arXiv subjects

Fiorenzo Bastianelli

Publications and source records attributed to Fiorenzo Bastianelli.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv1999

Three Point Functions of Chiral Primary Operators in d=3, N= 8 and d=6, N=(2,0) SCFT at Large N

We use the AdS/CFT correspondence to calculate three point functions of chiral primary operators at large N in d=3, N=8 and d=6, N=(2,0) superconformal field theories. These theories are related to the infrared fixed points of world-volume descriptions of N coincident M2 and M5 branes, respectively. The computation can be generalized by employing a gravitational action in arbitrary dimensions D, coupled to a (p+1)-form and appropriately compactified on AdS(D-p-2)xS(p+2). We note a surprising coincidence: this generalized model reproduces for D=10, p=3 the three point functions of d=4, N=4 SYM chiral primary operators at large N.

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arXiv1999

Bosonic Quadratic Actions for 11D Supergravity on AdS_7/4 x S_4/7

We determine from 11D supergravity the quadratic bulk action for the physical bosonic fields relevant for the computation of correlation functions of normalized chiral operators in D=6, N=(0,2) and D=3, N=8 supersymmetric CFT in the large N limit, as dictated by the AdS/CFT duality conjecture.

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arXiv1998

Mode Regularization of the Configuration Space Path Integral for a Particle in Curved Space

The proper definition and evaluation of the configuration space path integral for the motion of a particle in curved space is a notoriously tricky problem. We discuss a consistent definition which makes use of an expansion in Fourier sine series of the particle paths. Salient features of the regularization are the Lee-Yang ghosts fields and a specific effective potential to be added to the classical action. The Lee-Yang ghost fields are introduced to exponentiate the non-trivial path integral measure and make the perturbative loop expansion finite order by order, whereas the effective potential is necessary to maintain the general coordinate invariance of the model. We also discuss a three loop computation which tests the mode regularization scheme and reproduces consistently De Witt's perturbative solution of the heat kernel.

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arXiv1998

On Mode Regularization of the Configuration Space Path Integral in Curved Space

The path integral representation of the transition amplitude for a particle moving in curved space has presented unexpected challenges since the introduction of path integrals by Feynman fifty years ago. In this paper we discuss and review mode regularization of the configuration space path integral, and present a three loop computation of the transition amplitude to test with success the consistency of such a regularization. Key features of the method are the use of the Lee-Yang ghost fields, which guarantee a consistent treatment of the non-trivial path integral measure at higher loops, and an effective potential specific to mode regularization which arises at two loops. We also perform the computation of the transition amplitude using the regularization of the path integral by time discretization, which also makes use of Lee-Yang ghost fields and needs its own specific effective potential. This computation is shown to reproduce the same final result as the one performed in mode regularization.

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arXiv1998

Mode regularization, time slicing, Weyl ordering and phase space path integrals for quantum mechanical nonlinear sigma models

A simple, often invoked, regularization scheme of quantum mechanical path integrals in curved space is mode regularization: one expands fields into a Fourier series, performs calculations with only the first $M$ modes, and at the end takes the limit $M \to \infty$. This simple scheme does not manifestly preserve reparametrization invariance of the target manifold: particular noncovariant terms of order $\hbar^2$ must be added to the action in order to maintain general coordinate invariance. Regularization by time slicing requires a different set of terms of order $\hbar^2$ which can be derived from Weyl ordering of the Hamiltonian. With these counterterms both schemes give the same answers to all orders of loops. As a check we perform the three-loop calculation of the trace anomaly in four dimensions in both schemes. We also present a diagrammatic proof of Matthews' theorem that phase space and configuration space path integrals are equal.

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arXiv1997

't Hooft Anomaly Matching Conditions for Generalized Symmetries in 2D

The 't Hooft anomaly matching conditions are a standard tool to study and test non-perturbative issues in quantum field theory. We give a new, simple proof of the anomaly matching conditions in 2D Poincare` invariant theories. We consider the case of invariance under a large class of generalized symmetries, which include abelian and non-abelian internal symmetries, space-time symmetries generated by the stress tensor, and W-type of symmetries generated by higher spin currents.

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arXiv1996

A Locally Supersymmetric Action for the Scalar Particle

We construct a locally supersymmetric action for the scalar particle, and study its relation with the usual reparametrization invariant action. The mechanisms at work are similar to those employed in the embedding of the bosonic string into the fermionic one, originally due to Berkovits and Vafa in their search for a universal string. The simpler algebraic structure present in the particle case provides us with a guide on how to prove in a simple way, without the need of fixing the superconformal gauge, that the supersymmetric formulation of the bosonic string is equivalent to the usual one, where reparametrization invariance is the only world-sheet gauge symmetry.

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arXiv1996

C-theorem for two dimensional chiral theories

We discuss an extension of the $C$-theorem to chiral theories. We show that two monotonically decreasing $C$-functions can be introduced. However, their difference is a constant of the renormalization group flow. This constant reproduces the 't Hooft anomaly matching conditions.

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arXiv1995

Tests for C-theorems in 4D

A proof for a non-perturbative C-theorem in four dimensions, capturing the irreversibility of the renormalization group flow in the space of unitary quantum field theories, has not been accomplished, yet. We test the conjectured C-theorems using the exact results recently obtained in N=1 supersymmetric gauge theories. We find that the flow towards the infrared region is consistent with the main proposals for a C-theorem.

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arXiv1994

Note on W3 Realizations of the Bosonic String

In order to investigate to what extent string theories are different vacua of a general string theory (the ``universal string"), we discuss realizations of the bosonic string as particular background of certain types of $W$-strings. Our discussions include linearized $W_3^{lin}$, non-critical $W_3$, linearized $W_3^{(2)lin}$ and critical $W_3^{(2)}$ realizations of the bosonic string.

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arXiv1994

The BRST Operator for the Large $N=4$ Superconformal Algebra

We review the detailed structure of the large $N=4$ superconformal algebra, and construct its BRST operator which constitutes the main object for analyzing $N=4$ strings. We then derive the general condition for the nilpotency of the BRST operator and show that there exists a line of critical $N=4$ string theories.

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arXiv1994

A Hierarchy of Superstrings

We construct a hierarchy of supersymmetric string theories by showing that the general N-extended superstrings may be viewed as a special class of the (N+1)-extended superstrings. As a side result, we find a twisted (N+2) superconformal algebra realized in the N-extended string.

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arXiv1994

Toward the Universal Theory of Strings

We show that the $N=2$ superstrings may be viewed as a special class of the $N=4$ superstrings and demonstrate their equivalence. This allows us to realize all known string theories based on linear algebras and with $N<4$ supersymmetries as special choices of the vacua in the $N=4$ superstring.

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arXiv1993

A Locally Supersymmetric Action for the Bosonic String

Recently Berkovits and Vafa have shown that the bosonic string can be viewed as the fermionic string propagating in a particular background. Such a background is described by a somewhat unusual $N=1$ superconformal system. By coupling it to $N=1$ supergravity I construct a local supersymmetric action for the bosonic string.

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arXiv1993

On a New Method for Computing Trace Anomalies

I describe a new method for computing trace anomalies in quantum field theories which makes use of path-integrals for particles moving in curved spaces. After presenting the main ideas of the method, I discuss how it is connected to the first quantized approach of particle theory and to heat kernel techniques. (Talk given at Journees Relativistes '93).

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arXiv1993

Induced Chiral Supergravities in 2D

We analyze actions for 2D supergravities induced by chiral conformal supermatter. The latter may be thought as described at the classical level by superspace actions invariant under super-reparametrization, super-Weyl and super-Lorentz transformations. Upon quantization various anomalies appear which characterize the non-trivial induced actions for the supergravitational sector. We derive these induced actions using a chiral boson to represent the chiral inducing matter. We show that they can be defined in a super-reparametrization invariant way, but with super-Weyl and super-Lorentz anomalies. We consider the case of $(1,0)$ and $(1,1)$ supergravities by working in their respective superspace formulations and investigate their quantization in the conformal gauge. The actions we consider arise naturally in off-critical heterotic and spinning strings. In the conformal gauge, they correspond to chiral extensions of the super-Liouville theory.

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arXiv1992

A note on 2D chiral gravity and chiral bosons

Quantization of two dimensional chiral matter coupled to gravity induces an effective action for the zweibein field which is both Weyl and Lorentz anomalous. Recently, the quantization of this induced action has been analyzed in the light-cone gauge as well as in the conformal gauge. An apparent mismatch between the results obtained in the two gauges is analyzed and resolved by properly treating the Lorentz field as a chiral boson.

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arXiv1992

Trace Anomalies from Quantum Mechanics

The 1-loop anomalies of a d-dimensional quantum field theory can be computed by evaluating the trace of the regulated path integral jacobian matrix, as shown by Fujikawa. In 1983, Alvarez-Gaumé and Witten observed that one can simplify this evaluation by replacing the operators which appear in the regulator and in the jacobian by quantum mechanical operators with the same (anti)commutation relations. By rewriting this quantum mechanical trace as a path integral with periodic boundary conditions for a one-dimensional supersymmetric nonlinear sigma model, they obtained the chiral anomalies for spin 1/2 and 3/2 fields and selfdual antisymmetric tensors in d dimensions. In this article, we treat the case of trace anomalies for spin 0, 1/2 and 1 fields in a gravitational and Yang-Mills background. We do not introduce a supersymmetric sigma model, but keep the original Dirac matrices $\g^\m$ and internal symmetry generators $T^a$ in the path integral. As a result, we get a matrix-valued action. Gauge covariance of the path integral then requires a definition of the exponential of the action by time-ordering. We exponentiate the factors $\sqrt g$ in the path integral measure by using vector ghosts in order to exhibit the cancellation of the sigma model divergences more clearly. We compute the trace anomalies in d=2 and d=4.

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