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Anatoly Konechny

Publications and source records attributed to Anatoly Konechny.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

OPE and correlation functions in a generally covariant form

In this paper we consider some general aspects of Euclidean conformal field theories on curved spaces of dimension $D\ge 3$. We first look at the OPE of scalar primary fields on conformally flat spaces. Extending the results of \cite{Konechny:2026bqg}, we give a general construction of the descendants' contributions to the OPE in the scalar channel. We then discuss CFTs on non-conformally flat spaces in the ambient space formalism. We investigate the short-distance behaviour of three-point functions on such spaces using the general ansatz proposed by Parisini, Skenderis, and Withers \cite{Parisini:2022wkb, Parisini:2023nbd}. We find that some additional corrections need to be added to the ansatz to ensure the existence of a local covariant OPE.

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arXiv2026

OPE in a generally covariant form

We discuss the general covariance of operator product expansion in D-dimensional Euclidean conformal field theories. We propose to organise the expansion in powers of geodesic distance between two insertion points and to use the tangent vector to the geodesic for contractions with tensor operators. For conformally flat manifolds we show by explicit calculation that certain curvature terms arise in the OPE. For example for D>2 the leading term of this type in the identity channel of OPE of two scalar primaries is proportional to the Schouten tensor. We further argue that the terms we found are present for a general metric and are thus universal but there may be curvature terms at higher order in the expansion whose coefficients are not determined by the flat space OPE. The curvature terms we discuss are of practical interest in conformal perturbation theory calculations on curved spaces.

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arXiv2025

On local fields invariant under the action of topological defects

In the context of rational conformal field theories (RCFT) we look into the problem of constructing and classifying pairs consisting of a local operator and a topological defect which commutes or anticommutes with it. We discuss the bulk and boundary versions of the problem. In the latter one considers a conformal boundary condition, a boundary operator on it and a junction with a topological defect. In the case of the charge conjugation modular invariant commuting configurations in each problem can be obtained when a certain restriction on the fusion rules in realised. We study the corresponding fusion rule problems in detail. While in the bulk case it reduces to realising the $a\times b = c$ fusion rule which was studied in arXiv:2012.14689 [hep-th], in the boundary it leads to a new type of problem. We obtain a full solution to this problem for the $\mathrm{SU(3)}$ WZW theory, thus constructing a class of commuting boundary operators and junctions in that theory, and suggest an approach to general WZW theories.

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arXiv2024

On fusing matrices associated with conformal boundary conditions

In the context of rational conformal field theories (RCFT) we look at the fusing matrices that arise when a topological defect is attached to a conformal boundary condition. We call such junctions open topological defects. One type of fusing matrices arises when two open defects fuse while another arises when an open defect passes through a boundary operator. We use the topological field theory approach to RCFTs based on Frobenius algebra objects in modular tensor categories to describe the general structure associated with such matrices and how to compute them from a given Frobenius algebra object and its representation theory. We illustrate the computational process on the rational free boson theories. Applications to boundary renormalisation group flows are briefly discussed.

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arXiv2023

On partially formal supermanifolds

We define a finite-dimensional partially formal supermanifold as a manifold having $q$ odd coordinates and $k + l$ even coordinates with $l$ of them taking only nilpotent values. We show that this notion can be used to formulate superconformal field theories with different numbers of supersymmetries in holomorphic and antiholomorphic sectors.

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arXiv2023

RG boundaries and Cardy's variational ansatz for multiple perturbations

We consider perturbations of 2D CFTs by multiple relevant operators. The massive phases of such perturbations can be labeled by conformal boundary conditions. Cardy's variational ansatz approximates the vacuum state of the perturbed theory by a smeared conformal boundary state. In this paper we study the limitations and propose generalisations of this ansatz using both analytic and numerical insights based on TCSA. In particular we analyse the stability of Cardy's ansatz states with respect to boundary relevant perturbations using bulk-boundary OPE coefficients. We show that certain transitions between the massive phases arise from a pair of boundary RG flows. The RG flows start from the conformal boundary on the transition surface and end on those that lie on the two sides of it. As an example we work out the details of the phase diagram for the Ising field theory and for the tricritical Ising model perturbed by the leading thermal and magnetic fields. For the latter we find a pair of novel transition lines that correspond to pairs of RG flows. Although the mass gap remains finite at the transition lines, several one-point functions change their behaviour. We discuss how these lines fit into the standard phase diagram of the tricritical Ising model. We show that each line extends to a two-dimensional surface $ξ_{σ,c}$ in a three coupling space when we add perturbations by the subleading magnetic field. Close to this surface we locate symmetry breaking critical lines leading to the critical Ising model. Near the critical lines we find first order phase transition lines describing two-phase coexistence regions as predicted in Landau theory. The surface $ξ_{σ,c}$ is determined from the CFT data using Cardy's ansatz and its properties are checked using TCSA numerics.

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arXiv2022

Ising model in a boundary magnetic field with random discontinuities

We consider a two-dimensional Ising field theory on a space with boundary in the presence of a piecewise constant boundary magnetic field which is allowed to change value discontinuously along the boundary. We assume zero magnetic field in the bulk. The positions of discontinuities are averaged over as in the annealed disorder. This model is described by a boundary field theory in which a superposition of the free spin boundary condition is perturbed by a collection of boundary condition changing operators. The corresponding boundary couplings give the allowed constant values of the magnetic field as well as the fugacities for the transitions between them. We show that when the value of the magnetic field is allowed to take only two different values which are the same in magnitude but have different signs the model can be described by a quadratic Lagrangian. We calculate and analyse the exact reflection matrix for this model. We also calculate the boundary entropy and study in detail the space of RG flows in a three-parameter space and with four different infrared fixed points. We discuss the likely breakdown of integrability in the extended model which allows for two generic values of the boundary magnetic field, backing it by some calculations.

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arXiv2021

Properties of RG interfaces for 2D boundary flows

We consider RG interfaces for boundary RG flows in two-dimensional QFTs. Such interfaces are particular boundary condition changing operators linking the UV and IR conformal boundary conditions. We refer to them as RG operators. In this paper we study their general properties putting forward a number of conjectures. We conjecture that an RG operator is always a conformal primary such that the OPE of this operator with its conjugate must contain the perturbing UV operator when taken in one order and the leading irrelevant operator (when it exists) along which the flow enters the IR fixed point, when taken in the other order. We support our conjectures by perturbative calculations for flows between nearby fixed points, by a non-perturbative variational method inspired by the variational method proposed by J.~Cardy for massive RG flows, and by numerical results obtained using boundary TCSA. The variational method has a merit of its own as it can be used as a first approximation in charting the global structure of the space of boundary RG flows. We also discuss the role of the RG operators in the transport of states and local operators. Some of our considerations can be generalised to two-dimensional bulk flows, clarifying some conceptual issues related to the RG interface put forward by D.~Gaiotto for bulk $ϕ_{1,3}$ flows.

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arXiv2020

Open topological defects and boundary RG flows

In the context of two-dimensional rational conformal field theories we consider topological junctions of topological defect lines with boundary conditions. We refer to such junctions as open topological defects. For a relevant boundary operator on a conformal boundary condition we consider a commutation relation with an open defect obtained by passing the junction point through the boundary operator. We show that when there is an open defect that commutes or anti-commutes with the boundary operator there are interesting implications for the boundary RG flows triggered by this operator. The end points of the flow must satisfy certain constraints which, in essence, require the end points to admit junctions with the same open defects. Furthermore, the open defects in the infrared must generate a subring under fusion that is isomorphic to the analogous subring of the original boundary condition. We illustrate these constraints by a number of explicit examples in Virasoro minimal models.

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arXiv2019

On asymptotic behaviour in truncated conformal space approach

The Truncated conformal space approach (TCSA) is a numerical technique for finding finite size spectrum of Hamiltonians in quantum field theory described as perturbations of conformal field theories. The truncation errors of the method have been systematically studied near the UV fixed point (when the characteristic energy related to the coupling is less than the truncation cutoff) where a good theoretical understanding has been achieved. However numerically the method demonstrated a good agreement with other methods for much larger values of the coupling when the RG flow approaches a new fixed point in the infrared. In the present paper we investigate this regime for a number of boundary RG flows testing the leading exponent and truncation errors. We also study the flows beyond the first fixed point which have been observed numerically but yet lack a theoretical understanding. We show that while in some models such flows approximate reversed physical RG flows, in other models the spectrum approaches a stable regime that does not correspond to any local boundary condition. Furthermore we find that in general the flows beyond the first fixed point are very sensitive to modifications of the truncation scheme.

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arXiv2019

Critical Ising Model with Boundary Magnetic Field: RG Interface and Effective Hamiltonians

Critical 2D Ising model with a boundary magnetic field is arguably the simplest QFT that interpolates between two non-trivial fixed points. We use the diagonalising Bogolyubov transformation for this model to investigate two quantities. Firstly we explicitly construct an RG interface operator that is a boundary condition changing operator linking the free boundary condition with the one with a boundary magnetic field. We investigate its properties and in particular show that in the limit of large magnetic field this operator becomes the dimension 1/16 primary field linking the free and fixed boundary conditions. Secondly we use Schrieffer-Wolff method to construct effective Hamiltonians both near the UV and IR fixed points.

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arXiv2017

RG boundaries and interfaces in Ising field theory

Perturbing a CFT by a relevant operator on a half space and letting the perturbation flow to the far infrared we obtain an RG interface between the UV and IR CFTs. If the IR CFT is trivial we obtain an RG boundary condition. The space of massive perturbations thus breaks up into regions labelled by conformal boundary conditions of the UV fixed point. For the 2D critical Ising model perturbed by a generic relevant operator we find the assignment of RG boundary conditions to all flows. We use some analytic results but mostly rely on TCSA and TFFSA numerical techniques. We investigate real as well as imaginary values of the magnetic field and, in particular, the RG trajectory that ends at the Yang-Lee CFT. We argue that the RG interface in the latter case does not approach a single conformal interface but rather exhibits oscillatory non-convergent behaviour.

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arXiv2015

Fusion of conformal interfaces and bulk induced boundary RG flows

We consider the basic radius changing conformal interface for a free compact boson. After investigating different theoretical aspects of this object we focus on the fusion of this interface with conformal boundary conditions. At fractions of the self-dual radius there exist exceptional D-branes. It was argued in [1] that changing the radius in the bulk induces a boundary RG flow. Following [2] we conjecture that fusing the basic radius changing interface (that changes the radius from a fraction of the self-dual radius) with the exceptional boundary conditions gives the boundary condition which is the end point of the RG flow considered in [1]. By studying the fusion singularities we recover RG logarithms and see, in particular instances, how they get resummed into power singularities. We discuss what quantities need to be calculated to gain full non-perturbative control over the fusion.

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arXiv2014

Entropy of conformal perturbation defects

We consider perturbation defects obtained by perturbing a 2D conformal field theory (CFT) by a relevant operator on a half-plane. If the perturbed bulk theory flows to an infrared fixed point described by another CFT, the defect flows to a conformal defect between the ultraviolet and infrared fixed point CFTs. For short bulk renormalization group flows connecting two fixed points which are close in theory space we find a universal perturbative formula for the boundary entropy of the corresponding conformal perturbation defect. We compare the value of the boundary entropy that our formula gives for the flows between nearby Virasoro minimal models Mm with the boundary entropy of the defect constructed by Gaiotto in [1] and find a match at the first two orders in the 1/m expansion.

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arXiv2014

Renormalization and redundancy in 2d quantum field theories

We analyze renormalization group (RG) flows in two-dimensional quantum field theories in the presence of redundant directions. We use the operator picture in which redundant operators are total derivatives. Our analysis has three levels of generality. We introduce a redundancy anomaly equation which is analyzed together with the RG anomaly equation previously considered by H.Osborn [8] and D.Friedan and A.Konechny [7]. The Wess-Zumino consistency conditions between these anomalies yield a number of general relations which should hold to all orders in perturbation theory. We further use conformal perturbation theory to study field theories in the vicinity of a fixed point when some of the symmetries of the fixed point are broken by the perturbation. We relate various anomaly coefficients to OPE coefficients at the fixed point and analyze which operators become redundant and how they participate in the RG flow. Finally, we illustrate our findings by three explicit models constructed as current-current perturbations of SU(2)_k WZW model. At each generality level we discuss the geometric picture behind redundancy and how one can reduce the number of couplings by taking a quotient with respect to the redundant directions. We point to the special role of polar representations for the redundancy groups.

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arXiv2013

Strings in compact cosmological spaces

We confront the problem of giving a fundamental definition to perturbative string theory in spacetimes with totally compact space (taken to be a torus for simplicity, though the nature of the problem is very general) and non-compact time. Due to backreaction induced by the presence of even a single string quantum, the usual formulation of perturbative string theory in a fixed classical background is infrared-divergent at all subleading orders in the string coupling, and needs to be amended. The problem can be seen as a closed string analogue of D0-brane recoil under an impact by closed strings (a situation displaying extremely similar infrared divergences). Inspired by the collective coordinate treatment of the D0-brane recoil, whereby the translational modes of the D0-brane are introduced as explicit dynamical variables in the path integral, we construct a similar formalism for the case of string-induced gravitational backreaction, in which the spatially uniform modes of the background fields on the compact space are quantized explicitly. The formalism can equally well be seen as an ultraviolet completion of a minisuperspace quantum cosmology with string degrees of freedom. We consider the amplitudes for the universe to have two cross-sections with specified spatial properties and string contents, and show (at the first non-trivial order) that they are finite within our formalism.

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arXiv2013

Precise lower bound on Monster brane boundary entropy

In this paper we develop further the linear functional method of deriving lower bounds on the boundary entropy of conformal boundary conditions in 1+1 dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs). We show here how to use detailed knowledge of the bulk CFT spectrum. Applying the method to the Monster CFT with c=\bar c=24 we derive a lower bound s > - 3.02 x 10^{-19} on the boundary entropy s=ln g, and find compelling evidence that the optimal bound is s>= 0. We show that all g=1 branes must have the same low-lying boundary spectrum, which matches the spectrum of the known g=1 branes, suggesting that the known examples comprise all possible g=1 branes, and also suggesting that the bound s>= 0 holds not just for critical boundary conditions but for all boundary conditions in the Monster CFT. The same analysis applied to a second bulk CFT -- a certain c=2 Gaussian model -- yields a less strict bound, suggesting that the precise linear functional bound on s for the Monster CFT is exceptional.

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