Logarithmic CFT at generic central charge: from Liouville theory to the $Q$-state Potts model

Abstract

Using derivatives of primary fields (null or not) with respect to the conformal dimension, we build infinite families of non-trivial logarithmic representations of the conformal algebra at generic central charge, with Jordan blocks of dimension $2$ or $3$. Each representation comes with one free parameter, which takes fixed values under assumptions on the existence of degenerate fields. This parameter can be viewed as a simpler, normalization-independent redefinition of the logarithmic coupling. In the example of the vacuum module at central charge zero, this parameter characterizes a Jordan block of dimension $3$, and takes the value $-\frac{1}{48}$. We compute the corresponding non-chiral conformal blocks, although they in general do not satisfy any nontrivial differential equation. We show that these blocks appear in limits of Liouville theory four-point functions. As an application, we describe the logarithmic structures of the critical two-dimensional $O(n)$ and $Q$-state Potts models at generic central charge. The validity of our description is demonstrated by semi-analytically bootstrapping four-point connectivities in the $Q$-state Potts model to arbitrary precision. Moreover, we provide numerical evidence for the Delfino--Viti conjecture for the three-point connectivity. Our results hold for generic values of $Q$ in the complex plane and beyond.