Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Topological data analysis of monopole current networks in $U(1)$ lattice gauge theory

  Xavier Crean, Jeffrey Giansiracusa, Biagio Lucini

  SciPost Phys. 17, 100 (2024) · published 2 October 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In $4$-dimensional pure compact $U(1)$ lattice gauge theory, we analyse topological aspects of the dynamics of monopoles across the deconfinement phase transition. We do this using tools from Topological Data Analysis (TDA). We demonstrate that observables constructed from the zeroth and first homology groups of monopole current networks may be used to quantitatively and robustly locate the critical inverse coupling $\beta_{c}$ through finite-size scaling. Our method provides a mathematically robust framework for the characterisation of topological invariants related to monopole currents, putting on firmer ground earlier investigations. Moreover, our approach can be generalised to the study of Abelian monopoles in non-Abelian gauge theories.

  2 citations

• $G_2$-manifolds from 4d N=1 theories, part I: Domain walls

  Andreas P. Braun, Evyatar Sabag, Matteo Sacchi, Sakura Schäfer-Nameki

  SciPost Phys. 17, 102 (2024) · published 3 October 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We propose new $G_2$-holonomy manifolds, which geometrize the Gaiotto-Kim 4d $\mathcal{N}=1$ duality domain walls of 5d $\mathcal{N}=1$ theories. These domain walls interpolate between different extended Coulomb branch phases of a given 5d superconformal field theory. Our starting point is the geometric realization of such a 5d superconformal field theory and its extended Coulomb branch in terms of M-theory on a non-compact singular Calabi-Yau three-fold and its Kähler cone. We construct the 7-manifold that realizes the domain wall in M-theory by fibering the Calabi-Yau three-fold over a real line, whilst varying its Kähler parameters as prescribed by the domain wall construction. In particular this requires the Calabi-Yau fiber to pass through a canonical singularity at the locus of the domain wall. Due to the 4d $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetry that is preserved on the domain wall, we expect the resulting 7-manifold to have holonomy $G_2$. Indeed, for simple domain wall theories, this construction results in 7-manifolds, which are known to admit torsion-free $G_2$-holonomy metrics. We develop several generalizations to new 7-manifolds, which realize domain walls in 5d SQCD theories and walls between 5d theories which are UV-dual.

  2 citations

• Fisher zeroes and the fluctuations of the spectral form factor of chaotic systems

  Guy Bunin, Laura Foini, Jorge Kurchan

  SciPost Phys. 17, 114 (2024) · published 15 October 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The spectral form factor of quantum chaotic systems has the familiar 'ramp $+$ plateau' form. Techniques to determine its form in the semiclassical or the thermodynamic limit have been devised, in both cases based on the average over an energy range or an ensemble of systems. For a single instance, fluctuations are large, do not go away in the limit, and depend on the element of the ensemble itself, thus seeming to question the whole procedure. Considered as the modulus of a partition function in complex inverse temperature $\beta_R+i\beta_I$ ($\beta_I \equiv \tau$ the time), the spectral form factor has regions of Fisher zeroes, the analogue of Yang-Lee zeroes for the complex temperature plane. The large spikes in the spectral form factor are in fact a consequence of near-misses of the line parametrized by $\beta_I$ to these zeroes. The largest spikes are indeed extensive and extremely sensitive to details, but we show that they are both exponentially rare and exponentially thin. Motivated by this, and inspired by the work of Derrida on the Random Energy Model, we study here a modified model of random energy levels in which we introduce level repulsion. We also check that the mechanism giving rise to spikes is the same in the SYK model.

  2 citations

• Democratic actions with scalar fields: Symmetric sigma models, supergravity actions and the effective theory of the type IIB superstring

  Jose Juan Fernandez-Melgarejo, Giacomo Giorgi, Carmen Gomez-Fayren, Tomas Ortin, Matteo Zatti

  SciPost Phys. Core 7, 068 (2024) · published 17 October 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The dualization of the scalar fields of a theory into $(d-2)$-form potentials preserving all the global symmetries is one of the main problems in the construction of democratic pseudoactions containing simultaneously all the original fields and their duals. We study this problem starting with the simplest cases and we show how it can be solved for scalars parametrizing Riemannian symmetric $\sigma$-models as in maximal and half-maximal supergravities. Then, we use this result to write democratic pseudoactions for theories in which the scalars are non-minimally coupled to $(p+1)$-form potentials in any dimension. These results include a proposal of democratic pseudoaction for the generic bosonic sector of 4-dimensional maximal and half-maximal ungauged supergravities. Furthermore, we propose a democratic pseudoaction for the bosonic sector of $\mathcal{N}=2B,d=10$ supergravity (the effective action of the type IIB superstring theory) containing two 0-, two 2-, one 4-, two 6- and three 8-forms which is manifestly invariant under global SL$(2,\mathbb{R})$ transformations.

  2 citations

• Six-derivative Yang-Mills couplings in heterotic string theory

  Mohammad R. Garousi

  SciPost Phys. 17, 121 (2024) · published 28 October 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In this work, we present a comprehensive analysis of the structure of six-derivative bosonic couplings in heterotic string theory. First, we determine the maximal covariant and Yang-Mills gauge invariant basis, which consists of 801 independent coupling constants. By imposing T-duality constraints on the circular reduction of these terms, we obtain 468 relations between the coupling constants at the six-derivative order and the known couplings at lower derivative orders. Through the use of field redefinitions, we are able to eliminate the remaining 333 coupling constants. Remarkably, we find that the Yang-Mills field strength only appears through the trace of two field strengths or their derivatives. Finally, we perform further field redefinition to rewrite the remaining couplings in a canonical form characterized by 85 independent couplings.

  2 citations

• Massive scalar clouds and black hole spacetimes in Gauss-Bonnet gravity

  Iris van Gemeren, Tanja Hinderer, Stefan Vandoren

  SciPost Phys. Core 7, 069 (2024) · published 29 October 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study static black holes in scalar-Gauss-Bonnet (sGB) gravity with a massive scalar field as an example of higher curvature gravity. The scalar mass introduces an additional scale and leads to a strong suppression of the scalar field beyond its Compton wavelength. We numerically compute sGB black hole spacetimes and scalar configurations and also compare with perturbative results for small couplings, where we focus on a dilatonic coupling function. We analyze the constraints on the parameters from requiring the curvature singularity to be located inside the black hole horizon $r_h$ and the relation to the regularity condition for the scalar field. For scalar field masses $m r_h \gtrsim 10^{-1}$, this leads to a new and currently most stringent bound on sGB coupling constant $\alpha$ of $\alpha/r_h^2\sim 10^{-1}$ in the context of stellar mass black holes. Lastly, we look at several properties of the black hole configurations relevant for further work on observational consequences, including the scalar monopole charge, Arnowitt–Deser–Misner mass, curvature invariants and the frequencies of the innermost stable circular orbit and light ring.

  2 citations

• Building 1D lattice models with $G$-graded fusion category

  Shang-Qiang Ning, Bin-Bin Mao, Chenjie Wang

  SciPost Phys. 17, 125 (2024) · published 5 November 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We construct a family of one-dimensional (1D) quantum lattice models based on $G$-graded unitary fusion category $\mathcal{C}_G$. This family realize an interpolation between the anyon-chain models and edge models of 2D symmetry-protected topological states, and can be thought of as edge models of 2D symmetry-enriched topological states. The models display a set of unconventional global symmetries that are characterized by the input category $\mathcal{C}_G$. While spontaneous symmetry breaking is also possible, our numerical evidence shows that the category symmetry constrains the models to the extent that the low-energy physics has a large likelihood to be gapless.

  2 citations

• Extremality as a consistency condition on subregion duality

  Ronak M. Soni

  SciPost Phys. 17, 133 (2024) · published 13 November 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In JT gravity coupled to a CFT, I argue without using the path integral that the entanglement wedge of a boundary region is bounded by a quantum extremal surface (QES). For any candidate not bounded by a QES, a unitary in the complement can make reconstruction within the candidate inconsistent with boundary causality. The case without islands is a direct consequence of subregion duality, and the case with islands can also be dealt with with a stronger assumption.

  2 citations

• WZW terms without anomalies: Generalised symmetries in chiral Lagrangians

  Joe Davighi, Nakarin Lohitsiri

  SciPost Phys. 17, 168 (2024) · published 13 December 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We consider a 4d non-linear sigma model on the coset $(\text{SU}(N)_L × \text{SU}(N)_R × \text{SU}(2))/(\text{SU}(N)_{L+R}× \mathrm{U}(1))\cong \text{SU}(N) × S^2$, that features a topological Wess–Zumino–Witten (WZW) term whose curvature is $\frac{n}{24\pi^2}{Tr}(g^{-1}dg)^3 \wedge \mathrm{Vol}_{S^2}$ where $g$ is the $\text{SU}(N)$ pion field. This WZW term, unlike its familiar cousin in QCD, does not match any chiral anomaly, so its microscopic origin is not obviously QCD-like. We find that generalised symmetries provide a key to unlocking a UV completion. The $S^2$ winding number bestows the theory with a 1-form symmetry, and the WZW term intertwines this with the $\text{SU}(N)^2$ flavour symmetry into a 2-group global symmetry. Like a 't Hooft anomaly, the 2-group symmetry should match between UV and IR, precluding QCD-like completions that otherwise give the right pion manifold. We instead construct a weakly-coupled UV completion that matches the 2-group symmetry, in which an abelian gauge field connects the QCD baryon number current to the winding number current of a $\mathbb{C}P^1$ model, and explicitly show how the mixed WZW term arises upon flowing to the IR. The coefficient is fixed to be the number of QCD colours and, strikingly, this matching must be 'tree-level exact' to satisfy a quantization condition. We discuss generalisations, and elucidate the more intricate generalised symmetry structure that arises upon gauging an anomaly-free subgroup of $\text{SU}(N)_{L+R}$. This WZW term may even play a phenomenological role as a portal to a dark sector, that determines the relic abundance of dark matter.

  2 citations

• R-matrices and Miura operators in 5d Chern-Simons theory

  Nafiz Ishtiaque, Saebyeok Jeong, Yehao Zhou

  SciPost Phys. Core 8, 003 (2025) · published 13 January 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We derive Miura operators for $W$- and $Y$-algebras from first principles as the expectation value of the intersection between a topological line defect and a holomorphic surface defect in 5-dimensional non-commutative $\mathfrak{gl}(1)$ Chern-Simons theory. The expectation value, viewed as the transition amplitude for states in the defect theories forming representations of the affine Yangian of $\mathfrak{gl}(1)$, satisfies the Yang-Baxter equation and is thus interpreted as an R-matrix. To achieve this, we identify the representations associated with the line and surface defects by calculating the operator product expansions (OPEs) of local operators on the defects, as conditions that anomalous Feynman diagrams cancel each other. We then evaluate the expectation value of the defect intersection using Feynman diagrams. When the line and surface defects are specified, we demonstrate that the expectation value precisely matches the Miura operators and their products.

  2 citations