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Emergent generalized symmetries in ordered phases and applications to quantum disordering

Salvatore D. Pace

SciPost Phys. 17, 080 (2024) · published 13 September 2024 | · pdf

We explore the rich landscape of higher-form and non-invertible symmetries that emerge at low energies in generic ordered phases. Using that their charge is carried by homotopy defects (i.e., domain walls, vortices, hedgehogs, etc.), in the absence of domain walls we find that their symmetry defects in $D$-dimensional spacetime are described by $(D-1)$-representations of a $(D-1)$-group that depends only on the spontaneous symmetry-breaking (SSB) pattern of the ordered phase. These emergent symmetries are not spontaneously broken in the ordered phase. We show that spontaneously breaking them induces a phase transition into a nontrivial disordered phase that can have symmetry-enriched (non-)Abelian topological orders, photons, and even more emergent symmetries. This SSB transition is between two distinct SSB phases--an ordinary and a generalized one--making it a possible generalized deconfined quantum critical point. We also investigate the 't Hooft anomalies of these emergent symmetries and conjecture that there is always a mixed anomaly between them and the microscopic symmetry spontaneously broken in the ordered phase. One way this anomaly can manifest is through the fractionalization of the microscopic symmetry's quantum numbers. Our results demonstrate that even the most exotic generalized symmetries emerge in ordinary phases and provide a valuable framework for characterizing them and their transitions.
Asymmetric Bethe Ansatz

Steven G. Jackson, Hélène Perrin, Gregory E. Astrakharchik, Maxim Olshanii

SciPost Phys. Core 7, 062 (2024) · published 12 September 2024 | · pdf

The recently proposed exact quantum solution for two $\delta$-function-interacting particles with a mass-ratio $3\!:\!1$ in a hard-wall box [Y. Liu, F. Qi, Y. Zhang and S. Chen, iScience 22, 181 (2019)] violates the conventional necessary condition for a Bethe Ansatz integrability, the condition being that the system must be reducible to a superposition of semi-transparent mirrors that is invariant under all the reflections it generates. In this article, we found a way to relax this condition: some of the semi-transparent mirrors of a known self-invariant mirror superposition can be replaced by the perfectly reflecting ones, thus breaking the self-invariance. The proposed name for the method is asymmetric Bethe Ansatz (asymmetric BA). As a worked example, we study in detail the bound states of the nominally non-integrable system comprised of a bosonic dimer in a $\delta$-well. Finally, we show that the exact solution of the Liu-Qi-Zhang-Chen problem is a particular instance of the the asymmetric BA.
On a $\mathbb{Z}_3$-valued discrete topological term in 10d heterotic string theories

Yuji Tachikawa, Hao Y. Zhang

SciPost Phys. 17, 077 (2024) · published 11 September 2024 | · pdf

We show that the low-energy effective actions of two ten-dimensional supersymmetric heterotic strings are different by a $\mathbb{Z}_3$-valued discrete topological term even after we turn off the $E_8×E_8$ and $Spin(32)/\mathbb{Z}_2$ gauge fields. This will be demonstrated by considering the inflow of normal bundle anomaly to the respective NS5-branes from the bulk. This result will be used to show further that the $Spin(16)×Spin(16)$ non-tachyonic non-supersymmetric heterotic string has the same non-zero $\mathbb{Z}_3$-valued discrete topological term. We will also explain the relation of our findings to the theory of topological modular forms. The paper is written as a string theory paper, except for an appendix translating the content in mathematical terms. We will explain there that our finding identifies a representative of the $\mathbb{Z}/3$-torsion element of $\pi_{-32}\mathrm{TMF}$ as a particular self-dual vertex operator superalgebra of $c=16$ and how we utilize string duality to arrive at this statement.
Unraveling complexity: Singular value decomposition in complex experimental data analysis

Judith F. Stein, Aviad Frydman, Richard Berkovits

SciPost Phys. Core 7, 061 (2024) · published 11 September 2024 | · pdf

Analyzing complex experimental data with multiple parameters is challenging. We propose using Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) as an effective solution. This method, demonstrated through real experimental data analysis, surpasses conventional approaches in understanding complex physics data. Singular values and vectors distinguish and highlight various physical mechanisms and scales, revealing previously challenging elements. SVD emerges as a powerful tool for navigating complex experimental landscapes, showing promise for diverse experimental measurements.
Adiabatic gauge potential and integrability breaking with free fermions

Balázs Pozsgay, Rustem Sharipov, Anastasiia Tiutiakina, István Vona

SciPost Phys. 17, 075 (2024) · published 9 September 2024 | · pdf

We revisit the problem of integrability breaking in free fermionic quantum spin chains. We investigate the so-called adiabatic gauge potential (AGP), which was recently proposed as an accurate probe of quantum chaos. We also study the so-called weak integrability breaking, which occurs if the dynamical effects of the perturbation do not appear at leading order in the perturbing parameter. A recent statement in the literature claimed that integrability breaking should generally lead to an exponential growth of the AGP norm with respect to the volume. However, afterwards it was found that weak integrability breaking is a counter-example, leading to a cross-over between polynomial and exponential growth. Here we show that in free fermionic systems the AGP norm always grows polynomially, if the perturbation is local with respect to the fermions, even if the perturbation strongly breaks integrability. As a by-product of our computations we also find, that in free fermionic spin chains there are operators which weakly break integrability, but which are not associated with known long range deformations.
Non-invertible symmetries and higher representation theory II

Thomas Bartsch, Mathew Bullimore, Andrea E. V. Ferrari, Jamie Pearson

SciPost Phys. 17, 067 (2024) · published 26 August 2024 | · pdf

In this paper we continue our investigation of the global categorical symmetries that arise when gauging finite higher groups and their higher subgroups with discrete torsion. The motivation is to provide a common perspective on the construction of non-invertible global symmetries in higher dimensions and a precise description of the associated symmetry categories. We propose that the symmetry categories obtained by gauging higher subgroups may be defined as higher group-theoretical fusion categories, which are built from the projective higher representations of higher groups. As concrete applications we provide a unified description of the symmetry categories of gauge theories in three and four dimensions based on the Lie algebra $\mathfrak{so}(N)$, and a fully categorical description of non-invertible symmetries obtained by gauging a 1-form symmetry with a mixed 't Hooft anomaly. We also discuss the effect of discrete torsion on symmetry categories, based a series of obstructions determined by spectral sequence arguments.

1 citation
x-y duality in topological recursion for exponential variables via quantum dilogarithm

Alexander Hock

SciPost Phys. 17, 065 (2024) · published 23 August 2024 | · pdf

For a given spectral curve, the theory of topological recursion generates two different families $\omega_{g,n}$ and $\omega_{g,n}^\vee$ of multi-differentials, which are for algebraic spectral curves related via the universal $x-y$ duality formula. We propose a formalism to extend the validity of the $x-y$ duality formula of topological recursion from algebraic curves to spectral curves with exponential variables of the form $e^x=F(e^y)$ or $e^x=F(y)e^{a y}$ with $F$ rational and $a$ some complex number, which was in principle already observed in [Commun. Number Theory Phys. 13, 763 (2019); J. Lond. Math. Soc. 109, e12946 (2024)]. From topological recursion perspective the family $\omega_{g,n}^\vee$ would be trivial for these curves. However, we propose changing the $n=1$ sector of $\omega_{g,n}^\vee$ via a version of the Faddeev's quantum dilogarithm which will lead to the correct two families $\omega_{g,n}$ and $\omega_{g,n}^\vee$ related by the same $x-y$ duality formula as for algebraic curves. As a consequence, the $x-y$ symplectic transformation formula extends further to important examples governed by topological recursion including, for instance, Gromov-Witten invariants of $\mathbb{C}^3$ (or, equivalently, triple Hodge integrals), orbifold Hurwitz numbers, and stationary Gromov-Witten invariants of $\mathbb{P}^1$. The proposed formalism is related to the issue topological recursion encounters for specific choices of framings for the topological vertex curve.
On the Virasoro fusion kernel at $c=25$

Sylvain Ribault, Ioannis Tsiares

SciPost Phys. 17, 058 (2024) · published 22 August 2024 | · pdf

We find a formula for the Virasoro fusion kernel at $c=25$, in terms of the connection coefficients of the Painlevé VI differential equation. Our formula agrees numerically with previously known integral representations of the kernel. The derivation of our formula relies on a duality $c\to 26-c$ that is obeyed by the shift equations for the fusion and modular kernels. We conjecture that for $c<1$ the fusion and modular kernels are not smooth functions, but distributions.
Boundary vertex algebras for 3d $\mathcal{N}=4$ rank-0 SCFTs

Andrea E. V. Ferrari, Niklas Garner, Heeyeon Kim

SciPost Phys. 17, 057 (2024) · published 16 August 2024 | · pdf

We initiate the study of boundary Vertex Operator Algebras (VOAs) of topologically twisted 3d $\mathcal{N}=4$ rank-0 SCFTs. This is a recently introduced class of $\mathcal{N}=4$ SCFTs that by definition have zero-dimensional Higgs and Coulomb branches. We briefly explain why it is reasonable to obtain rational VOAs at the boundary of their topological twists. When a rank-0 SCFT is realized as the IR fixed point of a $\mathcal{N}=2$ Lagrangian theory, we propose a technique for the explicit construction of its topological twists and boundary VOAs based on deformations of the holomorphic-topological twist of the $\mathcal{N}=2$ microscopic description. We apply this technique to the $B$ twist of a newly discovered family of 3d $\mathcal{N}=4$ rank-0 SCFTs ${\mathcal T}_r$ and argue that they admit the simple affine VOAs $L_r(\mathfrak{osp}(1|2))$ at their boundary. In the simplest case, this leads to a novel level-rank duality between $L_1(\mathfrak{osp}(1|2))$ and the minimal model $M(2,5)$. As an aside, we present a TQFT obtained by twisting a 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ QFT that admits the $M(3,4)$ minimal model as a boundary VOA and briefly comment on the classical freeness of VOAs at the boundary of 3d TQFTs.
Large deviations in the symmetric simple exclusion process with slow boundaries: A hydrodynamic perspective

Soumyabrata Saha, Tridib Sadhu

SciPost Phys. 17, 033 (2024) · published 5 August 2024 | · pdf

We revisit the one-dimensional model of the symmetric simple exclusion process slowly coupled with two unequal reservoirs at the boundaries. In its non-equilibrium stationary state, the large deviations functions of density and current have been recently derived using exact microscopic analysis by Derrida, Hirschberg and Sadhu in [J. Stat. Phys. 182, 15 (2021)]. We present an independent derivation using the hydrodynamic approach of the macroscopic fluctuation theory (MFT). The slow coupling introduces additional boundary terms in the MFT-Action, which modifies the spatial boundary conditions for the associated variational problem. For the density large deviations, we explicitly solve the corresponding Euler-Lagrange equations using a simple local transformation of the optimal fields. For the current large deviations, our solution is obtained using the additivity principle. In addition to recovering the expression of the large deviations functions, our solution describes the most probable path for these rare fluctuations.

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Publications

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