arXiv subjects

Napat Poovuttikul

Publications and source records attributed to Napat Poovuttikul.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Fractional Hydrodynamic Transport from the Witten Anomaly

We study the physical consequences of 't Hooft anomalies in the high-temperature limit of relativistic quantum field theories with $SU(2)$, or more generally $USp(2N)$, global symmetry. The global anomaly afflicting these symmetry groups results in new transport phenomena akin to the chiral magnetic and chiral vortical effect, predicting conductivities that are fractionally quantised in units of a half, reflecting the 2-torsion in the bordism groups $Ω^\text{Spin}_5(BUSp(2N))\cong \mathbb{Z}_2$.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

Higher-form symmetry and chiral transport in real-time Abelian lattice gauge theory

We study classical lattice simulations of theories of electrodynamics coupled to charged matter at finite temperature, interpreting them using the higher-form symmetry formulation of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). We compute transport coefficients using classical Kubo formulas on the lattice and show that the properties of the simulated plasma are in complete agreement with the predictions from effective field theories. In particular, the higher-form formulation allows us to understand from hydrodynamic considerations the relaxation rate of axial charge in the chiral plasma observed in previous simulations. A key point is that the resistivity of the plasma -- defined in terms of Kubo formulas for the electric field in the 1-form formulation of MHD -- remains a well-defined and predictive quantity at strong electromagnetic coupling. However, the Kubo formulas used to define the conventional conductivity vanish at low frequencies due to electrodynamic fluctuations, and thus the concept of the conductivity of a gauged electric current must be interpreted with care.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

Hydrodynamic fluctuations and topological susceptibility in chiral magnetohydrodynamics

Chiral magnetohydrodynamics is devoted to understanding the late-time and long-distance behavior of a system with an Adler-Bell-Jackiw anomaly at finite temperatures. The non-conservation of the axial charge is determined by the topological density $\vec{E} \cdot \vec{B}$; in a classical hydrodynamic description this decay rate can be suppressed by tuning the background magnetic field to zero. However it is in principle possible for thermal fluctuations of $\vec{E} \cdot \vec{B}$ to result in a non-conservation of the charge even at vanishing $B$-field; this would invalidate the classical hydrodynamic effective theory. We investigate this by computing the real-time susceptibility of the topological density at one-loop level in magnetohydrodynamic fluctuations, relating its low-frequency limit to the decay rate of the axial charge. We find that the frequency-dependence of this susceptibility is sufficiently soft as to leave the axial decay rate unaffected, validating the classical hydrodynamic description. We show that the susceptibility contains non-analytic frequency-dependence which is universally determined by hydrodynamic data. We comment briefly on possible connections to the recent formulation of the ABJ anomaly in terms of non-invertible symmetry.

hep-th↗

arXiv2023

A Non-Perturbative Mixed Anomaly and Fractional Hydrodynamic Transport

We present a new non-perturbative 't Hooft anomaly afflicting a quantum field theory with symmetry group $G=U(1)\times \mathbb{Z}_2$ in four dimensions. We use the Adams spectral sequence to compute that the bordism group $Ω^\text{Spin}_5(BG)$, which classifies anomalies that remain when perturbative anomalies cancel, is $\mathbb{Z}_4$. By constructing a mapping torus and evaluating the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer $η$-invariant, we show that the mod 4 anomaly is generated by a pair of Weyl fermions that are vector-like under $U(1)$, but with only one component charged under $\mathbb{Z}_2$. We construct a simple microscopic field theory that realises the anomaly, before investigating its impact in the hydrodynamic limit. We find that the anomaly dictates transport phenomena in the $U(1)$ current and energy-momentum tensor akin to the chiral vortical and magnetic effects (even though the perturbative anomalies here vanish), but with the conductivities being fractionally quantised in units of a quarter, reflecting the mod 4 nature of the bordism group.Along the way, we compute the (relevant) bordism groups $Ω^\text{Spin}_d(B\mathbb{Z}_2\times BU(1))$ and $Ω_d^{\text{Pin}^-}(BU(1))$ in all degrees $d=0$ through 5.

hep-th↗

arXiv2023

2-group global symmetries, hydrodynamics and holography

2-group global symmetries are a particular example of how higher-form and conventional global symmetries can fuse together into a larger structure. We construct a theory of hydrodynamics describing the finite-temperature realization of a 2-group global symmetry composed out of $U(1)$ zero-form and $U(1)$ one-form symmetries. We study aspects of the thermodynamics from a Euclidean partition function and derive constitutive relations for ideal hydrodynamics from various points of view. Novel features of the resulting theory include an analogue of the chiral magnetic effect and a chiral sound mode propagating along magnetic field lines. We also discuss a minimalist holographic description of a theory dual to 2-group global symmetry and verify predictions from hydrodynamic descriptions. Along the way we clarify some aspects of symmetry breaking in higher-form theories at finite temperature.

hep-th↗

arXiv2022

Towards an effective action for chiral magnetohydrodynamics

We consider chiral magnetohydrodynamics, i.e. a finite-temperature system where an axial $U(1)$ current is not conserved due to an Adler-Bell-Jackiw anomaly saturated by the dynamical operator $F_{μν} \tilde{F}^{μν}$. We express this anomaly in terms of the 1-form symmetry associated with magnetic flux conservation and study its realization at finite temperature. We present Euclidean generating functional and dissipative action approaches to the dynamics and reproduce some aspects of chiral MHD phenomenology from an effective theory viewpoint, including the chiral separation and magnetic effects. We also discuss the construction of non-invertible axial symmetry defect operators in our formalism.

hep-th↗

arXiv2021

Relativistic hydrodynamics with the parity anomaly

We consider the hydrodynamic regime of a 2+1 dimensions QFT with the parity anomaly. Beyond the known constraints from positivity of entropy production, we show that the anomaly inflow mechanism, from a corresponding bulk SPT phase, together with thermodynamic consistency of equilibrium partition functions, restricts the form of non-dissipative transport coefficients. This included the known form of quantised Hall conductivity, which is fixed to be $σ_{xy} = e^2/2h$, along with new constraints on other three non-dissipative parity-odd transport coefficients.

hep-th↗

arXiv2021

Operator lifetime and the force-free electrodynamic limit of magnetised holographic plasma

Using the framework of higher-form global symmetries, we examine the regime of validity of force-free electrodynamics by evaluating the lifetime of the electric field operator, which is non-conserved due to screening effects. We focus on a holographic model which has the same global symmetry as that of low energy plasma and obtain the lifetime of (non-conserved) electric flux in a strong magnetic field regime. The lifetime is inversely correlated to the magnetic field strength and thus suppressed in the strong field regime.

hep-th↗

arXiv2019

Classification of magnetohydrodynamic transport at strong magnetic field

Magnetohydrodynamics is a theory of long-lived, gapless excitations in plasmas. It was argued from the point of view of fluid with higher-form symmetry that magnetohydrodynamics remains a consistent, non-dissipative theory even in the limit where temperature is negligible compared to the magnetic field. In this limit, leading-order corrections to the ideal magnetohydrodynamics arise at the second order in the gradient expansion of relevant fields, not at the first order as in the standard hydrodynamic theory of dissipative fluids and plasmas. In this paper, we classify the non-dissipative second-order transport by constructing the appropriate non-linear effective action. We find that the theory has eleven independent charge and parity invariant transport coefficients for which we derive a set of Kubo formulae. The relation between hydrodynamics with higher-form symmetry and the theory of force-free electrodynamics, which has recently been shown to correspond to the zero-temperature limit of the ideal magnetohydrodynamics, as well as simple astrophysical applications are also discussed.

hep-th↗

arXiv2019

First order non-Lorentzian fluids, entropy production and linear instabilities

In this note, we investigate linear instabilities of hydrodynamics with corrections up to first order in derivatives. It has long been known that relativistic (Lorentzian) first order hydrodynamics, with positive local entropy production, exhibits unphysical instabilities. We extend this analysis to fluids with Galilean and Carrollian boost symmetries. We find that the instabilities occur in all cases, except for fluids with Galilean boost symmetry combined with the choice of macroscopic variables called Eckart frame. We also present a complete linearised analysis of the full spectrum of first order Carrollian hydrodynamics. Furthermore, we show that even in a fluid without boost symmetry present, instabilities can occur. These results provide evidence that the unphysical instabilities are symptoms of first order hydrodynamics, rather than a special feature of Lorentzian fluids.

hep-th↗

arXiv2019

Generalised global symmetries in holography: magnetohydrodynamic waves in a strongly interacting plasma

We begin the exploration of holographic duals to theories with generalised global (higher-form) symmetries. In particular, we focus on the case of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) in strongly coupled plasmas by constructing and analysing a holographic dual to a recent, generalised global symmetry-based formulation of dissipative MHD. The simplest holographic dual to the effective theory of MHD that was proposed as a description of plasmas with any equation of state and transport coefficients contains dynamical graviton and two-form gauge field fluctuations in a magnetised black brane background. The dual field theory, which is closely related to the large-$N_c$, $\mathcal{N} = 4$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory at (infinitely) strong coupling, is, as we argue, in our setup coupled to a dynamical $U(1)$ gauge field with a renormalisation condition-dependent electromagnetic coupling. After constructing the holographic dictionary for gauge-gravity duals of field theories with higher-form symmetries, we compute the dual equation of state and transport coefficients, and for the first time analyse phenomenology of MHD waves in a strongly interacting, dense plasma with a (holographic) microscopic description. From weak to extremely strong magnetic fields, several predictions for the behaviour of Alfvén and magnetosonic waves are discussed.

hep-th↗

arXiv2019

Holography and hydrodynamics with weakly broken symmetries

Hydrodynamics is a theory of long-range excitations controlled by equations of motion that encode the conservation of a set of currents (energy, momentum, charge, etc.) associated with explicitly realized global symmetries. If a system possesses additional weakly broken symmetries, the low-energy hydrodynamic degrees of freedom also couple to a few other "approximately conserved" quantities with parametrically long relaxation times. It is often useful to consider such approximately conserved operators and corresponding new massive modes within the low-energy effective theory, which we refer to as quasihydrodynamics. Examples of quasihydrodynamics are numerous, with the most transparent among them hydrodynamics with weakly broken translational symmetry. Here, we show how a number of other theories, normally not thought of in this context, can also be understood within a broader framework of quasihydrodynamics: in particular, the Müller-Israel-Stewart theory and magnetohydrodynamics coupled to dynamical electric fields. While historical formulations of quasihydrodynamic theories were typically highly phenomenological, here, we develop a holographic formalism to systematically derive such theories from a (microscopic) dual gravitational description. Beyond laying out a general holographic algorithm, we show how the Müller-Israel-Stewart theory can be understood from a dual higher-derivative gravity theory and magnetohydrodynamics from a dual theory with two-form bulk fields. In the latter example, this allows us to unambiguously demonstrate the existence of dynamical photons in the holographic description of magnetohydrodynamics.

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

Generalised global symmetries in states with dynamical defects: the case of the transverse sound in field theory and holography

In this work, we show how states with conserved numbers of dynamical defects (strings, domain walls, etc.) can be understood as possessing generalised global symmetries even when the microscopic origins of these symmetries are unknown. Using this philosophy, we build an effective theory of a $2+1$-dimensional fluid state with two perpendicular sets of immersed elastic line defects. When the number of defects is independently conserved in each set, then the state possesses two one-form symmetries. Normally, such viscoelastic states are described as fluids coupled to Goldstone bosons associated with spontaneous breaking of translational symmetry caused by the underlying microscopic structure---the principle feature of which is a transverse sound mode. At the linear, non-dissipative level, we verify that our theory, based entirely on symmetry principles, is equivalent to a viscoelastic theory. We then build a simple holographic dual of such a state containing dynamical gravity and two two-form gauge fields, and use it to study its hydrodynamic and higher-energy spectral properties characterised by non-hydrodynamic, gapped modes. Based on the holographic analysis of transverse two-point functions, we study consistency between low-energy predictions of the bulk theory and the effective boundary theory. Various new features of the holographic dictionary are explained in theories with higher-form symmetries, such as the mixed-boundary-condition modification of the quasinormal mode prescription that depends on the running coupling of the boundary double-trace deformations. Furthermore, we examine details of low- and high-energy parts of the spectrum that depend on temperature, line defect densities and the renormalisation group scale.

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

Pinning of longitudinal phonons in holographic spontaneous helices

We consider the spontaneous breaking of translational symmetry and identify the associated Goldstone mode -- a longitudinal phonon -- in a holographic model with Bianchi VII helical symmetry. For the first time in holography, we observe the pinning of this mode after introducing a source for explicit breaking compatible with the helical symmetry of our setup. We study the dispersion relation of the resulting pseudo-Goldstone mode, uncovering how its speed and mass gap depend on the amplitude of the source and temperature. In addition, we extract the optical conductivity as a function of frequency, which reveals a metal-insulator transition as a consequence of the pinning.

hep-th↗

arXiv2016

Universality of anomalous conductivities in theories with higher-derivative holographic duals

Anomalous chiral conductivities in theories with global anomalies are independent of whether they are computed in a weakly coupled quantum (or thermal) field theory, hydrodynamics, or at infinite coupling from holography. While the presence of dynamical gauge fields and mixed, gauge-global anomalies can destroy this universality, in their absence, the non-renormalisation of anomalous Ward identities is expected to be obeyed at all intermediate coupling strengths. In holography, bulk theories with higher-derivative corrections incorporate coupling constant corrections to the boundary theory observables in an expansion around infinite coupling. In this work, we investigate the coupling constant dependence and universality of anomalous conductivities (and thus of the anomalous Ward identities) in general, four-dimensional systems that possess asymptotically anti-de Sitter holographic duals with a non-extremal black brane in five dimensions, and anomalous transport introduced into the boundary theory via the bulk Chern-Simons action. We show that in bulk theories with arbitrary gauge- and diffeomorphism-invariant higher-derivative actions, anomalous conductivities, which can incorporate an infinite series of (inverse) coupling constant corrections, remain universal. Owing to the existence of the membrane paradigm, the proof reduces to a construction of bulk effective theories at the horizon and the boundary. It only requires us to impose the condition of horizon regularity and correct boundary conditions on the fields. We also discuss ways to violate the universality by violating conditions for the validity of the membrane paradigm, in particular, by adding mass to the vector fields (a case with a mixed, gauge-global anomaly) and in bulk geometries with a naked singularity.

hep-th↗

arXiv2016

Shear viscosity in holography and effective theory of transport without translational symmetry

We study the shear viscosity in an effective hydrodynamic theory and holographic model where the translational symmetry is broken by massless scalar fields. We identify the shear viscosity, $η$, from the coefficient of the shear tensor in the modified constitutive relation, constructed from thermodynamic quantities, fluid velocity and the scalar fields, which break the translational symmetry explicitly. Our construction of constitutive relation is inspired by those derived from the fluid/gravity correspondence in the weakly disordered limit $m/T \ll 1$. We show that the shear viscosity from the constitutive relation deviates from the one obtained from the usual expression, $η^\star = -\lim_{ω\to 0}(1/ω) \text{Im} G^{R}_{T^{xy}T^{xy}}(ω,k=0)$, even at the leading order in disorder strength. In a simple holographic model with broken translational symmetry, we show that both $η/s$ and $η^\star/s$ violate the bound of viscosity-entropy ratio for arbitrary disorder strength.

hep-th↗

arXiv2015

Topological Entanglement Entropy, Ground State Degeneracy and Holography

Topological entanglement entropy, a measure of the long-ranged entanglement, is related to the degeneracy of the ground state on a higher genus surface. The exact relation depends on the details of the topological theory. We consider a class of holographic models where such relation might be similar to the one exhibited by Chern-Simons theory in a certain large N limit. Both the non-vanishing topological entanglement entropy and the ground state degeneracy in these holographic models are consequences of the topological Gauss-Bonnet term in the dual gravitational description. A soft wall holographic model of confinement is used to generate finite correlation length but keep the disk topology of the entangling surface in the bulk, necessary for nonvanishing topological entanglement entropy.

hep-th↗