arXiv subjects

Pierre Vanhove

Publications and source records attributed to Pierre Vanhove.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

An R^4 non-renormalisation theorem in N=4 supergravity

We consider the four-graviton amplitudes in CHL constructions providing four-dimensional N=4 models with various numbers of vector multiplets. We show that in these models the two-loop amplitude has a prefactor of d^2R^4. This implies a non-renormalisation theorem for the R^4 term, which forbids the appearance of a three-loop ultraviolet divergence in four dimensions in the four-graviton amplitude. We connect the special nature of the R^4 term to the U(1) anomaly of pure N=4 supergravity.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Gravity, strings, modular and quasimodular forms

Modular and quasimodular forms have played an important role in gravity and string theory. Eisenstein series have appeared systematically in the determination of spectrums and partition functions, in the description of non-perturbative effects, in higher-order corrections of scalar-field spaces, ... The latter often appear as gravitational instantons i.e. as special solutions of Einstein's equations. In the present lecture notes we present a class of such solutions in four dimensions, obtained by requiring (conformal) self-duality and Bianchi IX homogeneity. In this case, a vast range of configurations exist, which exhibit interesting modular properties. Examples of other Einstein spaces, without Bianchi IX symmetry, but with similar features are also given. Finally we discuss the emergence and the role of Eisenstein series in the framework of field and string theory perturbative expansions, and motivate the need for unravelling novel modular structures.

math-ph↗

arXiv2012

Simplicity in the Structure of QED and Gravity Amplitudes

We investigate generic properties of one-loop amplitudes in unordered gauge theories in four dimensions. For such theories the organisation of amplitudes in manifestly crossing symmetric expressions poses restrictions on their structure and results in remarkable cancellations. We show that one-loop multi-photon amplitudes in QED with at least eight external photons are given only by scalar box integral functions. This QED `no-triangle' property is true for all helicity configurations and has similarities to the `no-triangle' property found in the case of maximal N = 8 supergravity. Results are derived both via a world-line formalism as well as using on-shell unitarity methods. We show that the simple structure of the loop amplitude originates from the extremely good BCFW scaling behaviour of the QED tree-amplitude.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Eisenstein series for higher-rank groups and string theory amplitudes

Scattering amplitudes of superstring theory are strongly constrained by the requirement that they be invariant under dualities generated by discrete subgroups, E_n(Z), of simply-laced Lie groups in the E_n series (n<= 8). In particular, expanding the four-supergraviton amplitude at low energy gives a series of higher derivative corrections to Einstein's theory, with coefficients that are automorphic functions with a rich dependence on the moduli. Boundary conditions supplied by string and supergravity perturbation theory, together with a chain of relations between successive groups in the E_n series, constrain the constant terms of these coefficients in three distinct parabolic subgroups. Using this information we are able to determine the expressions for the first two higher derivative interactions (which are BPS-protected) in terms of specific Eisenstein series. Further, we determine key features of the coefficient of the third term in the low energy expansion of the four-supergraviton amplitude (which is also BPS-protected) in the E_8 case. This is an automorphic function that satisfies an inhomogeneous Laplace equation and has constant terms in certain parabolic subgroups that contain information about all the preceding terms.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

The Momentum Kernel of Gauge and Gravity Theories

We derive an explicit formula for factorizing an $n$-point closed string amplitude into open string amplitudes. Our results are phrased in terms of a momentum kernel which in the limit of infinite string tension reduces to the corresponding field theory kernel. The same momentum kernel encodes the monodromy relations which lead to the minimal basis of color-ordered amplitudes in Yang-Mills theory. There are interesting consequences of the momentum kernel pertaining to soft limits of amplitudes. We also comment on surprising links between gravity and certain combinations of kinematic and color factors in gauge theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

The critical ultraviolet behaviour of N=8 supergravity amplitudes

We analyze the critical ultraviolet behaviour of the four-graviton amplitude in N=8 supergravity to all order in perturbation. We use the Bern-Carrasco-Johansson diagrammatic expansion for N=8 supergravity multiloop amplitudes, where numerator factors are squares of the Lorentz factor of N=4 super-Yang-Mills amplitudes, and the analysis of the critical ultraviolet behaviour of the multiloop four-gluon amplitudes in the single- and double-trace sectors. We argue this implies that the superficial ultraviolet behaviour of the four-graviton N=8 amplitudes from four-loop order is determined by the factorization the k^8 R^4 operator. This leads to a seven-loop logarithmic divergence in the four-graviton amplitude in four dimensions.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Automorphic properties of low energy string amplitudes in various dimensions

This paper explores the moduli-dependent coefficients of higher derivative interactions that appear in the low-energy expansion of the four-graviton amplitude of maximally supersymmetric string theory compactified on a d-torus. These automorphic functions are determined for terms up to order D^6R^4 and various values of d by imposing a variety of consistency conditions. They satisfy Laplace eigenvalue equations with or without source terms, whose solutions are given in terms of Eisenstein series, or more general automorphic functions, for certain parabolic subgroups of the relevant U-duality groups. The ultraviolet divergences of the corresponding supergravity field theory limits are encoded in various logarithms, although the string theory expressions are finite. This analysis includes intriguing representations of SL(d) and SO(d,d) Eisenstein series in terms of toroidally compactified one and two-loop string and supergravity amplitudes.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Monodromy and Kawai-Lewellen-Tye Relations for Gravity Amplitudes

We are still learning intriguing new facets of the string theory motivated Kawai-Lewellen-Tye (KLT) relations linking products of amplitudes in Yang-Mills theories and amplitudes in gravity. This is very clearly displayed in computations of N=8 supergravity where the perturbative expansion show a vast number of similarities to that of N=4 super-Yang-Mills. We will here investigate how identities based on monodromy relations for Yang-Mills amplitudes can be very useful for organizing and further streamlining the KLT relations yielding even more compact results for gravity amplitudes.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Monodromy and Jacobi-like Relations for Color-Ordered Amplitudes

We discuss monodromy relations between different color-ordered amplitudes in gauge theories. We show that Jacobi-like relations of Bern, Carrasco and Johansson can be introduced in a manner that is compatible with these monodromy relations. The Jacobi-like relations are not the most general set of equations that satisfy this criterion. Applications to supergravity amplitudes follow straightforwardly through the KLT-relations. We explicitly show how the tree-level relations give rise to non-trivial identities at loop level.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Minimal Basis for Gauge Theory Amplitudes

Identities based on monodromy for integrations in string theory are used to derive relations between different color ordered tree-level amplitudes in both bosonic and supersymmetric string theory. These relations imply that the color ordered tree-level n-point gauge theory amplitudes can be expanded in a minimal basis of (n-3)! amplitudes. This result holds for any choice of polarizations of the external states and in any number of dimensions.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Non-renormalization conditions for four-gluon scattering in supersymmetric string and field theory

The constraints imposed by maximal supersymmetry on multi-loop contributions to the scattering of four open superstrings in the U(N) theory are examined by use of the pure spinor formalism. The double-trace term k^2 t_8(tr F^2)^2 (where k represents an external momentum and F the Yang--Mills field strength) only receives contributions from L<=2 (where L is the loop number) while the single-trace term k^2 t_8(tr F^4) receives contributions from all L. We verified these statements up to L=5, but arguments based on supersymmetry suggest they extend to all L. This explains why the single-trace contributions to low energy maximally supersymmetric Yang--Mills field theory are more divergent in the ultraviolet than the double-trace contributions. We also comment further on the constraints on closed string amplitudes and their implications for ultraviolet divergences in N=8 supergravity.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Higher-loop amplitudes in the non-minimal pure spinor formalism

We analyze the properties of the non-minimal pure spinor formalism. We show that Siegel gauge on massless vertex operators implies the primary field constraint and the level-matching condition in closed string theory by reconstructing the integrated vertex operator representation from the unintegrated ones. The pure spinor integration in the non-minimal formalism needs a regularisation. To this end we introduce a new regulator for the pure spinor integration and an extension of the regulator to allow for the saturation of the fermionic d-zero modes to all orders in perturbation. We conclude with a preliminary analysis of the properties of the four-graviton amplitude to all genus order.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

Absence of Triangles in Maximal Supergravity Amplitudes

From general arguments, we show that one-loop n-point amplitudes in colourless theories satisfy a new type of reduction formula. These lead to the existence of cancellations beyond supersymmetry. Using such reduction relations we prove the no-triangle hypothesis in maximal supergravity by showing that in four dimensions the n-point graviton amplitude contain only scalar box integral functions. We also discuss the reduction formulas in the context of gravity amplitudes with less and no supersymmetry.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

Modular properties of two-loop maximal supergravity and connections with string theory

The low-momentum expansion of the two-loop four-graviton scattering amplitude in eleven-dimensional supergravity compactified on a circle and a two-torus is considered up to terms of order S^6R^4 (where S is a Mandelstam invariant and R is the linearized Weyl curvature). In the case of the toroidal compactification the coefficient of each term in the low energy expansion is generically a sum of a number of SL(2,Z)-invariant functions of the complex structure of the torus. Each such function satisfies a separate Poisson equation on moduli space with particular source terms that are bilinear in coefficients of lower order terms, consistent with qualitative arguments based on supersymmetry. Comparison is made with the low-energy expansion of type II string theories in ten and nine dimensions. Although the detailed behaviour of the string amplitude is not generally expected to be reproduced by supergravity perturbation theory to all orders, for the terms considered here we find agreement with direct results from string perturbation theory. These results point to a fascinating pattern of interrelated Poisson equations for the IIB coefficients at higher orders in the momentum expansion which may have a significance beyond the particular methods by which they were motivated.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

On Cancellations of Ultraviolet Divergences in Supergravity Amplitudes

Concrete calculations have pointed out that amplitudes in perturbative gravity exhibit unanticipated cancellations taming their ultraviolet behaviour independently of supersymmetry. Similar ultraviolet behaviour of N=4 super-Yang-Mills and N=8 maximal supergravity has explicitly been observed until three loops. These cancellations can be connected to two manifest features of gravitational theories: firstly gauge invariance from diffeomorphism symmetries and secondly that amplitudes are colourless and exhibits crossing symmetry. We will give a simple physical explanation of the cancellations exhibited in gravity amplitudes. We will discuss these two properties in turn as well as the role of supersymmetry and string theory dualities in the structure of multiloop amplitudes in supergravity.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

Explicit Cancellation of Triangles in One-loop Gravity Amplitudes

We analyse one-loop graviton amplitudes in the field theory limit of a genus-one string theory computation. The considered amplitudes can be dimensionally reduced to lower dimensions preserving maximal supersymmetry. The particular case of the one-loop five-graviton amplitude is worked out in detail and explicitly features no triangle contributions. Based on a recursive form of the one-loop amplitude we investigate the contributions that will occur at n-point order in relation to the ``no-triangle'' hypothesis of N=8 supergravity. We argue that the origin of unexpected cancellations observed in gravity scattering amplitudes is linked to general coordinate invariance of the gravitational action and the summation over all orderings of external legs. Such cancellations are instrumental in the extraordinary good ultra-violet behaviour of N=8 supergravity amplitudes and will play a central role in improving the high-energy behaviour of gravity amplitudes at more than one loop.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

Low energy expansion of the four-particle genus-one amplitude in type II superstring theory

A diagrammatic expansion of coefficients in the low-momentum expansion of the genus-one four-particle amplitude in type II superstring theory is developed. This is applied to determine coefficients up to order s^6R^4 (where s is a Mandelstam invariant and R^4 the linearized super-curvature), and partial results are obtained beyond that order. This involves integrating powers of the scalar propagator on a toroidal world-sheet, as well as integrating over the modulus of the torus. At any given order in s the coefficients of these terms are given by rational numbers multiplying multiple zeta values (or Euler--Zagier sums) that, up to the order studied here, reduce to products of Riemann zeta values. We are careful to disentangle the analytic pieces from logarithmic threshold terms, which involves a discussion of the conditions imposed by unitarity. We further consider the compactification of the amplitude on a circle of radius r, which results in a plethora of terms that are power-behaved in r. These coefficients provide boundary `data' that must be matched by any non-perturbative expression for the low-energy expansion of the four-graviton amplitude. The paper includes an appendix by Don Zagier.

hep-th↗

arXiv2007

Non-renormalisation Conditions in Type II String Theory and Maximal Supergravity

This paper considers general features of the derivative expansion of Feynman diagram contributions to the four-graviton scattering amplitude in eleven-dimensional supergravity compactified on a two-torus. These are translated into statements about interactions of the form D^2k R^4 in type II superstring theories, assuming the standard M-theory/string theory duality relationships, which provide powerful constraints on the effective interactions. In the ten-dimensional IIA limit we find that there can be no perturbative contributions beyond k string loops (for k>0). Furthermore, the genus h=k contributions are determined exactly by the one-loop eleven-dimensional supergravity amplitude for all values of k. A plausible interpretation of these observations is that the sum of h-loop Feynman diagrams of maximally extended supergravity is less divergent than might be expected and could be ultraviolet finite in dimensions d < 4 + 6/h -- the same bound as for N=4 Yang--Mills.

hep-th↗