Klein modes included). This appears to be the first case of an exact matching of the overall numerical prefactor in the Wilson loop expectation value against the dual holographic result. It provides an example of a consistent quantum M2-brane computation, suggesting various generalizations.

Contributions from primordial non-Gaussianity and general relativity to the galaxy power spectrum

We compute the real space galaxy power spectrum, including the leading order effects of General Relativity and primordial non-Gaussianity from the f NL and g NL parameters. Such contributions come from the one-loop matter power spectrum terms dominant at large scales, and from the factors of the non-linear bias parameter b NL (akin to the Newtonian b ϕ). We assess the detectability of these contributions in Stage-IV surveys. In particular, we note that specific values of the bias parameter may erase the primordial and relativistic contributions to the configuration space power spectrum.

Effect of scheme transformations on a beta function with vanishing one-loop term

It is commonly stated that because terms in the beta function of a theory at the level of $\ell \ge 3$ loops and higher are scheme-dependent, it is possible to define scheme transformations that can be used to remove these terms, at least in the vicinity of zero coupling. We prove that this is not, in general, possible in the situation where a beta function is not identically zero but has a vanishing one-loop term.

Renormalization-group behavior of ϕ3 theories in d=6 dimensions

We investigate possible renormalization-group fixed points at nonzero coupling in $\phi^3$ theories in six spacetime dimensions, using beta functions calculated to the four-loop level. We analyze three theories of this type, with (a) a one-component scalar, (b) a scalar transforming as the fundamental representation of a global ${\rm SU}(N)$ symmetry group, and (c) a scalar transforming as a bi-adjoint representation of a global ${\rm SU}(N) \otimes {\rm SU}(N)$ symmetry. We do not find robust evidence for such fixed points in theories (a) or (b). Theory (c) has the special feature that the one-loop term in the beta function is zero; implications of this are discussed.

Perturbation theory for the redshift-space matter power spectra after reconstruction

We derive the one-loop perturbative formula of the redshift-space matter power spectrum after density field reconstruction in the Zeldovich approximation. We find that the reconstruction reduces the amplitudes of nonlinear one-loop perturbative terms significantly by partially erasing the nonlinear mode-coupling between density and velocity fields. In comparison with N-body simulations, we find that both the monopole and quadrupole spectra of reconstructed matter density fields agree with the one-loop perturbation theory up to higher wavenumber than those before reconstruction. We also evaluate the impact on cosmic growth rate assuming the survey volume and the number density like the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey and find that the total error, including statistical and systematic ones due to one-loop approximation, decreases by half.

Symmetry and geometry in a generalized Higgs effective field theory: Finiteness of oblique corrections versus perturbative unitarity

We formulate a generalization of Higgs effective field theory (HEFT) including arbitrary number of extra neutral and charged Higgs bosons (generalized HEFT, GHEFT) to describe non-minimal electroweak symmetry breaking models. Using the geometrical form of the GHEFT Lagrangian, which can be regarded as a nonlinear sigma model on a scalar manifold, it is shown that the scalar boson scattering amplitudes are described in terms of the Riemann curvature tensor (geometry) of the scalar manifold and the covariant derivatives of the potential. The coefficients of the one-loop divergent terms in the oblique correction parameters S and U can also be written in terms of the Killing vectors (symmetry) and the Riemann curvature tensor (geometry). It is found that perturbative unitarity of the scattering amplitudes involving the Higgs bosons and the longitudinal gauge bosons demands the flatness of the scalar manifold. The relationship between the finiteness of the electroweak oblique corrections and perturbative unitarity of the scattering amplitudes is also clarified in this language: we verify that once the tree-level unitarity is ensured, then the one-loop finiteness of the oblique correction parameters S and U is automatically guaranteed.

Noncommutative spacetime geometry and one-loop effects in primordial cosmology

We study the effect of noncommutative spacetime geometry on one-loop corrections to the primordial curvature two-point function, arising from various forms of massless spectator matter fields interacting gravitationally with the inflaton. After deforming the algebra of functions on the inflationary background to a spatially noncommutative one, we find that this induces momentum-dependent corrections to one-loop terms which imply that the vacuum fluctuation of the energy-momentum tensor sources that of the curvature fluctuation even for distances beyond horizon scales. The one-loop corrections break spatial isotropy by being functions of the noncommutative parameters lying in the tranverse plane while reducing smoothly to the commutative limit. This furnishes an example of how UV/IR mixing manifests itself in the context of noncommutative field theories defined on inflationary backgrounds, and demonstrates how in principle, the primordial spectrum could carry a signature of nonlocality and anisotropy in the setting of noncommutative spacetime geometry.

One-loop matching and running with covariant derivative expansion

We develop tools for performing effective field theory (EFT) calculations in a manifestly gauge-covariant fashion. We clarify how functional methods account for one-loop diagrams resulting from the exchange of both heavy and light fields, as some confusion has recently arisen in the literature. To efficiently evaluate functional traces containing these “mixed” one-loop terms, we develop a new covariant derivative expansion (CDE) technique that is capable of evaluating a much wider class of traces than previous methods. The technique is detailed in an appendix, so that it can be read independently from the rest of this work. We review the well-known matching procedure to one-loop order with functional methods. What we add to this story is showing how to isolate one-loop terms coming from diagrams involving only heavy propagators from diagrams with mixed heavy and light propagators. This is done using a non-local effective action, which physically connects to the notion of “integrating out” heavy fields. Lastly, we show how to use a CDE to do running analyses in EFTs, i.e. to obtain the anomalous dimension matrix. We demonstrate the methodologies by several explicit example calculations.

Measuring neutrino mass imprinted on the anisotropic galaxy clustering

The anisotropic galaxy clustering of large scale structure observed by the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey Data Release 11 is analyzed to probe the sum of neutrino masses in the small mν ≲ 1 eV limit in which the early broadband shape determined before the last scattering surface is immune from the variation of mν. The signature of mν is imprinted on the altered shape of the power spectrum at later epoch, which provides an opportunity to access the non-trivial mν through the measured anisotropic correlation function in redshift space (hereafter RSD instead of Redshift Space Distortion). The non-linear RSD corrections with massive neutrinos in the quasi linear regime are approximately estimated using one-loop order terms. We suggest an approach to probe mν simultaneously with all other distance measures and coherent growth functions, exploiting this deformation of the early broadband shape of the spectrum at later epoch. If the origin of cosmic acceleration is unknown, mν is poorly determined after marginalizing over all other observables. However, we find that the measured distances and coherent growth functions are minimally affected by the presence of mild neutrino mass. Although the standard model of cosmic acceleration is assumed to be the cosmological constant, the constraint on mν is little improved. Interestingly, the measured Cosmic Microwave Background (hereafter CMB) distance to the last scattering surface sharply slices the degeneracy between the matter content and mν, and the mν is observed to be mν = 0.19+0.28−0.17 eV which is different from massless neutrino at 68% confidence.

One-loop radiative corrections to the QED Casimir energy

In this paper, we investigate one-loop radiative corrections to the Casimir energy in the presence of two perfectly conducting parallel plates for QED theory within the renormalized perturbation theory. In fact, there are three contributions for radiative corrections to the Casimir energy, up to order $\alpha$. Only the two-loop diagram, which is of order $\alpha$, has been computed by Bordag et. al (1985), approximately. Here, up to this order, we consider corrections due to two one-loop terms, i.e., photonic and fermionic loop corrections resulting from renormalized QED Lagrangian, more precisely. Our results show that only the fermionic loop has a very minor correction and the correction of photonic loop vanishes.

One-loop Einstein-Hilbert term in minimally supersymmetric type IIB orientifolds

We evaluate string one-loop contributions to the Einstein-Hilbert term in toroidal minimally supersymmetric type IIB orientifolds with D-branes. These have potential applications to the determination of quantum corrections to the moduli Kahler metric in these models.

Partition functions for equivariantly twisted N = 2 $$ \mathcal{N}=2 $$ gauge theories on toric Kähler manifolds

We consider $$ \mathcal{N}=2 $$ supersymmetric pure gauge theories on toric Kähler manifolds, with particular emphasis on ℂℙ2. By choosing a vector generating a U(1) action inside the torus of the manifold, we construct equivariantly twisted theories. Then, using localization, we compute their supersymmetric partition functions. As expected, these receive contributions from a classical, a one-loop, and an instanton term. It turns out that the one-loop term is trivial and that the instanton contributions are localized at the fixed points of the U(1). In fact the full partition function can be re-written in a factorized form with contributions from each of the fixed points. The full significance of this is yet to be understood.

Holography of 3d-3d correspondence at large N

We study the physics of multiple M5-branes compactified on a hyperbolic 3-manifold. On the one hand, it leads to the 3d-3d correspondence which maps an $\mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal field theory to a pure Chern-Simons theory on the 3-manifold. On the other hand, it leads to a warped AdS$_4$ geometry in M-theory holographically dual to the superconformal field theory. Combining the holographic duality and the 3d-3d correspondence, we propose a conjecture for the large $N$ limit of the perturbative free energy of a Chern-Simons theory on hyperbolic 3-manifold. The conjecture claims that the tree, one-loop and two-loop terms all share the same $N^3$ scaling behavior and are proportional to the volume of the 3-manifold, while the three-loop and higher terms are suppressed at large $N$. Under mild assumptions, we prove the tree and one-loop parts of the conjecture. For the two-loop part, we test the conjecture numerically in a number of examples and find precise agreement. We also confirm the suppression of higher loop terms in a few examples.

Partial supergravity breaking and the effective action of consistent truncations

We study vacua of N = 4 half-maximal gauged supergravity in five dimensions and determine crucial properties of the effective theory around the vacuum. The main focus is on configurations with exactly two broken supersymmetries, since they frequently appear in consistent truncations of string theory and supergravity. Evaluating one-loop corrections to the Chern-Simons terms we find necessary conditions to ensure that a consistent truncation also gives rise to a proper effective action of an underlying more fundamental theory. To obtain concrete examples, we determine the N=4 action of M-theory on six-dimensional SU(2)-structure manifolds with background fluxes. Calabi-Yau threefolds with vanishing Euler number are examples of SU(2)-structure manifolds that yield N=2 Minkowski vacua. We find that that one-loop corrections to the Chern-Simons terms vanish trivially and thus do not impose constraints on identifying effective theories. This result is traced back to the absence of isometries on these geometries. Examples with isometries arise from type IIB supergravity on squashed Sasaki-Einstein manifolds. In this case the one-loop gauge Chern-Simons terms vanish due to non-trivial cancellations, while the one-loop gravitational Chern-Simons terms are non-zero.

Physics of F-theory compactifications without section

We study the physics of F-theory compactifications on genus-one fibrations without section by using an M-theory dual description. The five-dimensional action obtained by considering M-theory on a Calabi-Yau threefold is compared with a six-dimensional F-theory effective action reduced on an additional circle. We propose that the six-dimensional effective action of these setups admits geometrically massive U(1) vectors with a charged hypermultiplet spectrum. The absence of a section induces NS-NS and R-R three-form fluxes in F-theory that are non-trivially supported along the circle and induce a shift-gauging of certain axions with respect to the Kaluza-Klein vector. In the five-dimensional effective theory the Kaluza-Klein vector and the massive U(1)s combine into a linear combination that is massless. This U(1) is identified with the massless U(1) corresponding to the multi-section of the Calabi-Yau threefold in M-theory. We confirm this interpretation by computing the one-loop Chern-Simons terms for the massless vectors of the five-dimensional setup by integrating out all massive states. A closed formula is found that accounts for the hypermultiplets charged under the massive U(1)s.

Nonperturbative renormalization for improved staggered bilinears

We apply non-perturbative renormalization to bilinears composed of improved staggered fermions. We explain how to generalize the method to staggered fermions in a way which is consistent with the lattice symmetries, and introduce a new type of lattice bilinear which transforms covariantly and avoids mixing. We derive the consequences of lattice symmetries for the propagator and vertices. We implement the method numerically for hypercubic-smeared (HYP) and asqtad valence fermion actions, using lattices with asqtad sea quarks generated by the MILC collaboration. We compare the non-perturbative results so obtained to those from perturbation theory, using both scale-independent ratios of bilinears (of which we calculate 26), and the scale-dependent bilinears themselves. Overall, we find that one-loop perturbation theory provides a successful description of the results for HYP-fermions if we allow for a truncation error of roughly the size of the square of the one-loop term (for ratios) or of size O(1) \times \alpha^2 (for the bilinears themselves). Perturbation theory is, however, less successful at describing the non-perturbative asqtad results.

New global F-theory GUTs with U(1) symmetries

We construct global F-theory GUTs with SU(5) x U(1) gauge group defined by specifying a fully resolved Calabi-Yau fourfold and consistent four-form G-flux. Its specific U(1) charged matter spectrum allows the desired Yukawa couplings, but forbids dangerous proton decay operators. The model we find: (1) does not follow from an underlying higgsed E8 gauge group (2) leaves the class of theories that can be analyzed with current split-spectral cover techniques. This avoids recently proposed no-go theorems for models with hypercharge flux, as required to break the GUT group. The appearance of additional fields is related geometrically to considering a more general class of sections and 4-1 splits. We show explicitly that the four-dimensional chiral matter index can still be computed using three-dimensional one-loop Chern-Simons terms.