arXiv subjects

T. Daniel Brennan

Publications and source records attributed to T. Daniel Brennan.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

A Non-Abelian Analogue of DBI from $T \overline{T}$

The Dirac action describes the physics of the Nambu-Goldstone scalars found on branes. The Born-Infeld action defines a non-linear theory of electrodynamics. The combined Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) action describes the leading interactions supported on a single D-brane in string theory. We define a non-abelian analogue of DBI using the $T \overline{T}$ deformation in two dimensions. The resulting quantum theory is compatible with maximal supersymmetry and such theories are quite rare.

hep-th↗

arXiv2019

Index-Like Theorems from Line Defect Vevs

In this paper we investigate the relation between complexified Fenchel-Nielsen coordinates and spectral network coordinates on Seiberg-Witten moduli space. The main technique is the comparison of exact expressions for the expectation value of 't Hooft defects in certain 4D $SU(2)$ $\mathcal{N}=2$ gauge theories. We derive an index-like theorem for a class of Dirac operators on singular monopole moduli spaces. Our expression determines the indices of Dirac operators on singular monopole moduli spaces in terms of characteristic numbers for vector bundles over certain Kronheimer-Nakajima quiver varieties.

hep-th↗

arXiv2019

Wall Crossing from Dirac Zeromodes

We explore the physics of two-body decay of BPS states using semiclassical analysis to construct explicit solutions that illustrate the main features of wall crossing, for both ordinary and framed BPS states. In particular we recover the primitive wall-crossing formula from an asymptotic analysis of certain Dirac-type operators on monopole moduli spaces. Along the way we give an asymptotic metric for the moduli space of singular monopoles, analogous to the Gibbons-Manton and Lee-Weinberg-Yi metrics for the moduli space of smooth monopoles, and we find evidence for the existence of stable non-BPS boundstates. Our discussion applies to four-dimensional N = 2 super-Yang-Mills theories with general gauge group and general 't Hooft defects.

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

't Hooft Defects and Wall Crossing in SQM

In this paper we study the contribution of monopole bubbling to the expectation value of supersymmetric 't Hooft defects in Lagrangian theories of class $\mathcal{S}$ on $\mathbb{R}^3\times S^1$. This can be understood as the Witten index of an SQM living on the world volume of the 't Hooft defect that couples to the bulk 4D theory. The computation of this Witten index has many subtleties originating from a continuous spectrum of scattering states along the non-compact vacuum branches. We find that even after properly dealing with the spectral asymmetry, the standard localization result for the 't Hooft defect does not agree with the result obtained from the AGT correspondence. In this paper we will explicitly show that one must correct the localization result by adding an extra term to the standard Jeffrey-Kirwan residue formula. This extra term accounts for the contribution of ground states localized along the non-compact branches. This extra term restores both the expected symmetry properties of the line defect expectation value and reproduces the results derived using the AGT correspondence.

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

The String Landscape, the Swampland, and the Missing Corner

We give a brief overview of the string landscape and techniques used to construct string compactifications. We then explain how this motivates the notion of the swampland and review a number of conjectures that attempt to characterize theories in the swampland. We also compare holography in the context of superstrings with the similar, but much simpler case of topological string theory. For topological strings, there is a direct definition of topological gravity based on a sum over a "quantum gravitational foam." In this context, holography is the statement of an identification between a gravity and gauge theory, both of which are defined independently of one another. This points to a missing corner in string dualities which suggests the search for a direct definition of quantum theory of gravity rather than relying on its strongly coupled holographic dual as an adequate substitute (Based on TASI 2017 lectures given by C. Vafa).

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

Monopole Bubbling via String Theory

In this paper, we propose a string theory description of generic 't Hooft defects in $\mathcal{N}=2$ $SU(N)$ supersymmetric gauge theories. We show that the space of supersymmetric ground states is given by the moduli space of singular monopoles and that in this setting, Kronheimer's correspondence is realized as T-duality. We conjecture that this brane configuration can be used to study the full dynamics of monopole bubbling.

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

On 't Hooft Defects, Monopole Bubbling and Supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics

We revisit the localization computation of the expectation values of 't Hooft operators in $\mathcal{N}=2^*$ SU(N) theory on $\mathbb{R}^3 \times S^1$. We show that the part of the answer arising from "monopole bubbling" on $\mathbb{R}^3$ can be understood as an equivariant integral over a Kronheimer-Nakajima moduli space of instantons on an orbifold of $\mathbb{C}^2$. It can also be described as a Witten index of a certain supersymmetric quiver quantum mechanics with $\mathcal{N}=(4,4)$ supersymmetry. The map between the defect data and the quiver quantum mechanics is worked out for all values of N. For the SU(2) theory, we compute several examples of these line defect expectation values using the Witten index formula and confirm that the expressions agree with the formula derived by Okuda, Ito and Taki. In addition, we present a Type IIB construction -- involving D1-D3-NS5-branes -- for monopole bubbling in $\mathcal{N}=2^*$ SU(N) SYM and demonstrate how the quiver quantum mechanics arises in this brane picture.

hep-th↗

arXiv2017

Two Loop Unification of Non-SUSY SO(10) GUT with TeV Scalars

In this paper we examine gauge coupling unification of the the non-SUSY SO(10) grand unified theory proposed by Babu and Mohapatra at the two loop level. This theory breaks down to the standard model in a single step and has the distinguishing feature of TeV non-standard model scalars. This leads to a plethora of interesting new physics at the TeV scale and the discovery of new particles at the LHC. This model gives rise to testable proton decay, neutron-antineutron oscillations, provides a mechanism for baryogenesis, and contains potential dark matter candidates. In this paper, we compute the two loop beta function and show that this model unifies to two loop order around $10^{15}$ GeV. We then compute the proton lifetime, taking into account threshold effects and show that these effects place it above the Super Kamiokande limit.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

A Note On The Semiclassical Formulation Of BPS States In Four-Dimensional N=2 Theories

Vector spaces of (framed) BPS states of Lagrangian four-dimensional N=2 field theories can be defined in semiclassical chambers in terms of the $L^2$-cohomology of Dirac-like operators on monopole moduli spaces. This was spelled out previously for theories with only vectormultiplets, taking into account only a subset of the possible half-supersymmetric 't Hooft-Wilson line defects. This note completes the discussion by describing the modifications needed when including matter hypermultiplets together with arbitrary 't Hooft-Wilson line defects. Two applications of this extended discussion are given.

hep-th↗

arXiv2014

On the Magnetosphere of an Accelerated Pulsar

We report on a remarkable class of exact solutions to force-free electrodynamics that has four-current along the light cones of an arbitrary timelike worldline in flat spacetime. No symmetry is assumed, and the solutions are given in terms of a free function of three variables. The field configuration should describe the outer magnetosphere of a pulsar moving on the worldline. The power radiated is the sum of an acceleration (Larmor-type) term and a pulsar-type term.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2013

Exact Solutions to Force-Free Electrodynamics in Black Hole Backgrounds

A shared property of several of the known exact solutions to the equations of force-free electrodynamics is that their charge-current four-vector is \textit{null}. We examine the general properties of null-current solutions and then focus on the principal congruences of the Kerr black hole spacetime. We obtain a large class of exact solutions, which are in general time-dependent and non-axisymmetric. These solutions include waves that, surprisingly, propagate without scattering on the curvature of the black hole's background. They may be understood as generalizations to Robinson's solutions to vacuum electrodynamics associated with a shear-free congruence of null geodesics. When stationary and axisymmetric, our solutions reduce to those of Menon and Dermer, the only previously known solutions in Kerr. In Kerr, all of our solutions have null electromagnetic fields ($\vec{E} \cdot \vec{B} = 0$ and $E^2=B^2$). However, in Schwarzschild or flat spacetime there is freedom to add a magnetic monopole field, making the solutions magnetically dominated ($B^2>E^2$). This freedom may be used to reproduce the various flat-spacetime and Schwarzschild-spacetime (split) monopole solutions available in the literature (due to Michel and later authors), and to obtain a large class of time-dependent, non-axisymmetric generalizations. These generalizations may be used to model the magnetosphere of a conducting star that rotates with arbitrary prescribed time-dependent rotation axis and speed. We thus significantly enlarge the class of known exact solutions, while organizing and unifying previously discovered solutions in terms of their null structure.

gr-qc↗