arXiv subjects

K. S. Narain

Publications and source records attributed to K. S. Narain.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

Discontinuities of free theories on $AdS_2$

The partition functions of free bosons as well as fermions on $AdS_2$ are not smooth as a function of their masses. For free bosons, the partition function on $AdS_2$ is not smooth when the mass saturates the Breitenlohner-Freedman bound. We show that the expectation value of the scalar bilinear on $AdS_2$ exhibits a kink at the BF bound and the change in slope of the expectation value with respect to the mass is proportional to the inverse radius of $AdS_2$. For free fermions, when the mass vanishes the partition function exhibits a kink. We show that expectation value of the fermion bilinear is discontinuous and the jump in the expectation value is proportional to the inverse radius of $AdS_2$. We then show the supersymmetric actions of the chiral multiplet on $AdS_2\times S^1$ and the hypermultiplet on $AdS_2\times S^2$ demonstrate these features. The supersymmetric backgrounds are such that as the ratio of the radius of $AdS_2$ to $S^1$ or $S^2$ is dialled, the partition functions as well as expectation of bilinears are not smooth for each Kaluza-Klein mode on $S^1$ or $S^2$. Our observation is relevant for evaluating one-loop partition function in the near horizon geometry of extremal black holes.

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arXiv2018

Chern-Simons Theory on a General Seifert 3-Manifold

The path integral for the partition function of Chern-Simons gauge theory with a compact gauge group is evaluated on a general Seifert 3-manifold. This extends previous results and relies on abelianisation, a background field method and local application of the Kawasaki Index theorem.

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arXiv2018

The Decoupling of $\barΩ$ in String Theory

In this note, we study the deformation of the topological string by $\barΩ$. Namely, adopting the perturbative string amplitudes approach, we identify the $\barΩ$-deformation in terms of a physical state in the sting spectrum. We calculate the topological amplitudes $F_g$ in heterotic string theory in the presence of the latter. In particular, we show that it is crucial to include quadratic terms in the effective action in order for $\barΩ$ to decouple. It turns out that this decoupling happens at the full string level, suggesting that this holds non-perturbatively.

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arXiv2017

N=2 gauge theories on the hemisphere $HS^4$

Using localization techniques, we compute the path integral of $N=2$ SUSY gauge theory coupled to matter on the hemisphere $HS^4$, with either Dirichlet or Neumann supersymmetric boundary conditions. The resulting quantities are wave-functions of the theory depending on the boundary data. The one-loop determinant are computed using $SO(4)$ harmonics basis. We solve kernel and co-kernel equations for the relevant differential operators arising from gauge and matter localizing actions. The second method utilizes full $SO(5)$ harmonics to reduce the computation to evaluating $Q_{SUSY}^2$ eigenvalues and its multiplicities. In the Dirichlet case, we show how to glue two wave-functions to get back the partition function of round $S^4$. We will also describe how to obtain the same results using $SO(5)$ harmonics basis.

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arXiv2016

Real topological string amplitudes

We discuss the physical superstring correlation functions in type I theory (or equivalently type II with orientifold) that compute real topological string amplitudes. We consider the correlator corresponding to holomorphic derivative of the real topological amplitude $G_χ$, at fixed worldsheet Euler characteristic $χ$. This corresponds in the low-energy effective action to N=2 Weyl multiplet, appropriately reduced to the orientifold invariant part, and raised to the power $g'=-χ+1$. We show that the physical string correlator gives precisely the holomorphic derivative of topological amplitude. Finally, we apply this method to the standard closed oriented case as well, and prove a similar statement for the topological amplitude $F_g$.

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arXiv2015

Partition Function of $N=2$ Gauge Theories on a Squashed $S^4$ with $SU(2)\times U(1)$ Isometry

We study $N=2$ supersymmetric gauge theories on a large family of squashed 4-spheres preserving $SU(2)\times U(1)\subset SO(4)$ isometry and determine the conditions under which this background is supersymmetric. We then compute the partition function of the theories by using localization technique. The results indicate that for $N=2$ SUSY, including both vector-multiplets and hypermultiplets, the partition function is independent of the arbitrary squashing functions as well as of the other supergravity background fields.

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arXiv2015

Probing the Moduli Dependence of Refined Topological Amplitudes

With the aim of providing a worldsheet description of the refined topological string, we continue the study of a particular class of higher derivative couplings $F_{g,n}$ in the type II string effective action compactified on a Calabi-Yau threefold. We analyse first order differential equations in the anti-holomorphic moduli of the theory, which relate the $F_{g,n}$ to other component couplings. From the point of view of the topological theory, these equations describe the contribution of non-physical states to twisted correlation functions and encode an obstruction for interpreting the $F_{g,n}$ as the free energy of the refined topological string theory. We investigate possibilities of lifting this obstruction by formulating conditions on the moduli dependence under which the differential equations simplify and take the form of generalised holomorphic anomaly equations. We further test this approach against explicit calculations in the dual heterotic theory.

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arXiv2015

Black Holes in the 3D Higher Spin Theory and Their Quasi Normal Modes

We present a class of 3D Black Holes based on flat connections which are polynomials in the BTZ $hs(λ) \times hs(λ)$-valued connection. We solve analytically the fluctuation equations of matter in their background and find the spectrum of their Quasi Normal Modes. We analyze the bulk to boundary two-point functions. We also relate our results and those arising in other backgrounds discussed recently in the literature on the subject.

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arXiv2013

Holography and Conformal Anomaly Matching

We discuss various issues related to the understanding of the conformal anomaly matching in CFT from the dual holographic viewpoint. First, we act with a PBH diffeomorphism on a generic 5D RG flow geometry and show that the corresponding on-shell bulk action reproduces the Wess-Zumino term for the dilaton of broken conformal symmetry, with the expected coefficient aUV-aIR. Then we consider a specific 3D example of RG flow whose UV asymptotics is normalizable and admits a 6D lifting. We promote a modulus ρappearing in the geometry to a function of boundary coordinates. In a 6D description ρ is the scale of an SU(2) instanton. We determine the smooth deformed background up to second order in the space-time derivatives of ρand find that the 3D on-shell action reproduces a boundary kinetic term for the massless field τ= log(ρ) with the correct coefficient δc=cUV-cIR. We further analyze the linearized fluctuations around the deformed background geometry and compute the one-point functions and show that they are reproduced by a Liouville-type action for the massless scalar τ, with background charge due to the coupling to the 2D curvature R. The resulting central charge matches δc. We give an interpretation of this action in terms of the (4,0) SCFT of the D1-D5 system in type I theory.

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arXiv2013

Non-Perturbative Nekrasov Partition Function from String Theory

We calculate gauge instanton corrections to a class of higher derivative string effective couplings introduced in [1]. We work in Type I string theory compactified on K3xT2 and realise gauge instantons in terms of D5-branes wrapping the internal space. In the field theory limit we reproduce the deformed ADHM action on a general Ω-background from which one can compute the non-perturbative gauge theory partition function using localisation. This is a non-perturbative extension of [1] and provides further evidence for our proposal of a string theory realisation of the Ω-background.

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arXiv2013

Worldsheet Realization of the Refined Topological String

A worldsheet realization of the refined topological string is proposed in terms of physical string amplitudes that compute generalized N=2 F-terms of the form F_{g,n} W^{2g}Y^{2n} in the effective supergravity action. These terms involve the chiral Weyl superfield W and a superfield Y defined as an N=2 chiral projection of a particular anti-chiral T-bar vector multiplet. In Heterotic and Type I theories, obtained upon compactification on the six-dimensional manifold K3xT2, T is the usual Kähler modulus of the T2 torus. These amplitudes are computed exactly at the one-loop level in string theory. They are shown to reproduce the correct perturbative part of the Nekrasov partition function in the field theory limit when expanded around an SU(2) enhancement point of the string moduli space. The two deformation parameters epsilon_- and epsilon_+ of the Omega-supergravity background are then identified with the constant field-strength backgrounds for the anti-self-dual graviphoton and self-dual gauge field of the T-bar vector multiplet, respectively.

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arXiv2011

Gravitational and Yang-Mills instantons in holographic RG flows

We study various holographic RG flow solutions involving warped asymptotically locally Euclidean (ALE) spaces of $A_{N-1}$ type. A two-dimensional RG flow from a UV (2,0) CFT to a (4,0) CFT in the IR is found in the context of (1,0) six dimensional supergravity, interpolating between $AdS_3\times S^3/\mathbb{Z}_N$ and $AdS_3\times S^3$ geometries. We also find solutions involving non trivial gauge fields in the form of SU(2) Yang-Mills instantons on ALE spaces. Both flows are of vev type, driven by a vacuum expectation value of a marginal operator. RG flows in four dimensional field theories are studied in the type IIB and type I$'$ context. In type IIB theory, the flow interpolates between $AdS_5\times S^5/\mathbb{Z}_N$ and $AdS_5\times S^5$ geometries. The field theory interpretation is that of an N=2 $SU(n)^N$ quiver gauge theory flowing to N=4 SU(n) gauge theory. In type I$'$ theory the solution describes an RG flow from N=2 quiver gauge theory with a product gauge group to N=2 gauge theory in the IR, with gauge group $USp(n)$. The corresponding geometries are $AdS_5\times S^5/(\mathbb{Z}_N\times \mathbb{Z}_2)$ and $AdS_5\times S^5/\mathbb{Z}_2$, respectively. We also explore more general RG flows, in which both the UV and IR CFTs are N=2 quiver gauge theories and the corresponding geometries are $AdS_5\times S^5/(\mathbb{Z}_N\times \mathbb{Z}_2)$ and $AdS_5\times S^5/(\mathbb{Z}_M\times \mathbb{Z}_2)$. Finally, we discuss the matching between the geometric and field theoretic pictures of the flows.

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arXiv2011

Generalized N=2 Topological Amplitudes and Holomorphic Anomaly Equation

In arXiv:0905.3629 we described a new class of N=2 topological amplitudes that depends both on vector and hypermultiplet moduli. Here we find that this class is actually a particular case of much more general topological amplitudes which appear at higher loops in heterotic string theory compactified on K3 x T^2. We analyze their effective field theory interpretation and derive particular (first order) differential equations as a consequence of supersymmetry Ward identities and the 1/2-BPS nature of the corresponding effective action terms. In string theory the latter get modified due to anomalous world-sheet boundary contributions, generalizing in a non-trivial way the familiar holomorphic and harmonicity anomalies studied in the past. We prove by direct computation that the subclass of topological amplitudes studied in arXiv:0905.3629 forms a closed set under these anomaly equations and that these equations are integrable.

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arXiv2011

AdS$_3$ vacua and RG flows in three dimensional gauged supergravities

We study $AdS_3$ supersymmetric vacua in N=4 and N=8, three dimensional gauged supergravities, with scalar manifolds $(\frac{SO(4,4)}{SO(4)\times SO(4)})^2$ and $\frac{SO(8,8)}{SO(8)\times SO(8)}$, non-semisimple Chern-Simons gaugings $SO(4)\ltimes {\bf R}^6$ and $(SO(4)\ltimes {\bf R}^6)^2$, respectively. These are in turn equivalent to SO(4) and $SO(4)\times SO(4)$ Yang-Mills theories coupled to supergravity. For the N=4 case, we study renormalization group flows between UV and IR $AdS_3$ vacua with the same amount of supersymmetry: in one case, with (3,1) supersymmetry, we can find an analytic solution whereas in another, with (2,0) supersymmetry, we give a numerical solution. In both cases, the flows turn out to be v.e.v. flows, i.e. they are driven by the expectation value of a relevant operator in the dual $SCFT_2$. These provide examples of v.e.v. flows between two $AdS_3$ vacua within a gauged supergravity framework.

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arXiv2011

Two dimensional RG flows and Yang-Mills instantons

We study RG flow solutions in (1,0) six dimensional supergravity coupled to an anti-symmetric tensor and Yang-Mills multiplets corresponding to a semisimple group $G$. We turn on $G$ instanton gauge fields, with instanton number $N$, in the conformally flat part of the 6D metric. The solution interpolates between two (4,0) supersymmetric $AdS_3\times S^3$ backgrounds with two different values of $AdS_3$ and $S^3$ radii and describes an RG flow in the dual 2D SCFT. For the single instanton case and $G=SU(2)$, there exist a consistent reduction ansatz to three dimensions, and the solution in this case can be interpreted as an uplifted 3D solution. Correspondingly, we present the solution in the framework of N=4 $(SU(2)\ltimes \mathbf{R}^3)^2$ three dimensional gauged supergravity. The flows studied here are of v.e.v. type, driven by a vacuum expectation value of a (not exactly) marginal operator of dimension two in the UV. We give an interpretation of the supergravity solution in terms of the D1/D5 system in type I string theory on K3, whose effective field theory is expected to flow to a (4,0) SCFT in the infrared.

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arXiv2010

3D gauged supergravity from SU(2) reduction of $N=1$ 6D supergravity

We obtain Yang-Mills $SU(2)\times G$ gauged supergravity in three dimensions from $SU(2)$ group manifold reduction of (1,0) six dimensional supergravity coupled to an anti-symmetric tensor multiplet and gauge vector multiplets in the adjoint of $G$. The reduced theory is consistently truncated to $N=4$ 3D supergravity coupled to $4(1+\textrm{dim}\, G)$ bosonic and $4(1+\textrm{dim}\, G)$ fermionic propagating degrees of freedom. This is in contrast to the reduction in which there are also massive vector fields. The scalar manifold is $\mathbf{R}\times \frac{SO(3,\, \textrm{dim}\, G)}{SO(3)\times SO(\textrm{dim}\, G)}$, and there is a $SU(2)\times G$ gauge group. We then construct $N=4$ Chern-Simons $(SO(3)\ltimes \mathbf{R}^3)\times (G\ltimes \mathbf{R}^{\textrm{dim}G})$ three dimensional gauged supergravity with scalar manifold $\frac{SO(4,\,1+\textrm{dim}G)}{SO(4)\times SO(1+\textrm{dim}G)}$ and explicitly show that this theory is on-shell equivalent to the Yang-Mills $SO(3)\times G$ gauged supergravity theory obtained from the $SU(2)$ reduction, after integrating out the scalars and gauge fields corresponding to the translational symmetries $\mathbf{R}^3\times \mathbf{R}^{\textrm{dim}\, G}$.

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arXiv2010

Deformed Topological Partition Function and Nekrasov Backgrounds

A deformation of the N=2 topological string partition function is analyzed by considering higher dimensional F-terms of the type W^{2g}*Upsilon^n, where W is the chiral Weyl superfield and each Upsilon factor stands for the chiral projection of a real function of N=2 vector multiplets. These terms generate physical amplitudes involving two anti-self-dual Riemann tensors, 2g-2 anti-self-dual graviphoton field strengths and 2n self-dual field strengths from the matter vector multiplets. Their coefficients F_{g,n} generalizing the genus g partition function F_{g,0} of the topological twisted type II theory, can be used to define a generating functional by introducing deformation parameters besides the string coupling. Choosing all matter field strengths to be that of the dual heterotic dilaton supermultiplet, one obtains two parameters that we argue should correspond to the deformation parameters of the Nekrasov partition function in the field theory limit, around the conifold singularity. Its perturbative part can be obtained from the one loop analysis on the heterotic side. This has been computed in [1] and in the field theory limit shown to be given by the radius deformation of c=1 CFT coupled to two-dimensional gravity. Quite remarkably this result reproduces the gauge theory answer up to a phase difference that may be attributed to the regularization procedure. The type II results are expected to be exact and should also capture the part that is non-perturbative in heterotic dilaton.

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arXiv2009

A New Class of N=2 Topological Amplitudes

We describe a new class of N=2 topological amplitudes that compute a particular class of BPS terms in the low energy effective supergravity action. Specifically they compute the coupling F^2(λλ)^{g-2}(dϕ)^2 where F, λand ϕare gauge field strengths, gaugino and holomorphic vector multiplet scalars. The novel feature of these terms is that they depend both on the vector and hypermultiplet moduli. The BPS nature of these terms implies that they satisfy a holomorphicity condition with respect to vector moduli and a harmonicity condition as well as a second order differential equation with respect to hypermultiplet moduli. We study these conditions explicitly in heterotic string theory and show that they are indeed satisfied up to anomalous boundary terms in the world-sheet moduli space. We also analyze the boundary terms in the holomorphicity and harmonicity equations at a generic point in the vector and hyper moduli space. In particular we show that the obstruction to the holomorphicity arises from the one loop threshold correction to the gauge couplings and we argue that this is due to the contribution of non-holomorphic couplings to the connected graphs via elimination of the auxiliary fields.

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