# Universal Deformations

### Submission summary

 Authors (as Contributors): Theo Jacobson
Submission information
Date accepted: 2022-02-28
Date submitted: 2022-01-19 21:30
Submitted by: Jacobson, Theo
Submitted to: SciPost Physics
Ontological classification
Specialties:
• High-Energy Physics - Theory
Approach: Theoretical

### Abstract

QFTs with local topological operators feature unusual sectors called "universes," which are separated by infinite-tension domain walls. We show that such systems have relevant deformations with exactly-calculable effects. These deformations allow one to dial the vacuum energy densities of the universes. We describe applications of these deformations to confinement in 2d gauge theories, as well as a curious violation of the effective field theory naturalness principle.

Published as SciPost Phys. 12, 116 (2022)

### List of changes

-Fixed various typos and defined quantities that had been used without explanation.

-Added Footnote 1 to clarify a point raised by the second referee: we consider bases for local topological operators such that the zero operator does not appear in the fusion rules.