arXiv subjects

Silvia Nagy

Publications and source records attributed to Silvia Nagy.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Boundary Actions and Loop Groups: A Geometric Picture of Gauge Symmetries at Null Infinity

In previous work arXiv:2407.13556, we proposed an extended phase space structure at null infinity accommodating large gauge symmetries for sub$^n$-leading soft theorems in Yang-Mills, via dressing fields arising in the Stueckelberg procedure. Here, we give an explicit boundary action controlling the dynamics of these fields. This allows for a derivation from first principles of the associated charges, together with an explicit renormalization procedure when taking the limit to null and spatial infinity, matching with charges proposed in previous work. Using the language of fibre bundles, we relate the existence of Stueckelberg fields to the notion of extension/reduction of the structure group of a principal bundle, thereby deriving their transformation rules in a natural way, thus realising them as Goldstone-like objects. Finally, this allows us to give a geometric picture of the gauge transformation structure at the boundary, via a loop group coming from formal expansions in the coordinate transversal to the boundary.

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arXiv2025

Homotopy kinematic algebras at null infinity

We present the first formulation of a homotopy algebra adapted to a $1/r$ expansion near future null infinity ($\mathcal{I^+}$). Focusing on self-dual Yang-Mills theory in Bondi coordinates, we demonstrate that imposing the homotopy algebra relations naturally yields the physically consistent fall-off behavior of the fields near $\mathcal{I^+}$. Furthermore, we employ this framework to systematically construct kinematic algebras, uncovering novel infinite families of such algebras that satisfy the Jacobi identity on slices near $\mathcal{I^+}$.

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arXiv2024

St\"uckelberg path to pure de Sitter supergravity

We advance the study of pure de Sitter supergravity by introducing a finite formulation of unimodular supergravity via the super-St\"uckelberg mechanism. Building on previous works, we construct a complete four-dimensional action of spontaneously broken ${\cal N}\!\!=\!\!1$ supergravity to all orders, which allows for de Sitter solutions. The introduction of finite supergravity transformations extends the super-St\"uckelberg procedure beyond the second order, offering a recursive solution to all orders in the goldstino sector. This work bridges the earlier perturbative approaches and the complete finite theory, opening new possibilities for de Sitter vacua in supergravity models and eventually string theory.

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arXiv2024

Light-cone actions and correlators of self-dual theories in AdS$_4$

Self-dual Yang-Mills and Einstein gravity in Euclidean AdS$_4$ are useful toy models because they can be described by simple scalar Lagrangians exhibiting a new manifestation of the colour/kinematics duality, as recently shown by two of the authors. In this paper, we clarify how the self-dual sectors fit into the full theories. In particular, we explicitly construct the light-cone action for Yang-Mills theory and Einstein gravity in AdS$_4$ in terms of positive and negative helicity fields, where we are able to pinpoint the self-dual sector as expected. We then show that the boundary correlators of these theories take a remarkably simple form in terms of Feynman diagrams in half of flat space, acted on by certain differential operators. We also analyse their soft limits and show that they exhibit Weinberg-like soft factors, where the soft pole which appears in scattering amplitudes is replaced by a derivative with respect to the energy.

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arXiv2024

Infinite-dimensional hierarchy of recursive extensions for all sub$^n$-leading soft effects in Yang-Mills

Building on our proposal in arXiv:2405.06629, we present in detail the construction of the extended phase space for Yang-Mills at null infinity, containing the asymptotic symmetries and the charges responsible for sub$^n$-leading soft theorems at all orders. The generality of the procedure allows it to be directly applied to the computation of both tree and loop-level soft limits. We also give a detailed study of Yang-Mills equations under the radial expansion, giving a thorough construction of the radiative phase space for decays compatible with tree-level amplitudes for both light-cone and radial gauges. This gives rise to useful recursion relations at all orders between the field strength and the vector gauge coefficients. We construct the sub$^n$-leading charges recursively, and show a hierarchical truncation such that each charge subalgebra is closed, and their action in the extended phase space is canonical. We relate these results with the infinite-dimensional algebras that have been recently introduced in the context of conformal field theories at null infinity. We also apply our method to the computation of non-universal terms in the sub-leading charges arising in theories with higher derivative interaction terms.

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arXiv2024

Weyl-Lewis-Papapetrou coordinates, self-dual Yang-Mills equations and the single copy

We consider the dimensional reduction to two dimensions of certain gravitational theories in $D \geq 4$ dimensions at the two-derivative level. It is known that the resulting field equations describe an integrable system in two dimensions which can also be obtained by a dimensional reduction of the self-dual Yang-Mills equations in four dimensions. We use this relation to construct a single copy prescription for classes of gravitational solutions in Weyl-Lewis-Papapetrou coordinates. In contrast with previous proposals, we find that the gauge group of the Yang-Mills single copy carries non-trivial information about the gravitational solution. We illustrate our single copy prescription with various examples that include the extremal Reissner-Nordstrom solution, the Kaluza-Klein rotating attractor solution, the Einstein-Rosen wave solution and the self-dual Kleinian Taub-NUT solution.

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arXiv2024

Self-Dual Cosmology

We construct cosmological spacetimes with a self-dual Weyl tensor whose dynamics are described by conformally coupled scalars with only cubic self-interactions. Similar to the previously discovered cases in flat and (Anti) de Sitter backgrounds, the interactions are characterized by a bracket that encodes a kinematic algebra. We discuss how the color-kinematics duality and double copy are realized in these cosmological backgrounds. If we further impose that the Ricci scalar is that of an FLRW spacetime, we find two new self-dual metrics corresponding to radiation-dominated and coasting (non-accelerating) FLRW backgrounds. Relaxing this requirement, we find an infinite family of solutions given by three different conformal classes of cosmological self-dual metrics. These solutions approximate those of FLRW as long as we impose a simple additional constraint on the scalar theory.

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arXiv2024

A General Hierarchy of Charges at Null Infinity via the Todd Polynomials

We give a general procedure for constructing an extended phase space for Yang-Mills theory at null infinity, capable of handling the asymptotic symmetries and construction of charges responsible for sub$^n$-leading soft theorems at all orders. The procedure is coordinate and gauge-choice independent, and can be fed into the calculation of both tree and loop-level soft limits. We find a hierarchy in the extended phase space controlled by the Bernoulli numbers arising in Todd genus computations. We give an explicit example of a calculation at tree level, in radial gauge, where we also uncover recursion relations at all orders for the equations of motion and charges.

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arXiv2024

What can abelian gauge theories teach us about kinematic algebras?

The phenomenon of BCJ duality implies that gauge theories possess an abstract kinematic algebra, mirroring the non-abelian Lie algebra underlying the colour information. Although the nature of the kinematic algebra is known in certain cases, a full understanding is missing for arbitrary non-abelian gauge theories, such that one typically works outwards from well-known examples. In this paper, we pursue an orthogonal approach, and argue that simpler abelian gauge theories can be used as a testing ground for clarifying our understanding of kinematic algebras. We first describe how classes of abelian gauge fields are associated with well-defined subgroups of the diffeomorphism algebra. By considering certain special subgroups, we show that one may construct interacting theories, whose kinematic algebras are inherited from those already appearing in a related abelian theory. Known properties of (anti-)self-dual Yang-Mills theory arise in this way, but so do new generalisations, including self-dual electromagnetism coupled to scalar matter. Furthermore, a recently obtained non-abelian generalisation of the Navier-Stokes equation fits into a similar scheme, as does Chern-Simons theory. Our results provide useful input to further conceptual studies of kinematic algebras.

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arXiv2023

Convolutional double copy in (Anti) de Sitter space

The double copy is a remarkable relationship between gauge theory and gravity that has been explored in a number of contexts, most notably scattering amplitudes and classical solutions. The convolutional double copy provides a straightforward method to bridge the two theories via a precise map for the fields and symmetries at the linearised level. This method has been thoroughly investigated in flat space, offering a comprehensive dictionary both with and without fixing the gauge degrees of freedom. In this paper, we extend this to curved space with an (anti) de Sitter background metric. We work in the temporal gauge, and employ a modified convolution that involves the Mellin transformation in the time direction. As an example, we show that the point-like charge in gauge theory double copies to the (dS-) Schwarzschild black hole solution.

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arXiv2023

Gauge independent kinematic algebra of self-dual Yang-Mills theory

The double copy programme relies crucially on the so-called color-kinematics duality which, in turn, is widely believed to descend from a kinematic algebra possessed by gauge theories. In this paper we construct the kinematic algebra of gauge invariant and off-shell self-dual Yang-Mills theory, up to trilinear maps. This structure is a homotopy algebra of the same type as the ones recently uncovered in Chern-Simons and full Yang-Mills theories. To make contact with known results for the self-dual sector, we show that it reduces to the algebra found by Monteiro and O'Connell upon taking light-cone gauge and partially solving the self-duality constraints. Finally, we test a double copy prescription recently proposed in [1] and reproduce self-dual gravity.

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arXiv2023

Self-dual gravity and color/kinematics duality in AdS$_4$

We show that self-dual gravity in Euclidean four-dimensional Anti-de Sitter space (AdS$_4$) can be described by a minimally coupled scalar field with a cubic interaction written in terms of a deformed Poisson bracket, providing a remarkably simple generalisation of the Plebanski action for self-dual gravity in flat space. This implies a novel symmetry algebra in self-dual gravity, notably an AdS$_4$ version of the so-called kinematic algebra. We also obtain the 3-point interaction vertex of self-dual gravity in AdS$_4$ from that of self-dual Yang-Mills by replacing the structure constants of the Lie group with the structure constants of the new kinematic algebra, implying that self-dual gravity in AdS$_4$ can be derived from self-dual Yang-Mills in this background via a double copy. This provides a concrete starting point for defining the double copy for Einstein gravity in AdS$_4$ by expanding around the self-dual sector. Moreover, we show that the new kinematic Lie algebra can be lifted to a deformed version of the $w_{1+\infty}$ algebra, which plays a prominent role in celestial holography.

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arXiv2022

Radiative phase space extensions at all orders in r for self-dual Yang-Mills and Gravity

Working in the self-dual sector for Yang-Mills and gravity, we show how to construct an extended phase space at null infinity, to all orders in the radial expansion. This formalises the symmetry origin of the infrared behaviour of these theories to all sub-leading orders. As a corollary, we also derive a double copy mapping from a subset of YM gauge transformations to a subset of diffeomorphisms to all orders in the transformation parameters, which to our knowledge has not been presented before in the literature.

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arXiv2022

NS-NS Spacetimes from Amplitudes

Recent work has shown how on-shell three-point amplitudes in gauge theory and gravity, representing the coupling to massive particles, correspond in the classical limit to the curvature spinors of linearised solutions. This connection, made explicit via the KMOC formalism in split metric signature, turns the double copy of scattering amplitudes into the double copy of classical solutions. Here, we extend this framework to the universal massless sector of supergravity, which is the complete double copy of pure gauge theory. Our extension relies on a Riemann-Cartan curvature incorporating the dilaton and the B-field. In this setting, we can determine the most general double copy arising from the product of distinct gauge theory solutions, say a dyon and $\sqrt{\text{Kerr}}$. This gives a double-copy interpretation to gravity solutions of the type Kerr-Taub-NUT-dilaton-axion. We also discuss the extension to heterotic gravity. Finally, we describe how this formalism for the classical double copy relates to others in the literature, namely (i) why it is an on-shell momentum space analogue of the convolutional prescription, and (ii) why a straightforward prescription in position space is possible for certain vacuum solutions.

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arXiv2021

A double copy for asymptotic symmetries in the self-dual sector

We give a double copy construction for the symmetries of the self-dual sectors of Yang-Mills (YM) and gravity, in the light-cone formulation. We find an infinite set of double copy constructible symmetries. We focus on two families which correspond to the residual diffeomorphisms on the gravitational side. For the first one, we find novel non-perturbative double copy rules in the bulk. The second family has a more striking structure, as a non-perturbative gravitational symmetry is obtained from a perturbatively defined symmetry on the YM side. At null infinity, we find the YM origin of the subset of extended Bondi-Metzner-Sachs (BMS) symmetries that preserve the self-duality condition. In particular, holomorphic large gauge YM symmetries are double copied to holomorphic supertranslations. We also identify the single copy of superrotations with certain non-gauge YM transformations that to our knowledge have not been previously presented in the literature.

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arXiv2021

Alternative formulations of the twistor double copy

The classical double copy relating exact solutions of biadjoint scalar, gauge and gravity theories continues to receive widespread attention. Recently, a derivation of the exact classical double copy was presented, using ideas from twistor theory, in which spacetime fields are mapped to Cech cohomology classes in twistor space. A puzzle remains, however, in how to interpret the twistor double copy, in that it relies on somehow picking special representatives of each cohomology class. In this paper, we provide two alternative formulations of the twistor double copy using the more widely-used language of Dolbeault cohomology. The first amounts to a rewriting of the Cech approach, whereas the second uses known techniques for discussing spacetime fields in Euclidean signature. The latter approach indeed allows us to identify special cohomology representatives, suggesting that further application of twistor methods in exploring the remit of the double copy may be fruitful.

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arXiv2021

The Weyl double copy from twistor space

The Weyl double copy is a procedure for relating exact solutions in biadjoint scalar, gauge and gravity theories, and relates fields in spacetime directly. Where this procedure comes from, and how general it is, have until recently remained mysterious. In this paper, we show how the current form and scope of the Weyl double copy can be derived from a certain procedure in twistor space. The new formalism shows that the Weyl double copy is more general than previously thought, applying in particular to gravity solutions with arbitrary Petrov types. We comment on how to obtain anti-self-dual as well as self-dual fields, and clarify some conceptual issues in the twistor approach.

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arXiv2020

Unimodular vs Nilpotent Superfield Approach to Pure dS Supergravity

Recent progress in understanding de Sitter spacetime in supergravity and string theory has led to the development of a four dimensional supergravity with spontaneously broken supersymmetry allowing for de Sitter vacua, also called de Sitter supergravity. One approach makes use of constrained (nilpotent) superfields, while an alternative one couples supergravity to a locally supersymmetric generalization of the Volkov-Akulov goldstino action. These two approaches have been shown to give rise to the same 4D action. A novel approach to de Sitter vacua in supergravity involves the generalisation of unimodular gravity to supergravity using a super-Stückelberg mechanism. In this paper, we make a connection between this new approach and the previous two which are in the context of nilpotent superfields and the goldstino brane. We show that upon appropriate field redefinitions, the 4D actions match up to the cubic order in the fields. This points at the possible existence of a more general framework to obtain de Sitter spacetimes from high-energy theories.

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