arXiv subjects

Pietro Conzinu

Publications and source records attributed to Pietro Conzinu.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Bounds on nonlinear electrodynamics via resummed relative entropy

We investigate nonlinear electrodynamic effective field theories (EFTs) through the relative entropy evaluated in suitable background electromagnetic fields. In this setup, the relative entropy encodes information about the infinite tower of higher-dimensional operators and provides a systematic probe of nonlinear EFT effects. We study these features in fermionic QED, scalar QED, and Dirac-Born-Infeld theory using perturbative analyses, resummation techniques such as Borel--Laplace resummation, and non-perturbative approaches including the Schwinger proper-time method. In the weak-coupling regime, we show that the non-negativity of the perturbative relative entropy imposes sign constraints on finite truncations of higher-dimensional operators, generalizing familiar positivity bounds on leading EFT coefficients. We further show that violations of non-negativity in the strong-coupling regime admit qualitatively different interpretations depending on the framework: perturbatively analyzed violations diagnose the breakdown of the truncated EFT expansion, whereas violations in resummed or genuinely non-perturbative relative entropy signal physical instabilities of the system, such as the Schwinger effect. Extending the analysis to broader classes of UV completions, including theories with factorial or power-law growth of EFT coefficients, we derive general constraints on nonlinear electrodynamic EFT effects from the non-negativity of the resummed relative entropy. Our results suggest that relative entropy provides a unified diagnostic of perturbative consistency and non-perturbative stability in nonlinear EFTs.

hep-th↗

arXiv2026

Bounds on nonlinear effective field theories via resurgent relative entropy

We study nonlinear effective field theories (EFTs) with factorially growing perturbative expansions, focusing on a class in which the relative entropy encodes an infinite tower of higher-dimensional operators. Using the resummed relative entropy, we derive bounds on EFT coefficients: the non-negativity of the resummed relative entropy fixes the sign of their asymptotic growth, while its violation signals nonperturbative effects such as instabilities. In fermionic QED, analytic continuation from Euclidean to Minkowski spacetime yields a concrete example: the Schwinger effect, a nonperturbative instability captured by the resummed relative entropy.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

Gauge invariant quantum backreaction in U(1) axion inflation

We evaluate the quantum backreaction due to a gauge field coupled to a pseudo-scalar field driving a slow-roll inflationary stage, the so-called axion inflation. The backreaction is evaluated for the first time using a gauge invariant approach, going to second order in perturbation theory, and taking into consideration inflaton fluctuations as well as scalar perturbations of the metric. Within our gauge-invariant, but observer-dependent approach, we naturally consider as physical observers the ones comoving with the inflaton field. Considering the effective expansion rate consequent to the gauge field's backreaction, we observe that the backreaction effect becomes significant quite rapidly, moving the system out of the perturbative regime and into what is often referred to as the strong backreaction regime. This behavior also applies to the parameter that dictates the production of the gauge fields. The space-time backreaction is mainly due to the helicity contribution within the region of validity of the perturbative regime. As a final result, we see that the evaluated backreaction goes in the direction of prolonging the inflationary period more compared to the scenarios previously studied.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2023

On the stability of string-hole gas

Focusing on a string-hole gas within the pre-big bang scenario, we study the stability of its solutions in the phase space. We firstly extend the analysis present in the literature relaxing the ideal-gas properties of the string-hole gas, taking into account a (bulk-)viscosity term. Then we consider the case of a theory described by a complete O(d,d)-invariant action up to all orders in $α^{\prime}$-corrections (the Hohm-Zwiebach action), studying the stability of the string-hole gas solution with or without the introduction of the viscosity term. Furthermore, the bulk viscosity is also considered for two different first order $α^{\prime}$-corrected actions: the Gasperini-Maggiore-Veneziano-action and the Meissner-action. The results obtained show how the viscosity can help to stabilize the string-hole gas solution, obtaining constraints on the equation of state of the gas.

hep-th↗

arXiv2023

Primordial black holes formation in a early matter dominated era from the pre-big bang scenario

We discuss the production of primordial black holes in an early matter dominated era, which typically takes place in string inspired early universe cosmological models. In particular, we consider a pre-big bang scenario (extending previous results regarding formation in the radiation dominated era) where the enhancement of curvature perturbations is induced by a variation of the sound-speed parameter c_s during the string phase of high-curvature inflation. After imposing all relevant observational constraints, we find that the considered class of models is compatible with the production of a large amount of primordial black holes, in the mass range relevant to dark matter, only for a small range of the parameters space. On the other hand, we find that a huge production of light primordial black holes may occur both in such matter dominated era and in the radiation dominated one.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

On Adiabatic Renormalization with a Physically Motivated Infrared Cut-Off

We introduce a new approach to renormalize physical quantities in curved space-time by adiabatic subtraction. We use a comoving infrared cut-off in defining the adiabatic counterpart of the physical quantity under consideration, building on the fact that the adiabatic approximation is ill-defined in the infrared tail of the spectrum. We show how this infrared cut-off should be used to obtain a completely well-defined renormalization scheme and how it is fundamental to avoid unphysical divergences that can be generated by a pathological behavior of the adiabatic subtraction extended to the infrared tail. The infrared cut-off appears as a new degree of freedom introduced in the theory and its actual value has to be consistently fixed by a physical prescription. As an example, we show how such degree of freedom can be set to obtain the correct value of the conformal anomaly in the symptomatic case of an inflationary model with gauge fields coupled to a pseudo-scalar inflaton.

gr-qc↗