arXiv subjects

Aninda Sinha

Publications and source records attributed to Aninda Sinha.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

New Massive Gravity and AdS_4 counterterms

We show that the recently proposed DBI extension of new massive gravity emerges naturally as a counterterm in AdS$_4$. The resulting on-shell Euclidean action is independent of the cut-off at zero temperature. We also find that the same choice of counterterm gives the usual area law for the AdS$_4$ Schwarzschild black hole entropy in a cut-off independent manner. The parameter values of the resulting counterterm action correspond to a $c=0$ theory in the context of AdS$_3$/CFT$_2$. We rewrite this theory in terms of the gauge field that is used to recast 3D gravity as a Chern-Simons theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Cavitation in holographic sQGP

We study the possibility of cavitation in the nonconformal N=2^* SU(N) theory which is a mass deformation of N=4 SU(N) Yang-Mills theory. The second order transport coefficients are known from the numerical work using AdS/CFT by Buchel and collaborators. Using these and the approach of Rajagopal and Tripuraneni, we investigate the flow equations in a 1+1 dimensional boost invariant set up. We find that the string theory model does not exhibit cavitation before phase transition is reached. We give a semi-analytic explanation of this finding.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Holographic c-theorems in arbitrary dimensions

We re-examine holographic versions of the c-theorem and entanglement entropy in the context of higher curvature gravity and the AdS/CFT correspondence. We select the gravity theories by tuning the gravitational couplings to eliminate non-unitary operators in the boundary theory and demonstrate that all of these theories obey a holographic c-theorem. In cases where the dual CFT is even-dimensional, we show that the quantity that flows is the central charge associated with the A-type trace anomaly. Here, unlike in conventional holographic constructions with Einstein gravity, we are able to distinguish this quantity from other central charges or the leading coefficient in the entropy density of a thermal bath. In general, we are also able to identify this quantity with the coefficient of a universal contribution to the entanglement entropy in a particular construction. Our results suggest that these coefficients appearing in entanglement entropy play the role of central charges in odd-dimensional CFT's. We conjecture a new c-theorem on the space of odd-dimensional field theories, which extends Cardy's proposal for even dimensions. Beyond holography, we were able to show that for any even-dimensional CFT, the universal coefficient appearing the entanglement entropy which we calculate is precisely the A-type central charge.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

On higher derivative gravity, c-theorems and cosmology

We consider higher derivative gravity lagrangians in 3 and 4 dimensions, which admit simple c-theorems, including upto six derivative curvature invariants. Following a suggestion by Myers, these lagrangians are restricted such that the fluctuations around (anti) de Sitter spaces have second order linearized equations of motion. We study c-theorems both in the context of AdS/CFT and cosmology. In the context of cosmology, the monotonic function is the entropy defined on the apparent horizon through Wald's formula. Exact black hole solutions which are asymptotically (anti) de Sitter are presented. An interesting lower bound for entropy is found in de Sitter space. Some aspects of cosmology in both D=3 and D=4 are discussed.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

On the new massive gravity and AdS/CFT

Demanding the existence of a simple holographic $c$-theorem, it is shown that a general (parity preserving) theory of gravity in 2+1 dimensions involving upto four derivative curvature invariants reduces to the new massive gravity theory. We consider extending the theory including upto six derivative curvature invariants. Black hole solutions are presented and consistency with 1+1 CFTs is checked. We present evidence that bulk unitarity is still in conflict with a positive CFT central charge for generic choice of parameters. However, for a special choice of parameters appearing in the four and six derivative terms reduces the linearized equations to be two derivative, thereby ameliorating the unitarity problem.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Non-relativistic metrics from back-reacting fermions

It has recently been pointed out that under certain circumstances the back-reaction of charged, massive Dirac fermions causes important modifications to AdS_2 spacetimes arising as the near horizon geometry of extremal black holes. In a WKB approximation, the modified geometry becomes a non-relativistic Lifshitz spacetime. In three dimensions, it is known that integrating out charged, massive fermions gives rise to gravitational and Maxwell Chern-Simons terms. We show that Schrodinger (warped AdS_3) spacetimes exist as solutions to a gravitational and Maxwell Chern-Simons theory with a cosmological constant. Motivated by this, we look for warped AdS_3 or Schrodinger metrics as exact solutions to a fully back-reacted theory containing Dirac fermions in three and four dimensions. We work out the dynamical exponent in terms of the fermion mass and generalize this result to arbitrary dimensions.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Seeing a c-theorem with holography

There is no known model in holography exhibiting a $c$-theorem where the central charges of the dual CFT are distinct. We examine a holographic model of RG flows in a framework where the bulk gravity theory contains higher curvature terms. The latter allows us to distinguish the flow of the central charges $a$ and $c$ in the dual field theories in four dimensions. One finds that the flow of $a$ is naturally monotonic but that of $c$ is not. Extending the analysis of holographic RG flows to higher dimensions, we are led to formulate a novel c-theorem in arbitrary dimensions for a universal coefficient appearing in the entanglement entropy of the fixed point CFT's.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Holographic studies of quasi-topological gravity

Quasi-topological gravity is a new gravitational theory including curvature-cubed interactions and for which exact black hole solutions were constructed. In a holographic framework, classical quasi-topological gravity can be thought to be dual to the large $N_c$ limit of some non-supersymmetric but conformal gauge theory. We establish various elements of the AdS/CFT dictionary for this duality. This allows us to infer physical constraints on the couplings in the gravitational theory. Further we use holography to investigate hydrodynamic aspects of the dual gauge theory. In particular, we find that the minimum value of the shear-viscosity-to-entropy-density ratio for this model is $η/s \simeq 0.4140/(4π)$.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Holographic GB gravity in arbitrary dimensions

We study the properties of the holographic CFT dual to Gauss-Bonnet gravity in general $D \ge 5$ dimensions. We establish the AdS/CFT dictionary and in particular relate the couplings of the gravitational theory to the universal couplings arising in correlators of the stress tensor of the dual CFT. This allows us to examine constraints on the gravitational couplings by demanding consistency of the CFT. In particular, one can demand positive energy fluxes in scattering processes or the causal propagation of fluctuations. We also examine the holographic hydrodynamics, commenting on the shear viscosity as well as the relaxation time. The latter allows us to consider causality constraints arising from the second-order truncated theory of hydrodynamics.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Holographic quantum liquids in 1+1 dimensions

In this paper we initiate the study of holographic quantum liquids in 1+1 dimensions. Since the Landau Fermi liquid theory breaks down in 1+1 dimensions, it is of interest to see what holographic methods have to say about similar models. For theories with a gapless branch, the Luttinger conjecture states that there is an effective description of the physics in terms of a Luttinger liquid which is specified by two parameters. The theory we consider is the defect CFT arising due to a probe D3 brane in the AdS Schwarzschild planar black hole background. We turn on a fundamental string density on the worldvolume. Unlike higher dimensional defects, a persistent dissipationless zero sound mode is found. The thermodynamic aspects of these models are considered carefully and certain subtleties with boundary terms are explained which are unique to 1+1 dimensions. Spectral functions of bosonic and fermionic fluctuations are also considered and quasinormal modes are analysed. A prescription is given to compute spectral functions when there is mixing due to the worldvolume gauge field. We comment on the Luttinger conjecture in the light of our findings.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Non-relativistic metrics with extremal limits

We present solutions of type IIB supergravity with z=2 Schrodinger asymptotics that admit an extremal limit, i.e. the black hole horizon has a double zero. These solutions are obtained as TsT transformations of the charged planar black hole in AdS_5 \times S^5. Unlike the uncharged solution, the Ramond-Ramond two-form is turned on. We study the thermodynamic properties of these new solutions, and we show that the ratio of shear viscosity to entropy density is 1/4πeven in the extremal limit. We also consider the TsT-transformed soliton and show that, for a special radius of the compact circle, there is a confinement-deconfinement phase transition at zero temperature between the soliton and black hole phases.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

The viscosity bound in string theory

The ratio of shear viscosity to entropy density $η/s$ of any material in nature has been conjectured to have a lower bound of $1/4π$, the famous KSS bound. We examine string theory models for evidence in favour of and against this conjecture. We show that in a broad class of models quantum corrections yield values of $η/s$ just above the KSS bound. However, incorporating matter fields in the fundamental representation typically leads to violations of this bound. We also outline a program to extend AdS/CFT methods to RHIC phenomenology.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Holographic Hydrodynamics with a Chemical Potential

We consider five-dimensional gravity coupled to a negative cosmological constant and a single U(1) gauge field, including a general set of four-derivative interactions. In this framework, we construct charged planar AdS black hole solutions perturbatively and consider the thermal and hydrodynamic properties of the plasma in the dual CFT. In particular, we calculate the ratio of shear viscosity to entropy density and argue that the violation of the KSS bound is enhanced in the presence of a chemical potential. We also compute the electrical conductivity and comment on various conjectured bounds related to this coefficient.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Improving high-T_c dc-SQUID performance by junction asymmetry

We study noise and noise energy of a high-T$_c$ dc SQUID fabricated on a high-$ε_R$ substrate whose conduction properties are given by transmission line physics. We show that transmission line resonances greatly enhance the noise. Remarkably, resistance asymmetry enhances these resonances even more. However, as the transfer function scales the same way, the noise energy is reduced by asymmetry greatly enhancing the flexibility and performance of the SQUID.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2009

Beyond eta/s = 1/4pi

We use low-energy effective description of gauge theory/string theory duality to argue that the Kovtun-Son-Starinets viscosity bound is generically violated in superconformal gauge theories with non-equal central charges $c\ne a$. We present new examples (of string theory constructions and of gauge theories) where the bound is violated in a controllable setting. We consider the comparison of results from AdS/CFT calculations to the QCD plasma in the context of this discussion.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

1/N Effects in Non-Relativistic Gauge-Gravity Duality

We argue that higher-curvature terms in the gravitational Lagrangian lead, via non-relativistic gauge-gravity duality, to finite renormalization of the dynamical exponent of the dual conformal field theory. Our argument includes a proof of the non-renormalization of the Schrodinger and Lifshitz metrics beyond rescalings of their parameters, directly generalizing the AdS case. We use this effect to construct string-theory duals of non-relativistic critical systems with non-integer dynamical exponents, then use these duals to predict the viscosity/entropy ratios of these systems. The predicted values weakly violate the KSS bound.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

Universal holographic hydrodynamics at finite coupling

We consider thermal plasmas in a large class of superconformal gauge theories described by a holographic dual geometry of the form $AdS_5\times M_5$. In particular, we demonstrate that all of the thermodynamic properties and hydrodynamic transport parameters for a large class of superconformal gauge theories exhibit a certain universality to leading order in the inverse 't Hooft coupling and $1/N_c$. In particular, we show that independent of the compactification geometry, the leading corrections are derived from the same five-dimensional effective supergravity action supplemented by a term quartic in the five-dimensional Weyl tensor.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

On quark masses in holographic QCD

Recently certain nonlocal operators were proposed to provide quark masses for the holographic model of QCD developed by Sakai and Sugimoto. The properties of these operators at strong coupling are examined in detail using holographic techniques. We find the renormalization procedure for these operators is modified by the running of the five-dimensional gauge coupling. We explicitly evaluate the chiral condensate characterized by these operators.

hep-th↗