Yangian Invariance Research Articles

Integrability for Feynman integrals

We give a brief overview of the Yangian symmetry of Feynman integrals. After a short introduction to the Yangian and integrability, we motivate the emergence of integrable structures for Feynman integrals via the fishnet limit of AdS/CFT. We discuss the resulting Yangian differential equations for massless fishnets in four dimensions as well as generalizations to massive propagators and generic dimensions. We also comment on the relation to momentum space conformal symmetry and on examples in dimensional regularization. Finally we sketch the recent application to fishnet integrals in two spacetime dimensions and the curious identification of Yangian invariants with period integrals of Calabi-Yau geometries.

Cluster patterns in Landau and leading singularities via the amplituhedron

We advance the exploration of cluster-algebraic patterns in the building blocks of scattering amplitudes in $\mathcal{N}=4$ super Yang–Mills theory. In particular, we conjecture that, given a maximal cut of a loop amplitude, Landau singularities and poles of each Yangian invariant appearing in any representation of the corresponding leading singularities can be found together in a cluster. We check these adjacencies for all one-loop amplitudes up to 9 points. Along the way, we also prove that all (rational) N$^2$MHV Yangian invariants are cluster adjacent, confirming original conjectures.

Yangian Symmetry in Holographic Correlators.

We point out that an infinite class of Witten diagrams is invariant under a Yangian symmetry. These diagrams are building blocks of holographic correlators and are related by a web of differential recursion relations. We show that Yangian invariance is equivalent to the consistency conditions of the recursion relations.

Minkowski box from Yangian bootstrap

We extend the recently developed Yangian bootstrap for Feynman integrals to Minkowski space, focusing on the case of the one-loop box integral. The space of Yangian invariants is spanned by the Bloch-Wigner function and its discontinuities. Using only input from symmetries, we constrain the functional form of the box integral in all 64 kinematic regions up to twelve (out of a priori 256) undetermined constants. These need to be fixed by other means. We do this explicitly, employing two alternative methods. This results in a novel compact formula for the box integral valid in all kinematic regions of Minkowski space.

A note on letters of Yangian invariants

Motivated by reformulating Yangian invariants in planar mathcal{N} = 4 SYM directly as d log forms on momentum-twistor space, we propose a purely algebraic problem of determining the arguments of the d log’s, which we call “letters”, for any Yangian invariant. These are functions of momentum twistors Z ’s, given by the positive coordinates α’s of parametrizations of the matrix C(α), evaluated on the support of polynomial equations C(α) · Z = 0. We provide evidence that the letters of Yangian invariants are related to the cluster algebra of Grassmannian G(4, n), which is relevant for the symbol alphabet of n-point scattering amplitudes. For n = 6, 7, the collection of letters for all Yangian invariants contains the cluster mathcal{A} coordinates of G(4, n). We determine algebraic letters of Yangian invariant associated with any “four-mass” box, which for n = 8 reproduce the 18 multiplicative-independent, algebraic symbol letters discovered recently for two-loop amplitudes.

A note on one-loop cluster adjacency in mathcal{N} = 4 SYM

We study cluster adjacency conjectures for amplitudes in maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. We show that the n-point one-loop NMHV ratio function satisfies Steinmann cluster adjacency. We also show that the one-loop BDS-like normalized NMHV amplitude satisfies cluster adjacency between Yangian invariants and final symbol entries up to 9-points. We present conjectures for cluster adjacency properties of Plücker coordinates, quadratic cluster variables, and NMHV Yangian invariants that generalize the notion of weak separation.

Yangian bootstrap for conformal Feynman integrals

We explore the idea to bootstrap Feynman integrals using integrability. In particular, we put the recently discovered Yangian symmetry of conformal Feynman integrals to work. As a prototypical example we demonstrate that the D-dimensional box integral with generic propagator powers is completely fixed by its symmetries to be a particular linear combination of Appell hypergeometric functions. In this context the Bloch-Wigner function arises as a special Yangian invariant in 4D. The bootstrap procedure for the box integral is naturally structured in algorithmic form. We then discuss the Yangian constraints for the six-point double box integral as well as for the related hexagon. For the latter we argue that the constraints are solved by a set of generalized Lauricella functions and we comment on complications in identifying the integral as a certain linear combination of these. Finally, we elaborate on the close relation to the Mellin-Barnes technique and argue that it generates Yangian invariants as sums of residues.

Cluster adjacency for m = 2 Yangian invariants

We classify the rational Yangian invariants of the m = 2 toy model of mathcal{N} = 4 Yang-Mills theory in terms of generalised triangles inside the amplituhedron {mathcal{A}}_{n,k}^{(2)} . We enumerate and provide an explicit formula for all invariants for any number of particles n and any helicity degree k. Each invariant manifestly satisfies cluster adjacency with respect to the Gr(2, n) cluster algebra.

Yangian invariants and cluster adjacency in mathcal{N} = 4 Yang-Mills

We conjecture that every rational Yangian invariant in mathcal{N} = 4 SYM theory satisfies a recently introduced notion of cluster adjacency. We provide evidence for this conjecture by using the Sklyanin Poisson bracket on Gr(4, n) to check numerous examples.

Weak separation, positivity and extremal Yangian invariants

We classify all positive n-particle NkMHV Yangian invariants in mathcal{N} = 4 YangMills theory with n = 5k, which we call extremal because none exist for n > 5k. We show that this problem is equivalent to that of enumerating plane cactus graphs with k pentagons. We use the known solution of that problem to provide an exact expression for the number of cyclic classes of such invariants for any k, and a simple rule for writing them down explicitly. We provide an alternative (but equivalent) classification by showing that a product of k five-brackets with disjoint sets of indices is a positive Yangian invariant if and only if the sets are all weakly separated.

Gra\xdfmannian integrals in Minkowski signature, amplitudes, and integrability

We attempt to systematically derive tree-level scattering amplitudes in fourdimensional, planar, maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory from integrability. We first review the connections between integrable spin chains, Yangian invariance, and the construction of such invariants in terms of Graßmannian contour integrals. Building upon these results, we equip a class of Graßmannian integrals for general symmetry algebras with unitary integration contours. These contours emerge naturally by paying special attention to the proper reality conditions of the algebras. Specializing to mathfrak{p}mathfrak{s}mathfrak{u}left(2,2Big|4right) and thus to maximal superconformal symmetry in Minkowski space, we find in a number of examples expressions similar to, but subtly different from the perturbative physical scattering amplitudes. Our results suggest a subtle breaking of Yangian invariance for the latter, with curious implications for their construction from integrability.

Yangian symmetry for the action of planar N=4 super Yang-Mills and N=6 super Chern-Simons theories

In this article we establish the notion of classical Yangian symmetry for planar N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory and for related planar gauge theories. After revisiting Yangian invariance for the equations of motion, we describe how the bi-local generators act on the action of the model such that the latter becomes exactly invariant. In particular, we elaborate on the relevance of the planar limit and how to act non-linearly with bi-local generators on the cyclic action.

Positivity, Grassmannian geometry and simplex-like structures of scattering amplitudes

This article revisits and elaborates the significant role of positive geometry of momentum twistor Grassmannian for planar mathcal{N}=4 SYM scattering amplitudes. First we establish the fundamentals of positive Grassmannian geometry for tree amplitudes, including the ubiquitous Plücker coordinates and the representation of reduced Grassmannian geometry. Then we formulate this subject, without making reference to on-shell diagrams and decorated permutations, around these four major facets: 1. Deriving the tree and 1-loop BCFW recursion relations solely from positivity, after introducing the simple building blocks called positive components for a positive matrix. 2. Applying Grassmannian geometry and Plücker coordinates to determine the signs of N2MHV homological identities, which interconnect various Yangian invariants. It reveals that most of the signs are in fact the secret incarnation of the simple 6-term NMHV identity. 3. Deriving the stacking positivity relation, which is powerful for parameterizing matrix representatives in terms of positive variables in the d log form. It will be used with the reduced Grassmannian geometry representation to produce the positive matrix of a given geometric configuration, which is an independent approach besides the combinatoric way involving a sequence of BCFW bridges. 4. Introducing an elegant and highly refined formalism of BCFW recursion relation for tree amplitudes, which reveals its two-fold simplex-like structures. First, the BCFW contour in terms of (reduced) Grassmannian geometry representatives is delicately dissected into a triangle-shape sum, as only a small fraction of the sum needs to be explicitly identified. Second, this fraction can be further dissected, according to different growing modes with corresponding growing parameters. The growing modes possess the shapes of solid simplices of various dimensions, with which infinite number of BCFW cells can be entirely captured by the characteristic objects called fully-spanning cells. We find that for a given k, beyond n =4 k+1 there is no more new fully-spanning cell, which signifies the essential termination of the recursive growth of BCFW cells. As n increases beyond the termination point, the BCFW contour simply replicates itself according to the simplex-like patterns, which enables us to master all BCFW cells once for all without actually identifying most of them.

Yangian symmetry for the tree amplituhedron

Tree-level scattering amplitudes in planar super Yang–Mills are known to be Yangian-invariant. It has been shown that integrability allows obtaining a general, explicit method to find such invariants. The uplifting of this result to the amplituhedron construction has been an important open problem. In this paper, with the help of methods proper to integrable theories, we successfully fill this gap and clarify the meaning of Yangian invariance for the tree-level amplituhedron. In particular, we construct amplituhedron volume forms from an underlying spin chain. As a by-product of this construction, we also propose a new on-shell diagrammatics for the amplituhedron.

Yangian-type symmetries of non-planar leading singularities

We take up the study of integrable structures behind non-planar contributions to scattering amplitudes in $$ \mathcal{N}=4 $$ super Yang-Mills theory. Focusing on leading singularities, we derive the action of the Yangian generators on color-ordered subsets of the external states. Each subset corresponds to a single boundary of the non-planar on-shell diagram. While Yangian invariance is broken, we find that higher-level Yangian generators still annihilate the non-planar on-shell diagram. For a given diagram, the number of these generators is governed by the degree of non-planarity. Furthermore, we present additional identities involving integrable transfer matrices. In particular, for diagrams on a cylinder we obtain a conservation rule similar to the Yangian invariance condition of planar on-shell diagrams. To exemplify our results, we consider a five-point MHV on-shell function on a cylinder.

Integrable open spin chains related to infinite matrix product states

In this paper we study an su$(m)$-invariant open version of the Haldane-Shastry spin chain whose ground state can be obtained from the chiral correlator of the $c=m-1$ free boson boundary conformal field theory. We show that this model is integrable for a suitable choice of the chain sites depending on the roots of the Jacobi polynomial $P_N^{\beta-1,\beta'-1}$, where $N$ is the number of sites and $\beta,\beta'$ are two positive parameters. We also compute in closed form the first few nontrivial conserved charges arising from the twisted Yangian invariance of the model. We evaluate the chain's partition function, determine the ground state energy and deduce a complete description of the spectrum in terms of Haldane's motifs and a related classical vertex model. In particular, this description entails that the chain's level density is normally distributed in the thermodynamic limit. We also analyze the spectrum's degeneracy, proving that it is much higher than for a typical Yangian-invariant model.

On-shell diagrams, Graßmannians and integrability for form factors

We apply on-shell and integrability methods that have been developed in the context of scattering amplitudes in N=4 SYM theory to tree-level form factors of this theory. Focussing on the colour-ordered super form factors of the chiral part of the stress-tensor multiplet as an example, we show how to systematically construct on-shell diagrams for these form factors with the minimal form factor as further building block in addition to the three-point amplitudes. Moreover, we obtain analytic representations in terms of Gra{\ss}mannian integrals in spinor helicity, twistor and momentum twistor variables. While Yangian invariance is broken by the operator insertion, we find that the form factors are eigenstates of the integrable spin-chain transfer matrix built from the monodromy matrix that yields the Yangian generators. Constructing them via the method of R operators allows to introduce deformations that preserve the integrable structure. We finally show that the integrable properties extend to minimal tree-level form factors of generic composite operators as well as certain leading singularities of their n-point loop-level form factors.

Yangian Symmetry of Scattering Amplitudes and the Dilatation Operator in N=4 Supersymmetric Yang-Mills Theory.

It is known that the Yangian of PSU(2,2|4) is a symmetry of the tree-level S matrix of N=4 super Yang-Mills theory. On the other hand, the complete one-loop dilatation operator in the same theory commutes with the level-one Yangian generators only up to certain boundary terms found by Dolan, Nappi, and Witten. Using a result by Zwiebel, we show how the Yangian symmetry of the tree-level S matrix of N=4 super Yang-Mills theory implies precisely the Yangian invariance, up to boundary terms, of the one-loop dilatation operator.

Yangian-invariant spin models and Fibonacci numbers

We study a wide class of finite-dimensional su(m|n)-supersymmetric models closely related to the representations of the Yangian Y(gl(m|n)) labeled by border strips. We quantitatively analyze the degree of degeneracy of these models arising from their Yangian invariance, measured by the average degeneracy of the spectrum. We compute in closed form the minimum average degeneracy of any such model, and show that in the non-supersymmetric case it can be expressed in terms of generalized Fibonacci numbers. Using several properties of these numbers, we show that (except in the simpler su(1|1) case) the minimum average degeneracy grows exponentially with the number of spins. We apply our results to several well-known spin chains of Haldane–Shastry type, quantitatively showing that their degree of degeneracy is much higher than expected for a generic Yangian-invariant spin model. Finally, we show that the set of distinct levels of a Yangian-invariant spin model is described by an effective model of quasi-particles. We study this effective model, discussing its connections to one-dimensional anyons and properties of generalized Fibonacci numbers.

String bits and the spin vertex

We initiate a novel formalism for computing correlation functions of trace operators in the planar N=4 SYM theory. The central object in our formalism is the spin vertex which is the weak coupling analogy of the string vertex in string field theory. We construct the spin vertex explicitly for all sectors at the leading order using a set of bosonic and fermionic oscillators. We prove that the vertex has trivial monodromy, or put in other words, it is a Yangian invariant. Since the monodromy of the vertex is the product of the monodromies of the three states, the Yangian invariance of the vertex implies an infinite exact symmetry for the three-point function. We conjecture that this infinite symmetry can be lifted to any loop order.