arXiv subjects

Andrea Marzolla

Publications and source records attributed to Andrea Marzolla.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

The Holographic QCD Axion

A holographic model of QCD axion is presented. It describes a composite axion in the KSVZ class. Having a gravity dual, based on the Witten-Sakai-Sugimoto model, it is calculable in the strongly coupled regime. Its basic properties are derived, including the low energy Lagrangian, from which the axion couplings to nucleons can be derived. Basic features in the deconfined phase are studied as well. In particular, the temperature dependence of the axion mass is extracted from the topological susceptibility. As an aside, the topological susceptibility of strongly coupled ${\cal N}=4$ SYM at finite temperature is derived for the first time.

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arXiv2018

Symmetry breaking in holographic theories with Lifshitz scaling

We study holographically Lifshitz-scaling theories with broken symmetries. In order to do this, we set up a bulk action with a complex scalar and a massless vector on a background which consists in a Lifshitz metric and a massive vector. We first study separately the complex scalar and the massless vector, finding a similar pattern in the two-point functions that we can compute analytically. By coupling the probe complex scalar to the background massive vector we can construct probe actions that are more general than the usual Klein--Gordon action. Some of these actions have Galilean boost symmetry. Finally, in the presence of a symmetry breaking scalar profile in the bulk, we reproduce the expected Ward identities of a Lifshitz-scaling theory with a broken global continuous symmetry. In the spontaneous case, the latter imply the presence of a gapless mode, the Goldstone boson, which will have dispersion relations dictated by the Lifshitz scaling.

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arXiv2017

The Ward identity of Symmetry Breaking from Holographic Renormalization

Notes on holographic renormalization as a tool for UV analysis and derivation of the two-point Ward identity encoding symmetry breaking. Goldstone theorem is reviewed, discussing in particular the modifications required by its extension to non-relativistic field theories. The Ward identity encoding both spontaneous and explicit breaking are derived by general principles. Holographic renormalization is presented in a quite operational fashion. The derivation of the Ward identity in holography is illustrated by an example.

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arXiv2017

The four-dimensional on-shell three-point amplitude in spinor-helicity formalism and BCFW recursion relations

Lecture notes on Poincaré-invariant scattering amplitudes and tree-level recursion relations in spinor-helicity formalism. We illustrate the non-perturbative constraints imposed over on-shell amplitudes by the Lorentz Little Group, and review how they completely fix the three-point amplitude involving either massless or massive particles. Then we present an introduction to tree-level BCFW recursion relations, and some applications for massless scattering, where the derived three-point amplitudes are employed.

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arXiv2017

Holographic Ward identities for symmetry breaking in two dimensions

We investigate symmetry breaking in two-dimensional field theories which have a holographic gravity dual. Being at large N, the Coleman theorem does not hold and Goldstone bosons are expected. We consider the minimal setup to describe a conserved current and a charged operator, and we perform holographic renormalization in order to find the correct Ward identities describing symmetry breaking. This involves some subtleties related to the different boundary conditions that a vector can have in the three-dimensional bulk. We establish which is the correct prescription that yields, after renormalization, the same Ward identities as in higher dimensions.

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arXiv2016

Lorentz Constraints on Massive Three-Point Amplitudes

Using the helicity-spinor language we explore the non-perturbative constraints that Lorentz symmetry imposes on three-point amplitudes where the asymptotic states can be massive. As it is well known, in the case of only massless states the three-point amplitude is fixed up to a coupling constant by these constraints plus some physical requirements. We find that a similar statement can be made when some of the particles have mass. We derive the generic functional form of the three-point amplitude by virtue of Lorentz symmetry, which displays several functional structures accompanied by arbitrary constants. These constants can be related to the coupling constants of the theory, but in an unambiguous fashion only in the case of one massive particle. Constraints on these constants are obtained by imposing that in the UV limit the massive amplitude matches the massless one. In particular, there is a certain Lorentz frame, which corresponds to projecting all the massive momenta along the same null momentum, where the three-point massive amplitude is fully fixed, and has a universal form.

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arXiv2016

Analytic pseudo-Goldstone bosons

We consider the interplay between explicit and spontaneous symmetry breaking in strongly coupled field theories. Some well-known statements, such as the Gell-Mann-Oakes-Renner relation, descend directly from the Ward identities and have thus a general relevance. Such Ward identities are recovered in gauge/gravity dual setups through holographic renormalization. In a simple paradigmatic three dimensional toy-model, we find analytic expressions for the two-point correlators which match all the quantum field theoretical expectations. Moreover, we have access to the full spectrum, which is reminiscent of linear confinement.

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arXiv2015

A Note on Holographic Non-Relativistic Goldstone Bosons

We consider a holographic set-up where relativistic invariance is broken by a chemical potential, and a non-abelian internal symmetry is broken spontaneously. We use the tool of holographic renormalization in order to infer what can be learned purely by analytic boundary considerations. We find that the expected Ward identities are correctly reproduced. In particular, we obtain the identity which implies the non-commutation of a pair of broken charges, which leads to the presence of Goldstone bosons with quadratic dispersion relations.

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