arXiv subjects

Prahar Mitra

Publications and source records attributed to Prahar Mitra.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

A $d$-Dimensional Stress Tensor for Mink$_{d+2}$ Gravity

We consider the tree-level scattering of massless particles in $(d+2)$-dimensional asymptotically flat spacetimes. The $\mathcal{S}$-matrix elements are recast as correlation functions of local operators living on a space-like cut $\mathcal{M}_d$ of the null momentum cone. The Lorentz group $SO(d+1,1)$ is nonlinearly realized as the Euclidean conformal group on $\mathcal{M}_d$. Operators of non-trivial spin arise from massless particles transforming in non-trivial representations of the little group $SO(d)$, and distinguished operators arise from the soft-insertions of gauge bosons and gravitons. The leading soft-photon operator is the shadow transform of a conserved spin-one primary operator $J_a$, and the subleading soft-graviton operator is the shadow transform of a conserved spin-two symmetric traceless primary operator $T_{ab}$. The universal form of the soft-limits ensures that $J_a$ and $T_{ab}$ obey the Ward identities expected of a conserved current and energy momentum tensor in a Euclidean CFT$_d$, respectively.

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arXiv2018

Asymptotic Symmetries and Subleading Soft Photon Theorem in Effective Field Theories

In [1,2] it was shown that the subleading soft photon theorem in tree level amplitudes in massless QED is equivalent to a new class of symmetries of the theory parameterized by a vector field on the celestial sphere. In this paper, we extend these results to the subleading soft photon theorem in any Effective Field Theory containing photons and an arbitrary spectrum of massless particles. We show that the charges associated to the above class of symmetries are sensitive to certain three point functions of the theory and are corrected by irrelevant operators of specific dimensions. Our analysis shows that the subleading soft photon theorem in any tree level scattering amplitude is a statement about asymptotic symmetries of the ${\cal S}$-matrix.

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arXiv2016

2D Kac-Moody Symmetry of 4D Yang-Mills Theory

Scattering amplitudes of any four-dimensional theory with nonabelian gauge group $\mathcal G$ may be recast as two-dimensional correlation functions on the asymptotic two-sphere at null infinity. The soft gluon theorem is shown, for massless theories at the semiclassical level, to be the Ward identity of a holomorphic two-dimensional $\mathcal G$-Kac-Moody symmetry acting on these correlation functions. Holomorphic Kac-Moody current insertions are positive helicity soft gluon insertions. The Kac-Moody transformations are a $CPT$ invariant subgroup of gauge transformations which act nontrivially at null infinity and comprise the four-dimensional asymptotic symmetry group.

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arXiv2016

A 2D Stress Tensor for 4D Gravity

We use the subleading soft-graviton theorem to construct an operator $T_{zz}$ whose insertion in the four-dimensional tree-level quantum gravity $\mathcal{S}$-matrix obeys the Virasoro-Ward identities of the energy momentum tensor of a two-dimensional conformal field theory (CFT$_2$). The celestial sphere at Minkowskian null infinity plays the role of the Euclidean sphere of the CFT$_2$, with the Lorentz group acting as the unbroken $SL(2,\mathbb{C})$ subgroup.

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arXiv2016

New Symmetries of Massless QED

An infinite number of physically nontrivial symmetries are found for abelian gauge theories with massless charged particles. They are generated by large $U(1)$ gauge transformations that asymptotically approach an arbitrary function $\varepsilon(z,\bar{z})$ on the conformal sphere at future null infinity ($\mathscr I^+$) but are independent of the retarded time. The value of $\varepsilon$ at past null infinity ($\mathscr I^-$) is determined from that on $\mathscr I^+$ by the condition that it take the same value at either end of any light ray crossing Minkowski space. The $\varepsilon\neq$ constant symmetries are spontaneously broken in the usual vacuum. The associated Goldstone modes are zero-momentum photons and comprise a $U(1)$ boson living on the conformal sphere. The Ward identity associated with this asymptotic symmetry is shown to be the abelian soft photon theorem.

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arXiv2015

BMS supertranslations and Weinberg's soft graviton theorem

Recently it was conjectured that a certain infinite-dimensional "diagonal" subgroup of BMS supertranslations acting on past and future null infinity (${\mathscr I}^-$ and ${\mathscr I}^+$) is an exact symmetry of the quantum gravity ${\cal S}$-matrix, and an associated Ward identity was derived. In this paper we show that this supertranslation Ward identity is precisely equivalent to Weinberg's soft graviton theorem. Along the way we construct the canonical generators of supertranslations at ${\mathscr I}^\pm$, including the relevant soft graviton contributions. Boundary conditions at the past and future of ${\mathscr I}^\pm$ and a correspondingly modified Dirac bracket are required. The soft gravitons enter as boundary modes and are manifestly the Goldstone bosons of spontaneously broken supertranslation invariance.

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arXiv2012

Hairy black holes and solitons in global AdS 5

We use a mix of analytic and numerical methods to exhaustively study a class of asymptotically global AdS solitons and hairy black hole solutions in negative cosmological constant Einstein Maxwell gravity coupled to a charged massless scalar field. Our results depend sensitively on the charge 'e' of the scalar field. The solitonic branch of solutions we study hit the Chandrashekhar limit at finite mass at small 'e', but extends to arbitrarily large mass at larger 'e'. At low values of 'e' no hairy black holes exist. At intermediate values of 'e' hairy black holes exist above a critical charge. At large 'e' hairy black holes exist at all values of the charge. The lowest mass hairy black holes is a smooth zero entropy soliton at small charge, but a (probably) singular nonzero entropy hairy black hole at larger charge. In a phase diagram of solutions, the hairy black holes merge with the familiar Reissner-Nordstrom-AdS black holes along a curve that is determined by the onset of the superradiant instability in the latter family.

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