arXiv subjects

Ricardo Schiappa

Publications and source records attributed to Ricardo Schiappa.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

An A_r threesome: Matrix models, 2d CFTs and 4d N=2 gauge theories

We explore the connections between three classes of theories: A_r quiver matrix models, d=2 conformal A_r Toda field theories and d=4 N=2 supersymmetric conformal A_r quiver gauge theories. In particular, we analyse the quiver matrix models recently introduced by Dijkgraaf and Vafa and make detailed comparisons with the corresponding quantities in the Toda field theories and the N=2 quiver gauge theories. We also make a speculative proposal for how the matrix models should be modified in order for them to reproduce the instanton partition functions in quiver gauge theories in five dimensions.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Multi-Instantons and Multi-Cuts

We discuss various aspects of multi-instanton configurations in generic multi-cut matrix models. Explicit formulae are presented in the two-cut case and, in particular, we obtain general formulae for multi-instanton amplitudes in the one-cut matrix model case as a degeneration of the two-cut case. These formulae show that the instanton gas is ultra-dilute, due to the repulsion among the matrix model eigenvalues. We exemplify and test our general results in the cubic matrix model, where multi-instanton amplitudes can be also computed with orthogonal polynomials. As an application, we derive general expressions for multi-instanton contributions in two-dimensional quantum gravity, verifying them by computing the instanton corrections to the string equation. The resulting amplitudes can be interpreted as regularized partition functions for multiple ZZ-branes, which take into full account their back-reaction on the target geometry. Finally, we also derive structural properties of the trans-series solution to the Painleve I equation.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

Nonperturbative Effects and the Large-Order Behavior of Matrix Models and Topological Strings

This work addresses nonperturbative effects in both matrix models and topological strings, and their relation with the large-order behavior of the 1/N expansion. We study instanton configurations in generic one-cut matrix models, obtaining explicit results for the one-instanton amplitude at both one and two loops. The holographic description of topological strings in terms of matrix models implies that our nonperturbative results also apply to topological strings on toric Calabi-Yau manifolds. This yields very precise predictions for the large-order behavior of the perturbative genus expansion, both in conventional matrix models and in topological string theory. We test these predictions in detail in various examples, including the quartic matrix model, topological strings on the local curve, and Hurwitz theory. In all these cases we provide extensive numerical checks which heavily support our nonperturbative analytical results. Moreover, since all these models have a critical point describing two-dimensional gravity, we also obtain in this way the large-order asymptotics of the relevant solution to the Painleve I equation, including corrections in inverse genus. From a mathematical point of view, our results predict the large-genus asymptotics of simple Hurwitz numbers and of local Gromov-Witten invariants.

hep-th↗

arXiv2007

Eikonal Approximation in AdS/CFT: Resumming the Gravitational Loop Expansion

We derive an eikonal approximation to high energy interactions in Anti-de Sitter spacetime, by generalizing a position space derivation of the eikonal amplitude in flat space. We are able to resum, in terms of a generalized phase shift, ladder and cross ladder graphs associated to the exchange of a spin j field, to all orders in the coupling constant. Using the AdS/CFT correspondence, the resulting amplitude determines the behavior of the dual conformal field theory four point function < O_1 O_2 O_1 O_2 > for small values of the cross ratios, in a Lorentzian regime. Finally we show that the phase shift is dominated by graviton exchange and computes, in the dual CFT, the anomalous dimension of the double trace primary operators O_1 \partial ... \partial O_2 of large dimension and spin, corresponding to the relative motion of the two interacting particles. The results are valid at strong t'Hooft coupling and are exact in the 1/N expansion.

hep-th↗

arXiv2007

Greybody Factors for d-Dimensional Black Holes

Gravitational greybody factors are analytically computed for static, spherically symmetric black holes in d-dimensions, including black holes with charge and in the presence of a cosmological constant (where a proper definition of greybody factors for both asymptotically dS and AdS spacetimes is provided). This calculation includes both the low-energy case --where the frequency of the scattered wave is small and real-- and the asymptotic case --where the frequency of the scattered wave is very large along the imaginary axis-- addressing gravitational perturbations as described by the Ishibashi-Kodama master equations, and yielding full transmission and reflection scattering coefficients for all considered spacetime geometries. At low frequencies a general method is developed, which can be employed for all three types of spacetime asymptotics, and which is independent of the details of the black hole. For asymptotically dS black holes the greybody factor is different for even or odd spacetime dimension, and proportional to the ratio of the areas of the event and cosmological horizons. For asymptotically AdS black holes the greybody factor has a rich structure in which there are several critical frequencies where it equals either one (pure transmission) or zero (pure reflection, with these frequencies corresponding to the normal modes of pure AdS spacetime). At asymptotic frequencies the computation of the greybody factor uses a technique inspired by monodromy matching, and some universality is hidden in the transmission and reflection coefficients. For either charged or asymptotically dS black holes the greybody factors are given by non-trivial functions, while for asymptotically AdS black holes the greybody factor precisely equals one (corresponding to pure blackbody emission).

hep-th↗

arXiv2007

Higher-Derivative Corrected Black Holes: Perturbative Stability and Absorption Cross-Section in Heterotic String Theory

This work addresses spherically symmetric, static black holes in higher-derivative stringy gravity. We focus on the curvature-squared correction to the Einstein-Hilbert action, present in both heterotic and bosonic string theory. The string theory low-energy effective action necessarily describes both a graviton and a dilaton, and we concentrate on the Callan-Myers-Perry solution in d-dimensions, describing stringy corrections to the Schwarzschild geometry. We develop the perturbation theory for the higher-derivative corrected action, along the guidelines of the Ishibashi-Kodama framework, focusing on tensor type gravitational perturbations. The potential obtained allows us to address the perturbative stability of the black hole solution, where we prove stability in any dimension. The equation describing gravitational perturbations to the Callan-Myers-Perry geometry also allows for a study of greybody factors and quasinormal frequencies. We address gravitational scattering at low frequencies, computing corrections arising from the curvature-squared term in the stringy action. We find that the absorption cross-section receives α' corrections, even though it is still proportional to the area of the black hole event-horizon. We also suggest an expression for the absorption cross-section which could be valid to all orders in α'.

hep-th↗

arXiv2006

Eikonal Approximation in AdS/CFT: Conformal Partial Waves and Finite N Four-Point Functions

We introduce the impact-parameter representation for conformal field theory correlators of the form A ~ < O_1 O_2 O_1 O_2 >. This representation is appropriate in the eikonal kinematical regime, and approximates the conformal partial-wave decomposition in the limit of large spin and dimension of the exchanged primary. Using recent results on the two-point function < O_1 O_1 >_{shock} in the presence of a shock wave in Anti-de Sitter, and its relation to the discontinuity of the four-point amplitude A across a kinematical branch-cut, we find the high spin and dimension conformal partial- wave decomposition of all tree-level Anti-de Sitter Witten diagrams. We show that, as in flat space, the eikonal kinematical regime is dominated by the T-channel exchange of the massless particle with highest spin (graviton dominance). We also compute the anomalous dimensions of the high-spin O_1 O_2 composites. Finally, we conjecture a formula re-summing crossed-ladder Witten diagrams to all orders in the gravitational coupling.

hep-th↗

arXiv2005

D-Brane Dynamics in Constant Ramond-Ramond Potentials, S-Duality and Noncommutative Geometry

We study the physics of D-branes in the presence of constant Ramond-Ramond potentials. In the string field theory context, we first develop a general formalism to analyze open strings in gauge trivial closed string backgrounds, and then apply it both to the RNS string and within Berkovits' covariant formalism, where the results have the most natural interpretation. The most remarkable finding is that, in the presence of a Dp-brane, both a constant parallel NS-NS B-field and R-R C^(p-1)-field do not solve the open/closed equations of motion, and induce the same non-vanishing open string tadpole. After solving the open string equations in the presence of this tadpole, and after gauging away the closed string fields, one is left with a U(1) field strength on the brane given by F=(1/2)(B-*C^(p-1)), where * is Hodge duality along the brane world-volume. One observes that this result differs from the usually assumed result F=B. Technically, this is due to the fact that supersymmetric and bosonic string world-sheet theories are different. Note, however, that the usual F+B combination is still the combination which remains gauge invariant at the sigma-model level. Also, the standard result F=B is, in the D3-brane case, not compatible with S-duality. On the other hand our result, which is derived automatically given the general formalism, offers a non-trivial check of S-duality, to all orders in F, and this leads to a S-dual invariant Moyal deformation. In an appendix, we solve the source equation describing the open superstring in a generic NS-NS and R-R closed string background, within the super Poincare covariant formalism.

hep-th↗

arXiv2005

On the Classification of Asymptotic Quasinormal Frequencies for d-Dimensional Black Holes and Quantum Gravity

We provide a complete classification of asymptotic quasinormal frequencies for static, spherically symmetric black hole spacetimes in d dimensions. This includes all possible types of gravitational perturbations (tensor, vector and scalar type) as described by the Ishibashi-Kodama master equations. The frequencies for Schwarzschild are dimension independent, while for RN are dimension dependent (the extremal RN case must be considered separately from the non-extremal case). For Schwarzschild dS, there is a dimension independent formula for the frequencies, except in dimension d=5 where the formula is different. For RN dS there is a dimension dependent formula for the frequencies, except in dimension d=5 where the formula is different. Schwarzschild and RN AdS black hole spacetimes are simpler: the formulae for the frequencies will depend upon a parameter related to the tortoise coordinate at spatial infinity, and scalar type perturbations in dimension d=5 lead to a continuous spectrum for the quasinormal frequencies. We also address non-black hole spacetimes, such as pure dS spacetime--where there are quasinormal modes only in odd dimensions--and pure AdS spacetime--where again scalar type perturbations in dimension d=5 lead to a continuous spectrum for the normal frequencies. Our results match previous numerical calculations with great accuracy. Asymptotic quasinormal frequencies have also been applied in the framework of quantum gravity for black holes. Our results show that it is only in the simple Schwarzschild case which is possible to obtain sensible results concerning area quantization or loop quantum gravity. In an effort to keep this paper self-contained we also review earlier results in the literature.

hep-th↗

arXiv2005

D-Brane Boundary States in the Pure Spinor Superstring

We study the construction of D-brane boundary states in the pure spinor formalism for the quantisation of the superstring. This is achieved both via a direct analysis of the definition of D-brane boundary states in the pure spinor conformal field theory, as well as via comparison between standard RNS and pure spinor descriptions of the superstring. Regarding the map between RNS and pure spinor formulations of the superstring, we shed new light on the tree level zero mode saturation rule. Within the pure spinor formalism we propose an explicit expression for the D-brane boundary state in a flat spacetime background. While the non-zero mode sector mostly follows from a simple understanding of the pure spinor conformal field theory, the zero mode sector requires a deeper analysis which is one of the main points in this work. With the construction of the boundary states at hand, we give a prescription for calculating scattering amplitudes in the presence of a D-brane. Finally, we also briefly discuss the coupling to the world-volume gauge field and show that the D-brane low-energy effective action is correctly reproduced.

hep-th↗

arXiv2004

Towards Quantum Dielectric Branes: Curvature Corrections in Abelian Beta Function and Nonabelian Born-Infeld Action

We initiate a programme to compute curvature corrections to the nonabelian BI action. This is based on the calculation of derivative corrections to the abelian BI action, describing a maximal brane, to all orders in F. An exact calculation in F allows us to apply the SW map, reducing the maximal abelian point of view to a minimal nonabelian point of view (replacing 1/F with [X,X] at large F), resulting in matrix model equations of motion. We first study derivative corrections to the abelian BI action and compute the 2-loop beta function for an open string in a WZW (parallelizable) background. This beta function is the first step in the process of computing string equations of motion, which can be later obtained by computing the Weyl anomaly coefficients or the partition function. The beta function is exact in F and computed to orders O(H,H^2,H^3) (H=dB and curvature is R ~ H^2) and O(DF,D^2F,D^3F). In order to carry out this calculation we develop a new regularization method for 2-loop graphs. We then relate perturbative results for abelian and nonabelian BI actions, by showing how abelian derivative corrections yield nonabelian commutator corrections, at large F. We begin the construction of a matrix model describing \a' corrections to Myers' dielectric effect. This construction is carried out by setting up a perturbative classification of the relevant nonabelian tensor structures, which can be considerably narrowed down by the constraint of translation invariance in the action and the possibility for generic field redefinitions. The final matrix action is not uniquely determined and depends upon two free parameters. These parameters could be computed via further calculations in the abelian theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv2004

Asymptotic Quasinormal Frequencies for Black Holes in Non-Asymptotically Flat Spacetimes

The exact computation of asymptotic quasinormal frequencies is a technical problem which involves the analytic continuation of a Schrodinger-like equation to the complex plane and then performing a method of monodromy matching at the several poles in the plane. While this method was successfully used in asymptotically flat spacetime, as applied to both the Schwarzschild and Reissner-Nordstrom solutions, its extension to non-asymptotically flat spacetimes has not been achieved yet. In this work it is shown how to extend the method to this case, with the explicit analysis of Schwarzschild de Sitter and large Schwarzschild Anti-de Sitter black holes, both in four dimensions. We obtain, for the first time, analytic expressions for the asymptotic quasinormal frequencies of these black hole spacetimes, and our results match previous numerical calculations with great accuracy. We also list some results concerning the general classification of asymptotic quasinormal frequencies in d-dimensional spacetimes.

hep-th↗

arXiv2002

Towards Vacuum Superstring Field Theory: The Supersliver

We extend some aspects of vacuum string field theory to superstring field theory in Berkovits' formulation, and we study the star algebra in the fermionic matter sector. After clarifying the structure of the interaction vertex in the operator formalism of Gross and Jevicki, we provide an algebraic construction of the supersliver state in terms of infinite-dimensional matrices. This state is an idempotent string field and solves the matter part of the equation of motion of superstring field theory with a pure ghost BRST operator. We determine the spectrum of eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the infinite-dimensional matrices of Neumann coefficients in the fermionic matter sector. We then analyze coherent states based on the supersliver and use them in order to construct higher-rank projector solutions, as well as to construct closed subalgebras of the star algebra in the fermionic matter sector. Finally, we show that the geometric supersliver is a solution to the superstring field theory equations of motion, including the (super)ghost sector, with the canonical choice of vacuum BRST operator recently proposed by Gaiotto, Rastelli, Sen and Zwiebach.

hep-th↗

arXiv2001

Nonassociative Star Product Deformations for D-brane Worldvolumes in Curved Backgrounds

We investigate the deformation of D-brane world-volumes in curved backgrounds. We calculate the leading corrections to the boundary conformal field theory involving the background fields, and in particular we study the correlation functions of the resulting system. This allows us to obtain the world-volume deformation, identifying the open string metric and the noncommutative deformation parameter. The picture that unfolds is the following: when the gauge invariant combination ω= B + F is constant one obtains the standard Moyal deformation of the brane world-volume. Similarly, when dω= 0 one obtains the noncommutative Kontsevich deformation, physically corresponding to a curved brane in a flat background. When the background is curved, H = dω\not= 0, we find that the relevant algebraic structure is still based on the Kontsevich expansion, which now defines a nonassociative star product with an A_\infty homotopy associative algebraic structure. We then recover, within this formalism, some known results of Matrix theory in curved backgrounds. In particular, we show how the effective action obtained in this framework describes, as expected, the dielectric effect of D-branes. The polarized branes are interpreted as a soliton, associated to the condensation of the brane gauge field.

hep-th↗

arXiv2000

Matrix Strings in Weakly Curved Background Fields

We investigate further the recent proposal for the form of the Matrix theory action in weak background fields. We perform DVV reduction to the multiple D0-brane action in order to find the Matrix string theory action for multiple fundamental strings in curved but weak NS-NS and R-R backgrounds. This matrix sigma model gives a definite prescription on how to deal with R-R fields with an explicit spacetime dependence in Type II string theory. We do this both via the 9-11 flip and the chain of T and S dualities, and further check on their equivalence explicitly. In order to do so, we also discuss the implementation of S-duality in the operators of the 2-dimensional world-volume supersymmetric gauge theory describing the Type IIB D-string. We compare the result to the known Green-Schwarz sigma model action (for one string), and use this comparison in order to discuss about possible, non-linear background curvature corrections to the Matrix string action (involving many strings), and therefore to the Matrix theory action. We illustrate the nonabelian character of our action with an example involving multiple fundamental strings in a non-trivial R-R flux, where the strings are polarized into a noncommutative configuration. This corresponds to a dielectric type of effect on fundamental strings.

hep-th↗

arXiv2000

From Noncommutative Bosonization to S-Duality

We extend standard path-integral techniques of bosonization and duality to the setting of noncommutative geometry. We start by constructing the bosonization prescription for a free Dirac fermion living in the noncommutative plane R_θ^2. We show that in this abelian situation the fermion theory is dual to a noncommutative Wess-Zumino-Witten model. The non-abelian situation is also constructed along very similar lines. We apply the techniques derived to the massive Thirring model on noncommutative R_θ^2 and show that it is dualized to a noncommutative WZW model plus a noncommutative cosine potential (like in the noncommutative Sine-Gordon model). The coupling constants in the fermionic and bosonic models are related via strong-weak coupling duality. This is thus an explicit construction of S-duality in a noncommutative field theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv1999

Matrix Theory Star Products from the Born-Infeld Action

We conjecture that the Sen-Seiberg limit of the Type IIA D2-brane action in a flat spacetime background can be resummed, at all orders in α', to define an associative star product on the membrane. This star product can be independently constrained from the equivalent Matrix theory description of the corresponding M2-brane, by carefully analyzing the known BPS conditions. Higher derivative corrections to the Born-Infeld action on the IIA side are reinterpreted, after the Sen-Seiberg limit, as higher derivative corrections to a field theory on the membrane, which itself can be resummed to yield the known Matrix theory quantum mechanics action. Conversely, given the star product on the membrane as a formal power series in α', one can constrain the higher derivative corrections to the Born-Infeld action, in the Sen-Seiberg limit. This claim is explicitly verified to first order. Finally, we also comment on the possible application of this method to the derivation of the Matrix theory action for membranes in a curved background.

hep-th↗

arXiv1999

Modular Quantum Cosmology

We study solutions of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation corresponding to an S-modular invariant N=1 supergravity model and a closed homogeneous and isotropic Friedmann-Robertson-Walker spacetime. The issues of inflation and of the cosmological constant problem are addressed with the help of the relevant wave functions. We find that topological type inflation is consistent from the quantum mechanical point of view and that a solution for the cosmological constant problem along the lines of the strong CP problem naturally arises.

gr-qc↗