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arXiv · 2609.07828

Unitary quantum conformal Bondi-Metzner-Sachs field theories

Daniel Grumiller·Iva Lovrekovic
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Abstract

We impose unitarity constraints on two-dimensional field theories whose symmetries form the quantum conformal Bondi-Metzner-Sachs algebra, which combines conformal symmetries with asymptotic symmetries of asymptotically flat spacetimes. Positivity constraints put bounds on the central charge, 0<c<2.053. Positivity of the associated vertex algebra allows only four central charges, c = 1, 3/2, 13/7, 2. Thus, only four candidates for unitary field theories remain. We calculate their spectra of primaries and show that they are compatible with BPS-like and holographic inequalities.

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Daniel Grumiller, Iva Lovrekovic. 2026-09-07. Unitary quantum conformal Bondi-Metzner-Sachs field theories. https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.07828

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