arXiv subjects

Donovan Young

Publications and source records attributed to Donovan Young.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

Wilson loops in Five-Dimensional Super-Yang-Mills

We consider circular non-BPS Maldacena-Wilson loops in five-dimensional supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory (d = 5 SYM) both as macroscopic strings in the D4-brane geometry and directly in gauge theory. We find that in the Dp-brane geometries for increasing p, p = 4 is the last value for which the radius of the string worldsheet describing the Wilson loop is independent of the UV cut-off. It is also the last value for which the area of the worldsheet can be (at least partially) regularized by the standard Legendre transformation. The asymptotics of the string worldsheet allow the remaining divergence in the regularized area to be determined, and it is found to be logarithmic in the UV cut-off. We also consider the M2-brane in AdS_7 x S^4 which is the M-theory lift of the Wilson loop, and dual to a "Wilson surface" in the (2,0), d = 6 CFT. We find that it has exactly the same logarithmic divergence in its regularized action. The origin of the divergence has been previously understood in terms of a conformal anomaly for surface observables in the CFT. Turning to the gauge theory, a similar picture is found in d = 5 SYM. The divergence and its coefficient can be recovered for general smooth loops by summing the leading divergences in the analytic continuation of dimensional regularization of planar rainbow/ladder diagrams. These diagrams are finite in 5 - epsilon dimensions. The interpretation is that the Wilson loop is renormalized by a factor containing this leading divergence of six-dimensional origin, and also subleading divergences, and that the remaining part of the Wilson loop expectation value is a finite, scheme-dependent quantity. We substantiate this claim by showing that the interacting diagrams at one loop are finite in our regularization scheme in d = 5 dimensions, but not for d greater than or equal to 6.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Hidden Local and Non-local Symmetries of S-matrices of N=2,4,8 SYM in D=2+1

This talk, based principally on arXiv:1103.0786, is devoted to properties of tree-level S-matrices of N=2,4,8 SYM in D=2+1. We'll discuss an on-shell formalism for three-dimensional theories inspired by the spinor-helicity framework in four spacetime dimensions. Our framework will be shown be to particularly well suited for the extraction of hidden symmetries and algebraic structures that the scattering amplitudes of the three-dimensional theories posses. In particular we shall discuss the manifest SO(N) symmetry of the S-matrix to all orders in perturbation theory; a symmetry that the Lagrangians of these theories do not have. After a brief discussion of the ramification of the SO(N) invariance to the D2-M2 brane dualities, we shall introduce an on-shell superfield framework for three-dimensional theories and end with a surprising hint of the existence of non-local symmetries for the S-matrix of the N=8 theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Dressed Wilson Loops on S^2

We present a new, two-parameter family of string solutions corresponding to the holographic duals of specific 1/8-BPS Wilson loops on S^2 in N = 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. The solutions are obtained using the dressing method on the known longitude solution in the context of the auxiliary sigma-model on S^3 put forth in arXiv:0905.0665[hep-th]. We verify that the regularized area of the worldsheets are consistent with expectations.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Holographic three-point functions of giant gravitons

Working within the AdS/CFT correspondence we calculate the three-point function of two giant gravitons and one pointlike graviton using methods of semiclassical string theory and considering both the case where the giant gravitons wrap an S^3 in S^5 and the case where the giant gravitons wrap an S^3 in AdS_5. We likewise calculate the correlation function in N=4 SYM using two Schur polynomials and a single trace chiral primary. We find that the gauge and string theory results have structural similarities but do not match perfectly, and interpret this in terms of the Schur polynomials' inability to interpolate between dual giant and pointlike gravitons.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Manifest SO(N) invariance and S-matrices of three-dimensional N=2,4,8 SYM

An on-shell formalism for the computation of S-matrices of SYM theories in three spacetime dimensions is presented. The framework is a generalization of the spinor-helicity formalism in four dimensions. The formalism is applied to establish the manifest SO(N) covariance of the on-shell superalgebra relevant to N =2,4 and 8 SYM theories in d=3. The results are then used to argue for the SO(N) invariance of the S-matrices of these theories: a claim which is proved explicitly for the four-particle scattering amplitudes. Recursion relations relating tree amplitudes of three-dimensional SYM theories are shown to follow from their four-dimensional counterparts. The results for the four-particle amplitudes are verified by tree-level perturbative computations and a unitarity based construction of the integrand corresponding to the leading perturbative correction is also presented for the N=8 theory. For N=8 SYM, the manifest SO(8) symmetry is used to develop a map between the color-ordered amplitudes of the SYM and superconformal Chern-Simons theories, providing a direct connection between on-shell observables of D2 and M2-brane theories.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

BPS Wilson Loops on S^2 at Higher Loops

We consider supersymmetric Wilson loops of the variety constructed by Drukker, Giombi, Ricci, and Trancanelli, whose spatial contours lie on a two-sphere. Working to second order in the 't Hooft coupling in planar N=4 Supersymmetric Yang-Mills Theory (SYM), we compute the vacuum expectation value of a wavy-latitude and of a loop composed of two longitudes. We evaluate the resulting integrals numerically and find that the results are consistent with the zero-instanton sector calculation of Wilson loops in 2-d Yang-Mills on S^2 performed by Bassetto and Griguolo. We also consider the connected correlator of two distinct latitudes to third order in the 't Hooft coupling in planar N=4 SYM. We compare the result in the limit where the latitudes become coincident to a perturbative calculation in 2-d Yang-Mills on S^2 using a light-cone Wu-Mandelstam-Leibbrandt prescription. We are not able to calculate the SYM result at the required order in the separation between the latitudes necessary for a match with 2-d Yang-Mills; the result, however, does not preclude such a match.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

On the Spectrum of the AdS_5xS^5 String at large lambda

We put forth a program for perturbatively quantizing the bosonic sector of the IIB superstring on AdS_5xS^5 in the large radius of curvature R (i.e. flat-space) limit, and in light-cone gauge. Using the quantization of the massive particle on AdS_5xS^5 as a guiding exercise, we read off the correct scaling of the particle coordinates in the large radius limit. In the corresponding large \sqrtλ=R^2/α' limit of the string the oscillator modes must be scaled differently from the zero modes. We compute the bosonic string Hamiltonian in this limit which gives the flat-space mass-squared operator at leading order, followed by a harmonic oscillator potential in the zero modes at subleading order. Using these ingredients we calculate the leading and sub-leading terms in the conformal dimension of the length-four Konishi state in the large-λlimit. Furthermore we work out the relevant terms of the energy expansion to next-to-next-to leading order, which are plagued by severe ordering ambiguities. This prevents us from determining the corrections to the spectrum at order λ^{-1/4}.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Wilson Loops in N=2 Superconformal Yang-Mills Theory

We present a three-loop O(g^6) calculation of the difference between the expectation values of Wilson loops evaluated in N=4 and superconformal N=2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory with gauge group SU(N) using dimensional reduction. We find a massive reduction of required Feynman diagrams, leaving only certain two-matter-loop corrections to the gauge field and associated scalar propagator. This "diagrammatic difference" leaves a finite result proportional to the bare propagators and allows the recovery of the zeta(3) term coming from the matrix model for the 1/2 BPS circular Wilson loop in the N=2 theory. The result is valid also for closed Wilson loops of general shape. Comments are made concerning light-like polygons and supersymmetric loops in the plane and on S^2.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

SU(2|2) for Theories with Sixteen Supercharges at Weak and Strong Coupling

We consider the dimensional reductions of N=4 Supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on R x S^3 to the three-dimensional theory on R x S^2, the orbifolded theory on R x S^3/Z_k, and the plane-wave matrix model. With explicit emphasis on the three-dimensional theory, we demonstrate the realization of the SU(2|3) algebra in a radial Hamiltonian framework. Using this structure we constrain the form of the spin chains, their S-matrices, and the corresponding one- and two-loop Hamiltonian of the three dimensional theory and find putative signs of integrability up to the two-loop order. The string duals of these theories admit the IIA plane-wave geometry as their Penrose limit. Using known results for strings quantized on this background, we explicitly construct the strong-coupling dual extended SU(2|2) algebra and discuss its implications for the gauge theories.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Vortex Loop Operators, M2-branes and Holography

We construct vortex loop operators in the three-dimensional N = 6 supersymmetric Chern-Simons theory recently constructed by Aharony, Bergman, Jafferis and Maldacena. These disorder loop operators are specified by a vortex-like singularity for the scalar and gauge fields along a one dimensional curve in spacetime. We identify the 1/2, 1/3 and 1/6 BPS loop operators in the Chern-Simons theory with excitations of M-theory corresponding to M2-branes ending along a curve on the boundary of AdS_4 x S^7/Z_k. The vortex loop operators can also be given a purely geometric description in terms of regular "bubbling" solutions of eleven dimensional supergravity which are asymptotically AdS_4 x S^7/Z_k.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Correlators of supersymmetric Wilson loops at weak and strong coupling

We continue our study of the correlators of a recently discovered family of BPS Wilson loops in N=4 supersymmetric U(N) Yang-Mills theory. We perform explicit computations at weak coupling by means of analytical and numerical methods finding agreement with the exact formula derived from localization. In particular we check the localization prediction at order g^6 for different BPS "latitude" configurations, the N=4 perturbative expansion reproducing the expected results within a relative error of 10^(-4). On the strong coupling side we present a supergravity evaluation of the 1/8 BPS correlator in the limit of large separation, taking into account the exchange of all relevant modes between the string world-sheets. While reproducing the correct geometrical dependence, we find that the associated coefficient does not match the localization result.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Supersymmetric Wilson Loops in Diverse Dimensions

We consider supersymmetric Wilson loops a la Zarembo in planar supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories in diverse dimensions. Using perturbation theory we show that these loops have trivial vacuum expectation values to second order in the 't Hooft coupling. We review the known superspace results which, for specific dimensions, extend this triviality to all orders in the 't Hooft coupling. Using the gauge/gravity correspondence, we construct the explicit dual fundamental string solutions corresponding to these Wilson loops for the case of circular geometry. We find that the regularized action of these string solutions vanishes. We also generalize the framework of calibrated surfaces to prove the vanishing of the regularized action for loops of general geometry. We propose a possible string-side manifestation of the gauge theory generalized Konishi anomaly in seven dimensions.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

Wilson loops in 3-dimensional N=6 supersymmetric Chern-Simons Theory and their string theory duals

We study Wilson loops in the three-dimensional N=6 supersymmetric Chern-Simons theory recently constructed by Aharony, Bergman, Jafferis and Maldacena, that is conjectured to be dual to type IIA string theory on AdS_4 x CP^3. We construct loop operators in the Chern-Simons theory which preserve 1/6 of the supercharges and calculate their expectation value up to 2-loop order at weak coupling. The expectation value at strong coupling is found by constructing the string theory duals of these operators. For low dimensional representations these are fundamental strings, for high dimensional representations these are D2-branes and D6-branes. In support of this identification we demonstrate that these string theory solutions match the symmetries, charges and the preserved supersymmetries of their Chern-Simons theory counterparts.

hep-th↗

arXiv2007

The AdS/CFT Correspondence: Classical, Quantum, and Thermodynamical Aspects

Certain aspects of the AdS/CFT correspondence are studied in detail. We investigate the one-loop mass shift to certain two-impurity string states in light-cone string field theory on a plane wave background. We find that there exist logarithmic divergences in the sums over intermediate mode numbers which cancel between the cubic Hamiltonian and quartic "contact term". We argue that generically, every order in intermediate state impurities contributes to the mass shift at leading perturbative order. The same mass shift is also computed using an improved 3-string vertex proposed by Dobashi and Yoneya. The result is found to agree with gauge theory at leading order and is close but not quite in agreement at subleading order. We extend the analysis to include discrete light-cone quantization, considering states with up to three units of p+. We study the (apparently) first-order phase transition in the weakly coupled plane-wave matrix model at finite temperature. We analyze the effect of interactions by computing the relevant parts of the effective potential for the Polyakov loop operator to three loop order. We show that the phase transition is indeed of first order. We also compute the 2-loop correction to the Hagedorn temperature. Finally, correlation functions of 1/4 BPS Wilson loops with the infinite family of 1/2 BPS chiral primary operators are computed in N=4 super Yang-Mills theory by summing planar ladder diagrams. The correlation functions are also computed in the strong-coupling limit using string theory; the result is found to agree with the extrapolation of the planar ladders. The result is related to similar correlators of 1/2 BPS loops by a simple re-scaling of the coupling constant, discovered by Drukker for the case of the 1/4 BPS loop VEV.

hep-th↗

arXiv2006

Exact 1/4 BPS Loop - Chiral Primary Correlator

Correlation functions of 1/4 BPS Wilson loops with the infinite family of 1/2 BPS chiral primary operators are computed in $\mathcal{N}=4$ super Yang-Mills theory by summing planar ladder diagrams. Leading loop corrections to the sum are shown to vanish. The correlation functions are also computed in the strong-coupling limit by examining the supergravity dual of the loop-loop correlator. The strong coupling result is found to agree with the extrapolation of the planar ladders. The result is related to known correlators of 1/2 BPS Wilson loops and 1/2 BPS chiral primaries by a simple re-scaling of the coupling constant, similar to an observation of Drukker, hep-th/0605151, for the case of the 1/4 BPS loop vacuum expectation value.

hep-th↗

arXiv2006

AdS/CFT v.s. String Loops

The one string-loop correction to the energies of two impurity BMN states are computed using IIB light-cone string field theory with an improved 3-string vertex that has been proposed by Dobashi and Yoneya. As in previous published computations, the string vertices are truncated to the 2-impurity channel. The result is compared with the prediction from non-planar corrections in the BMN limit of $\mathcal{N}=4$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. It is found to agree at leading order -- one-loop in Yang-Mills theory -- and is close but not quite in agreement at order two Yang-Mills loops. Furthermore, in addition to the leading 1/2 power in the t'Hooft coupling, which is generic in string field theory, and which we have previously argued cancels, we find that the 3/2 and 5/2 powers are also miraculously absent.

hep-th↗

arXiv2005

Divergence Cancellation and Loop Corrections in String Field Theory on a Plane Wave Background

We investigate the one-loop energy shift E to certain two-impurity string states in light-cone string field theory on a plane wave background. We find that there exist logarithmic divergences in the sums over intermediate mode numbers which cancel between the cubic Hamiltonian and quartic ``contact term''. Analyzing the impurity non-conserving channel we find that the non-perturbative, order g_2^2 sqrt(lambda') contribution to E/mu predicted in hep-th/0211220 is in fact an artifact of these logarithmic divergences and vanishes with them, leaving an order g_2^2 lambda' contribution. Exploiting the supersymmetry algebra, we present a form for the energy shift which appears to be manifestly convergent and free of non-perturbative terms. We use this form to argue that E/mu receives order g_2^2 lambda' contributions at every order in intermediate state impurities.

hep-th↗

arXiv2004

Free Energy and Phase Transition of the Matrix Model on a Plane-Wave

It has recently been observed that the weakly coupled plane wave matrix model has a density of states which grows exponentially at high energy. This implies that the model has a phase transition. The transition appears to be of first order. However, its exact nature is sensitive to interactions. In this paper, we analyze the effect of interactions by computing the relevant parts of the effective potential for the Polyakov loop operator in the finite temperature plane-wave matrix model to three loop order. We show that the phase transition is indeed of first order. We also compute the correction to the Hagedorn temperature to order two loops.

hep-th↗