Gauge Theory Operators Research Articles

Gluonic evanescent operators: negative-norm states and complex anomalous dimensions

In this paper, we build on our previous work to further investigate the role of evanescent operators in gauge theories, with a particular focus on their contribution to violations of unitarity. We develop an efficient method for calculating the norms of gauge-invariant operators in Yang-Mills (YM) theory by employing on-shell form factors. Our analysis, applicable to general spacetime dimensions, reveals the existence of negative-norm states among evanescent operators. We also explore the one-loop anomalous dimensions of these operators and find complex anomalous dimensions. We broaden our analysis by considering YM theory coupled with scalar fields and we observe similar patterns of non-unitarity. The presence of negative-norm states and complex anomalous dimensions across these analyses provides compelling evidence that general gauge theories are non-unitary in non-integer spacetime dimensions.

Topological aspects of brane fields: Solitons and higher-form symmetries

In this note, we classify topological solitons of n-brane fields, which are nonlocal fields that describe n-dimensional extended objects. We consider a class of n-brane fields that formally define a homomorphism from the n-fold loop space \Omega^n X_DΩnXD of spacetime X_DXD to a space Ε_nΕn. Examples of such n-brane fields are Wilson operators in n-form gauge theories. The solitons are singularities of the n-brane field, and we classify them using the homotopy theory of E_nEn-algebras. We find that the classification of codimension {k+1}k+1 topological solitons with {k≥ n}k≥n can be understood using homotopy groups of \mathcal{E}_nℰn. In particular, they are classified by {\pi_{k-n}(\mathcal{E}_n)}πk−n(ℰn) when {n>1}n>1 and by {\pi_{k-n}(\mathcal{E}_n)}πk−n(ℰn) modulo a {\pi_{1-n}(\mathcal{E}_n)}π1−n(ℰn) action when {n=0}n=0 or {1}1. However, for {n>2}n>2, their classification goes beyond the homotopy groups of \mathcal{E}_nℰn when k < n, which we explore through examples. We compare this classification to n-form \mathcal{E}_nℰn gauge theory. We then apply this classification and consider an {n}n-form symmetry described by the abelian group {G^{(n)}}G(n) that is spontaneously broken to {H^{(n)}\subset G^{(n)}}H(n)⊂G(n), for which the order parameter characterizing this symmetry breaking pattern is an {n}n-brane field with target space {\mathcal{E}_n = G^{(n)}/H^{(n)}}ℰn=G(n)/H(n). We discuss this classification in the context of many examples, both with and without ’t Hooft anomalies.

More holographic M5 branes in AdS7 × S4

We study classical M5 brane solutions in the probe limit in the AdS7×S4 spacetime geometry with worldvolume 3-form flux. These solutions describe the holography of codimension-4 defects in the 6d boundary dual N=(0,2) supersymmetric gauge theories. Starting from some half-BPS solutions which follow stricter BPS conditions, we find a general 116-BPS solution. We show how some of the giant-like M5 brane solutions here may be related to the codimension-2 surface operators in the 4d gauge theory.

Circular strings in Kerr-$$AdS_{5}$$ black holes

The quest for extension of holographic correspondence to the case of finite temperature naturally includes Kerr–AdS black holes and their field theory duals. We probe the five-dimensional Kerr–AdS space time by pulsating strings. First we find particular pulsating string solutions and then semi-classically quantize the theory. For the string with large values of energy, we use the Bohr–Sommerfeld analysis to find the energy of the string as a function of a large quantum number. From the dual theory viewpoint, the constraint for the string energy can be considered as the dispersion relation of stationary thermal states. We obtain the wave function of the problem and thoroughly study the corrections to the energy, which according to the holographic dictionary are related to anomalous dimensions of certain operators in the dual gauge theory.

Exact stringy microstates from gauge theories

We study how the microstates of BPS sectors in string theory are organized in the dual U(N) gauge theory. The microstates take the form of a coherent sum of stacks of branes and their open/closed string excitations. We propose a prescription to holographically construct the indices of string/brane configurations by analyzing the modifications of determinant operators in gauge theory. The string/brane configurations should be interpreted in the tensionless limit, but their indices are well-defined at finite N. In various examples, we provide evidence that a sum, of the giant graviton-type recently proposed in the literature, over all such configurations gives the finite N gauge theory index. Finally, we discuss how these microstates assemble in the BPS Hilbert space and in what circumstances the branes can form bound states to produce black hole degeneracies.

Gauge Theory and the Analytic Form of the Geometric Langlands Program

We present a gauge-theoretic interpretation of the “analytic” version of the geometric Langlands program, in which Hitchin Hamiltonians and Hecke operators are viewed as concrete operators acting on a Hilbert space of quantum states. The gauge theory ingredients required to understand this construction—such as electric–magnetic duality between Wilson and ’t Hooft line operators in four-dimensional gauge theory—are the same ones that enter in understanding via gauge theory the more familiar formulation of geometric Langlands, but now these ingredients are organized and applied in a novel fashion.

Building blocks of Cwebs in multiparton scattering amplitudes

The correlators of Wilson-line operators in non-abelian gauge theories are known to exponentiate, and their logarithms can be organised in terms of the collections of Feynman diagrams called Cwebs. The colour factors that appear in the logarithm correspond to completely connected diagrams and are determined by the web mixing matrices. In this article we introduce several new concepts: (a) Normal ordering of the diagrams of a Cweb, (b) Fused-Webs (c) Basis and Family of Cwebs. We use these ideas together with a Uniqueness theorem that we prove to arrive at an understanding of the diagonal blocks, and several null matrices that appear in the mixing matrices. We demonstrate using our formalism that, once the basis Cwebs present upto order {alpha}_s^n are determined, the number of exponentiated colour factors for several classes of Cwebs starting at order {alpha}_s^{n+1} can be predicted. We further provide complete results for the mixing matrices, to all orders in perturbation theory, for two special classes of Cwebs using our framework.

Entropic order parameters in weakly coupled gauge theories

The entropic order parameters measure in a universal geometric way the statistics of non-local operators responsible for generalized symmetries. In this article, we compute entropic order parameters in weakly coupled gauge theories. To perform this computation, the natural route of evaluating expectation values of physical (smeared) non-local operators is prevented by known difficulties in constructing suitable smeared Wilson loops. We circumvent this problem by studying the smeared non-local class operators in the enlarged non-gauge invariant Hilbert space. This provides a generic approach for smeared operators in gauge theories and explicit formulas at weak coupling. In this approach, the Wilson and ’t Hooft loops are labeled by the full weight and co-weight lattices respectively. We study generic Lie groups and discuss couplings with matter fields. Smeared magnetic operators, as opposed to the usual infinitely thin ones, have expectation values that approach one at weak coupling. The corresponding entropic order parameter saturates to its maximum topological value, except for an exponentially small correction, which we compute. On the other hand, smeared ’t Hooft loops and their entropic disorder parameter are exponentially small. We verify that both behaviors match the certainty relation for the relative entropies. In particular, we find upper and lower bounds (that differ by a factor of 2) for the exact coefficient of the linear perimeter law for thin loops at weak coupling. This coefficient is unphysical/non-universal for line operators. We end with some comments regarding the RG flows of entropic parameters through perturbative beta functions.

Composing effective prediction at five points

Color-kinematics duality in the adjoint has proven key to the relationship between gauge and gravity theory scattering amplitude predictions. In recent work, we demonstrated that at four-point tree-level, a small number of color-dual EFT building blocks could encode all higher-derivative single-trace massless corrections to gauge and gravity theories compatible with adjoint double-copy. One critical aspect was the trivialization of building higher-derivative color-weights — indeed, it is the mixing of kinematics with non-adjoint-type color-weights (like the permutation-invariant d4) which permits description via adjoint double-copy. Here we find that such ideas clarify the predictions of local five-point higher-dimensional operators as well. We demonstrate how a single scalar building block can be combined with color structures to build higher-derivative color factors that generate, through double copy, the amplitudes associated with higher-derivative gauge-theory operators. These may then be suitably mapped, through another double-copy, to higher-derivative corrections in gravity.

Light-Cone Bootstrap of Higher Point Functions and Wilson Loop Duality.

We initiate an exploration of the conformal bootstrap for n>4 point correlation functions. Here we bootstrap correlation functions of the lightest scalar gauge invariant operators in planar non-Abelian conformal gauge theories as their locations approach the cusps of a null polygon. For that we consider consistency of the OPE in the so-called snowflake channel with respect to cyclicity transformations which leave the null configuration invariant. For general non-Abelian gauge theories this allows us to strongly constrain the OPE structure constants of up to three large spin J_{j} operators (and large polarization quantum number l_{j}) to all loop orders. In N=4 we fix them completely through the duality to null polygonal Wilson loops and the recent origin limit of the hexagon explored by Basso, Dixon, and Papathanasiou.

A path integral formulation for particle detectors: the Unruh-DeWitt model as a line defect

Particle detectors are an ubiquitous tool for probing quantum fields in the context of relativistic quantum information (RQI). We formulate the Unruh-DeWitt (UDW) particle detector model in terms of the path integral formalism. The formulation is able to recover the results of the model in general globally hyperbolic spacetimes and for arbitrary detector trajectories. Integrating out the detector’s degrees of freedom yields a line defect that allows one to express the transition probability in terms of Feynman diagrams. Inspired by the light-matter interaction, we propose a gauge invariant detector model whose associated line defect is related to the derivative of a Wilson line. This is another instance where nonlocal operators in gauge theories can be interpreted as physical probes for quantum fields.

Cwebs beyond three loops in multiparton amplitudes

Correlators of Wilson-line operators in non-abelian gauge theories are known to exponentiate, and their logarithms can be organised in terms of collections of Feynman diagrams called webs. In [1] we introduced the concept of Cweb, or correlator web, which is a set of skeleton diagrams built with connected gluon correlators, and we computed the mixing matrices for all Cwebs connecting four or five Wilson lines at four loops. Here we complete the evaluation of four-loop mixing matrices, presenting the results for all Cwebs connecting two and three Wilson lines. We observe that the conjuctured column sum rule is obeyed by all the mixing matrices that appear at four-loops. We also show how low-dimensional mixing matrices can be uniquely determined from their known combinatorial properties, and provide some all-order results for selected classes of mixing matrices. Our results complete the required colour building blocks for the calculation of the soft anomalous dimension matrix at four-loop order.

A Lattice Version of the Atiyah–Singer Index Theorem

We formulate and prove a lattice version of the Atiyah-Singer index theorem. The main theorem gives a $K$-theoretic formula for an index-type invariant of operators on lattice approximations of closed integral affine manifolds. We apply the main theorem to an index problem of Wilson-Dirac operators in lattice gauge theory.

A New Approach to Radial Spectrum of Hadrons in Bottom-up Holographic QCD

Within the AdS/CFT correspondence, for description of $\mathcal{N}=4$ super Yang-Mills theory in four dimensions one needs not only low-energy supergravity on AdS$_5$ but also the whole infinite tower of massive Kaluza-Klein (KK) states on AdS$_5\times$S$_5$ which appear after the KK-compactification on five-dimensional sphere. The latter aspect is usually ignored in phenomenological AdS/QCD models. The emerging massive 5D fields on AdS$_5$ are dual to higher-dimensional operators in 4D gauge theory, with masses being known polynomial functions of canonical dimensions of these operators. Motivated by this observation, we propose to calculate the spectrum of radially excited hadrons in bottom-up holographic QCD models as spectrum of zero KK modes of massive 5D fields dual to higher dimensional operators in QCD. A relevant physical motivation is suggested. The radial states with growing masses are then enumerated by growing dimensions of interpolating QCD operators. We tested the proposal in the Soft Wall and Hard Wall holographic models in the sector of light mesons. The spectrum of Soft Wall model turns out to be unchanged in the new description. But in the Hard Wall model, our approach is shown to lead to a much better phenomenological spectrum of vector radial excitations than the traditional description.

Evidence for weak-coupling holography from the gauge/gravity correspondence for Dp-branes

Abstract Gauge/gravity correspondence is regarded as a powerful tool for the study of strongly coupled quantum systems, but its proof is not available. An unresolved issue that should be closely related to the proof is what kind of correspondence exists, if any, when gauge theory is weakly coupled. We report progress about this limit for the case associated with D$p$-branes ($0\le p\le 4$), namely, the duality between the $(p+1)$D maximally supersymmetric Yang–Mills theory and superstring theory on the near-horizon limit of the D$p$-brane solution. It has been suggested by supergravity analysis that the two-point functions of certain operators in gauge theory obey a power law with the power different from the free-field value for $p\neq 3$. In this work, we show for the first time that the free-field result can be reproduced by superstring theory on the strongly curved background. The operator that we consider is of the form ${\rm Tr}(Z^J)$, where $Z$ is a complex combination of two scalar fields. We assume that the corresponding string has the worldsheet spatial direction discretized into $J$ bits, and use the fact that these bits become non-interacting when ’t Hooft coupling is zero.

Homotopy operators and locality theorems in higher-spin equations

A new class of shifted homotopy operators in higher-spin gauge theory is introduced. A sufficient condition for locality of dynamical equations is formulated and Pfaffian Locality Theorem identifying a subclass of shifted homotopies that decrease the degree of non-locality in higher orders of the perturbative expansion is proven.

On the KKLT goldstino

We construct general asymptotically Klebanov-Strassler solutions of a five dimensional SU(2) × SU(2) × ℤ2 × ℤ2R truncation of IIB supergravity on T1,1, that break supersymmetry. This generalizes results in the literature for the SU(2) × SU(2) × ℤ2 × U(1)R case, to a truncation that is general enough to capture the deformation of the conifold in the IR. We observe that there are only two SUSY-breaking modes even in this generalized set up, and by holographically computing Ward identities, we confirm that only one of them corresponds to spontaneous breaking: this is the mode triggered by smeared anti-D3 branes at the tip of the warped throat. Along the way, we address some aspects of the holographic computation of one-point functions of marginal and relevant operators in the cascading gauge theory. Our results strengthen the evidence that if the KKLT construction is meta-stable, it is indeed a spontaneously SUSY-broken (and therefore bona fide) vacuum of string theory.

Surface operators in 5d gauge theories and duality relations

We study half-BPS surface operators in 5d mathcal{N} = 1 gauge theories compactified on a circle. Using localization methods and the twisted chiral ring relations of coupled 3d/5d quiver gauge theories, we calculate the twisted chiral superpotential that governs the infrared properties of these surface operators. We make a detailed analysis of the localization integrand, and by comparing with the results from the twisted chiral ring equations, we obtain constraints on the 3d and 5d Chern-Simons levels so that the instanton partition function does not depend on the choice of integration contour. For these values of the Chern-Simons couplings, we comment on how the distinct quiver theories that realize the same surface operator are related to each other by Aharony-Seiberg dualities.

Higher AGT correspondences, $\mathcal{W}$-algebras, and higher quantum geometric Langlands duality from M-theory

We further explore the implications of our framework in [arXiv:1301.1977, arXiv:1309.4775], and physically derive, from the principle that the spacetime BPS spectra of string-dual M-theory compactifications ought to be equivalent, (i) a 5d AGT correspondence for any compact Lie group, (ii) a 5d and 6d AGT correspondence on ALE space of type ADE, and (iii) identities between the ordinary, q-deformed and elliptic affine W-algebras associated with the 4d, 5d and 6d AGT correspondence, respectively, which also define a quantum geometric Langlands duality and its higher analogs formulated by Feigin-Frenkel-Reshetikhin in [3,4]. As an offshoot, we are led to the sought-after connection between the gauge-theoretic realization of the geometric Langlands correspondence by Kapustin-Witten [5,6] and its algebraic CFT formulation by Beilinson-Drinfeld [7], where one can also understand Wilson and 't Hooft-Hecke line operators in 4d gauge theory as monodromy loop operators in 2d CFT, for example. In turn, this will allow us to argue that the higher 5d/6d analog of the geometric Langlands correspondence for simply-laced Lie (Kac-Moody) groups G (G_k), ought to relate the quantization of circle (elliptic)-valued G Hitchin systems to circle/elliptic-valued ^LG (^LG_k)-bundles over a complex curve on one hand, and the transfer matrices of a G (G_k)-type XXZ/XYZ spin chain on the other, where ^LG is the Langlands dual of G. Incidentally, the latter relation also serves as an M-theoretic realization of Nekrasov-Pestun-Shatashvili's recent result in [8], which relates the moduli space of 5d/6d supersymmetric G (G_k)-quiver SU(K_i) gauge theories to the representation theory of quantum/elliptic affine (toroidal) G-algebras.

Surface operators, chiral rings and localization in mathcal{N} =2 gauge theories

We study half-BPS surface operators in supersymmetric gauge theories in four and five dimensions following two different approaches. In the first approach we analyze the chiral ring equations for certain quiver theories in two and three dimensions, coupled respectively to four- and five-dimensional gauge theories. The chiral ring equations, which arise from extremizing a twisted chiral superpotential, are solved as power series in the infrared scales of the quiver theories. In the second approach we use equivariant localization and obtain the twisted chiral superpotential as a function of the Coulomb moduli of the four- and five-dimensional gauge theories, and find a perfect match with the results obtained from the chiral ring equations. In the five-dimensional case this match is achieved after solving a number of subtleties in the localization formulas which amounts to choosing a particular residue prescription in the integrals that yield the Nekrasov-like partition functions for ramified instantons. We also comment on the necessity of including Chern-Simons terms in order to match the superpotentials obtained from dual quiver descriptions of a given surface operator.