Tree Amplitudes Research Articles

Multigluon tree amplitudes with a pair of massive fermions

We consider the calculation of n-point multigluon tree amplitudes with a pair of massive fermions in QCD. We give the explicit transformation rules of this kind of massive fermion-pair amplitudes with respect to different reference momenta. Using these rules and onshell BCFW recursion relation, we calculate the analytic results of several n-point multigluon amplitudes.

Integrands for QCD rational terms and $ \mathcal{N} = {4} $ SYM from massive CSW rules

We use massive CSW rules to derive explicit compact expressions for integrands of rational terms in QCD with any number of external legs. Specifically, we present all-n integrands for the one-loop all-plus and one-minus gluon amplitudes in QCD. We extract the finite part of spurious external-bubble contributions systematically; this is crucial for the application of integrand-level CSW rules in theories without supersymmetry. Our approach yields integrands that are independent of the choice of CSW reference spinor even before integration. Furthermore, we present a recursive derivation of the recently proposed massive CSW-style vertex expansion for massive tree amplitudes and loop integrands on the Coulomb-branch of N=4 SYM. The derivation requires a careful study of boundary terms in all-line shift recursion relations, and provides a rigorous (albeit indirect) proof of the recently proposed construction of massive amplitudes from soft-limits of massless on-shell amplitudes. We show that the massive vertex expansion manifestly preserves all holomorphic and half of the anti-holomorphic supercharges, diagram-by-diagram, even off-shell.

Tree amplitudes and color decomposition in broken SU(2)

We propose a color decomposition for general tree amplitudes in a SU(2) gauge theory which is spontaneously broken via the Higgs mechanism. Working in the unitary gauge, we construct color-ordered amplitudes by explicitly presenting a set of color-ordered Feynman rules. Those primitive amplitudes are gauge-invariant, and they preserve perturbative unitarity in the high-energy limit. Serving as building blocks of color-dressed tree amplitudes, they allow for efficient evaluation of tree-level scattering amplitudes involving gauge bosons and the Higgs boson via the Berends-Giele recursion relations for color-ordered currents. We demonstrate the efficiency of this computational scheme by calculating on-shell amplitudes for scattering of five, six and nine W-bosons in the limit of vanishing Weinberg angle.

A note on polytopes for scattering amplitudes

In this note we continue the exploration of the polytope picture for scattering amplitudes, where amplitudes are associated with the volumes of polytopes in generalized momentum-twistor spaces. After a quick warm-up example illustrating the essential ideas with the elementary geometry of polygons in CP^2, we interpret the 1-loop MHV integrand as the volume of a polytope in CP^3x CP^3, which can be thought of as the space obtained by taking the geometric dual of the Wilson loop in each CP^3 of the product. We then review the polytope picture for the NMHV tree amplitude and give it a more direct and intrinsic definition as the geometric dual of a canonical "square" of the Wilson-Loop polygon, living in a certain extension of momentum-twistor space into CP^4. In both cases, one natural class of triangulations of the polytope produces the BCFW/CSW representations of the amplitudes; another class of triangulations leads to a striking new form, which is both remarkably simple as well as manifestly cyclic and local.

Note on cyclic sum and combination sum of color-ordered gluon amplitudes

Continuing our previous study \cite{Du:2011se} of permutation sum of color ordered tree amplitudes of gluons, in this note, we prove the large-$z$ behavior of their cyclic sum and the combination of cyclic and permutation sums under BCFW deformation. Unlike the permutation sum, the study of cyclic sum and the combination of cyclic and permutation sums is much more difficult. By using the generalized Bern-Carrasco-Johansson (BCJ) relation, we have proved the boundary behavior of cyclic sum with nonadjacent BCFW deformation. The proof of cyclic sum with adjacent BCFW deformation is a little bit simpler, where only Kleiss-Kuijf (KK) relations are needed. Finally we have presented a new observation for partial-ordered permutation sum and applied it to prove the boundary behavior of combination sum with cyclic and permutation.

Maximal unitarity at two loops

We show how to compute the coefficients of the double box basis integrals in a massless four-point amplitude in terms of tree amplitudes. We show how to choose suitable multidimensional contours for performing the required cuts, and derive consistency equations from the requirement that integrals of total derivatives vanish. Our formulae for the coefficients can be used either analytically or numerically.

On primary relations at tree-level in string theory and field theory

By the use of cyclic symmetry, KK relations and BCJ relations, one can reduce the number of independent $N$-point color-ordered tree amplitudes in gauge theory and string theory from $N!$ to $(N-3)!$. In this paper, we investigate these relations at tree-level in both string theory and field theory. We will show that there are two primary relations. All other relations can be generated by the primary relations. In string theory, the primary relations can be chosen as cyclic symmetry as well as either the fundamental KK relation or the fundamental BCJ relation. In field theory, the primary relations can only be chosen as cyclic symmetry and the fundamental BCJ relation. We will further show a kind of more general relation which can also be generated by the primary relations. The general formula of the explicit minimal-basis expansions for color-ordered open string tree amplitudes will be given and proven in this paper.

New relations for scattering amplitudes in Yang-Mills theory at loop level

The calculation of scattering amplitudes in Yang-Mills theory at loop level is important for the analysis of background processes at particle colliders as well as our understanding of perturbation theory at the quantum level. We present tools to derive relations for especially one-loop amplitudes, as well as several explicit examples for gauge theory coupled to a wide variety of matter. These tools originate in certain scaling behavior of permutation and cyclic sums of Yang-Mills tree amplitudes and loop integrands. In the latter case evidence exists for relations at all loop orders.

Dalitz plot studies ofD0→KS0π+π−decays

The availaible data on the D0 to K0S pi+ pi- decays are analysed in the framework of the quasi two-body QCD factorization approximation. The annihilation, via W-exchange, amplitudes are added to the weak-decay tree amplitudes. The doubly Cabibbo suppressed parts of the amplitudes are also considered. The strong interactions between the kaon-pion and pion-pion pairs in the S-, P- and D-final states are described in terms of the corresponding form factors. The kaon-pion or pion-pion scalar and vector form factors are constrained by other experimental data. Unitarity, analyticity and chiral symmetry are also used to obtain their functional forms. We go through a minimization procedure to reproduce the K0S pi-, K0S pi+ and pi+ pi- effective mass projections of the Dalitz plot distributions. The large number (27) of non-zero amplitudes leads to a large number of parameters. The resulting model distributions and branching fractions are compared to the accurate Belle Collaboration data.

Complete equivalence between gluon tree amplitudes in twistor string theory and in gauge theory

Complete equivalence between gluon tree amplitudes in twistor string theory and in gauge theory

Scattering amplitudes in open superstring theory

AbstractThis review is concerned with scattering amplitudes in open superstring theories. In particular, we introduce two different formalisms to compute tree level amplitudes – the Ramond Neveu Schwarz‐ (RNS‐) and the Pure Spinor (PS‐) formalism. The RNS approach proves to be flexible in describing compactifications from ten to four flat spacetime dimensions. We solve the technical problems due to the underlying interacting conformal field theory on the worldsheet. This is exploited to extract phenomenologically relevant scattering amplitudes of gluons and quarks as well as production‐ and decay rates of massive vibration modes which have already been identified as virtual exchange particles at the massless level. In case of a TeV string scale, string specific signatures in parton collisions might be observed at the LHC experiment in the near future and constitute the first experimental evidence for string theory. These statements apply to a wide class of string vacua and therefore bypass the so‐called landscape problem of string theory. The PS formalism allows for a manifestly supersymmetric treatment of scattering amplitudes in ten spacetime dimensions with sixteen supercharges. We introduce a family of superfields which arises in tree amplitudes of massless open string states and can be naturally identified with diagrams made of cubic vertices. We firstly achieve a compact superspace representation of multiparticle field theory amplitudes and moreover express the complete n point superstring amplitude as a minimal linear combination of partial field theory amplitudes and hypergeometric functions. The latter carry the stringy effects and are analyzed from different perspectives.

Tree amplitudes of noncommutative U(N) Yang–Mills theory

Following the spirit of the S-matrix program, we propose a modified Britto–Cachazo–Feng–Witten recursion relation for tree amplitudes of noncommutative U(N) Yang–Mills theory. Starting from three-point amplitudes, one can use this modified BCFW recursion relation to compute or analyze color-ordered tree amplitudes without relying on any detailed information of noncommutative Yang–Mills theory. After clarifying the color structure of noncommutative tree amplitudes, we write down the noncommutative analogies of Kleiss–Kuijf and Bern–Carrasco–Johansson relations for color-ordered tree amplitudes and prove them using the modified BCFW recursion relation. This checks the consistency of the relation.

Explicit BCJ numerators from pure spinors

We derive local kinematic numerators for gauge theory tree amplitudes which manifestly satisfy Jacobi identities analogous to color factors. They naturally emerge from the low energy limit of superstring amplitudes computed with the pure spinor formalism. The manifestation of the color-kinematics duality is a consequence of the superstring computation involving no more than (n − 2)! kinematic factors for the full color dressed n point amplitude. The bosonic part of these results describe gluon scattering independent on the number of supersymmetries and captures any NkMHV helicity configuration after dimensional reduction to D = 4 dimensions.

Recursive method forn-point tree-level amplitudes in supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories

We present a recursive method for super Yang-Mills color-ordered $n$-point tree amplitudes based on the cohomology of pure spinor superspace in ten space-time dimensions. The amplitudes are organized into BRST covariant building blocks with diagrammatic interpretation. Manifestly cyclic expressions (no longer than one line each) are explicitly given up to $n=10$ and higher leg generalizations are straightforward.

Loops and trees

We investigate relations between loop and tree amplitudes in quantum field theory that involve putting on-shell some loop propagators. This generalizes the so-called Feynman tree theorem which is satisfied at 1-loop. Exploiting retarded boundary conditions, we give a generalization to ℓ-loop expressing the loops as integrals over the on-shell phase space of exactly ℓ particles. We argue that the corresponding integrand for ℓ > 2 does not involve the forward limit of any physical tree amplitude, except in planar gauge theories. In that case we explicitly construct the relevant physical amplitude. Beyond the planar limit, abandoning direct integral representations, we propose that loops continue to be determined implicitly by the forward limit of physical connected trees, and we formulate a precise conjecture along this line. Finally, we set up technology to compute forward amplitudes in supersymmetric theories, in which specific simplifications occur.

Manifest $ {\text{SO}}\left( \mathcal{N} \right) $ invariance and S-matrices of three-dimensional $ \mathcal{N} = 2,4,8 $ SYM

An on-shell formalism for the computation of S-matrices of SYM theories in three spacetime dimensions is presented. The framework is a generalization of the spinor-helicity formalism in four dimensions. The formalism is applied to establish the manifest SO(N) covariance of the on-shell superalgebra relevant to N =2,4 and 8 SYM theories in d=3. The results are then used to argue for the SO(N) invariance of the S-matrices of these theories: a claim which is proved explicitly for the four-particle scattering amplitudes. Recursion relations relating tree amplitudes of three-dimensional SYM theories are shown to follow from their four-dimensional counterparts. The results for the four-particle amplitudes are verified by tree-level perturbative computations and a unitarity based construction of the integrand corresponding to the leading perturbative correction is also presented for the N=8 theory. For N=8 SYM, the manifest SO(8) symmetry is used to develop a map between the color-ordered amplitudes of the SYM and superconformal Chern-Simons theories, providing a direct connection between on-shell observables of D2 and M2-brane theories.

NGluon: A package to calculate one-loop multi-gluon amplitudes

We present a computer library for the numerical evaluation of colour-ordered n-gluon amplitudes at one-loop order in pure Yang–Mills theory. The library uses the recently developed technique of generalised unitarity. Running in double precision the library yields reliable results for up to 14 gluons with only a small fraction of events requiring a re-evaluation using extended floating point arithmetic. We believe that the library presented here provides an important contribution to future LHC phenomenology. The program may also prove useful in cross checking results obtained by other methods. In addition, the code provides a sample implementation which may serve as a starting point for further developments. Program summaryProgram title:NGluonCatalogue identifier: AEIZ_v1_0Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEIZ_v1_0.htmlProgram obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queenʼs University, Belfast, N. IrelandLicensing provisions: GNU Public LicenseNo. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 30 677No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 334 896Distribution format: tar.gzProgramming language: C++Computer: Any computer platform supported by the GNU compiler suite.Operating system: No specific requirements – tested on Scientific Linux 5.2.RAM: Depending on the complexity, for realistic applications like 10 gluon production in double precision below 10 MB.Classification: 11.5External routines: QCDLoop (http://qcdloop.fnal.gov/), qd (http://crd.lbl.gov/~dhbailey/mpdist/)Nature of problem: Evaluation of next-to-leading order corrections for gluon scattering amplitudes in pure gauge theory.Solution method: Purely numerical approach based on tree amplitudes obtained via Berends–Giele recursion combined with unitarity method.Restrictions: Running in double precision the number of gluons should not exceed 14.Running time: Depending on the number of external gluons between less than a millisecond (4 gluons) up to a 1 s (14 gluons) per phase space point.

On-shell constructibility of tree amplitudes in general field theories

We study “on-shell constructibility” of tree amplitudes from recursion relations in general 4-dimensional local field theories with any type of particles, both massless and massive. Our analysis applies to renormalizable as well as non-renormalizable interactions, with or without supersymmetry. We focus on recursion relations that arise from complex deformations of all external momenta. Under certain conditions, these “all-line shift recursion relations” imply the MHV vertex expansion. We derive a simple sufficient criterion for the validity of the all-line shift recursion relations. It depends only on the mass dimensions of the coupling constants and on the sum of helicities of the external particles. Our proof is strikingly simple since it just relies on dimensional analysis and little-group transformation properties. In particular, the results demonstrate that all tree amplitudes with n > 4 external states are constructible in any power-counting renormalizable theory. Aspects of all-line shift constructibility are illustrated in numerous examples, ranging from pure scalar theory and the massless Wess-Zumino model to theories with higher-derivative interactions, gluon-Higgs fusion, and Z-boson scattering. We propose a sharp physical interpretation of our constructibility criterion: the all-line shift fails precisely for those classes of n-point amplitudes that can receive local contributions from independent gauge-invariant n-field operators.

Possible resolution of theB→ππ,πKpuzzles

We show that there exist uncanceled soft divergences in the k_T factorization for nonfactorizable amplitudes of two-body nonleptonic B meson decays, similar to those identified in hadron hadroproduction. These divergences can be grouped into a soft factor using the eikonal approximation, which is then treated as an additional nonperturbative input in the perturbative QCD formalism. Viewing the special role of the pion as a q-qbar bound state and as a pseudo Nambu-Goldstone boson, we postulate that the soft effect associated with it is significant. This soft factor enhances the nonfactorizable color-suppressed tree amplitudes, such that the branching ratios B(pi^0 pi^0) and B(pi^0 rho^0) are increased under the constraint of the B(rho^0 rho^0) data, the difference between the direct CP asymmetries A_{CP}(pi^\mp K^\pm) and A_{CP}(pi^0 K^\pm) is enlarged, and the mixing-induced CP asymmetry S_{pi^0 K_S} is reduced. Namely, the known pi pi and pi K puzzles can be resolved simultaneously.

Top quark amplitudes with an anomalous magnetic moment

The anomalous magnetic moment of the top quark may be measured during the first run of the LHC at 7 TeV. For these measurements, it will be useful to have available tree amplitudes with $t\overline{t}$ and arbitrarily many photons and gluons, including both QED and color anomalous magnetic moments. In this paper, we present a method for computing these amplitudes using the Britto-Cachazo-Feng-Witten recursion formula. Because we deal with an effective theory with higher-dimension couplings, there are roadblocks to a direct computation with the Britto-Cachazo-Feng-Witten method. We evade these by using an auxiliary scalar theory to compute a subset of the amplitudes.