arXiv subjects

Vishnu Jejjala

Publications and source records attributed to Vishnu Jejjala.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

On the Physics of the Riemann Zeros

We discuss a formal derivation of an integral expression for the Li coefficients associated with the Riemann xi-function which, in particular, indicates that their positivity criterion is obeyed, whereby entailing the criticality of the non-trivial zeros. We conjecture the validity of this and related expressions without the need for the Riemann Hypothesis and discuss a physical interpretation of this result within the Hilbert-Polya approach. In this context we also outline a relation between string theory and the Riemann Hypothesis.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Cardy and Kerr

The Kerr/CFT correspondence employs the Cardy formula to compute the entropy of the left moving CFT states. This computation, which correctly reproduces the Bekenstein--Hawking entropy of the four-dimensional extremal Kerr black hole, is performed in a regime where the temperature is of order unity rather than in a high-temperature regime. We show that the comparison of the entropy of the extreme Kerr black hole and the entropy in the CFT can be understood within the Cardy regime by considering a D0-D6 system with the same entropic properties.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

The Big Bang as the Ultimate Traffic Jam

We present a novel solution to the nature and formation of the initial state of the Universe. It derives from the physics of a generally covariant extension of Matrix theory. We focus on the dynamical state space of this background independent quantum theory of gravity and matter, an infinite dimensional, complex non-linear Grassmannian. When this space is endowed with a Fubini--Study-like metric, the associated geodesic distance between any two of its points is zero. This striking mathematical result translates into a physical description of a hot, zero entropy Big Bang. The latter is then seen as a far from equilibrium, large fluctuation driven, metastable ordered transition, a ``freezing by heating'' jamming transition. Moreover, the subsequent unjamming transition could provide a mechanism for inflation while rejamming may model a Big Crunch, the final state of gravitational collapse.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2009

Eigenvalue Density, Li's Positivity, and the Critical Strip

We rewrite the zero-counting formula within the critical strip of the Riemann zeta function as a cumulative density distribution; this subsequently allows us to formally derive an integral expression for the Li coefficients associated with the Riemann xi-function which, in particular, indicate that their positivity criterion is obeyed, whereby entailing the criticality of the non-trivial zeros. We conjecture the validity of this and related expressions without the need for the Riemann Hypothesis and also offer a physical interpretation of the result and discuss the Hilbert-Polya approach.

math-ph↗

arXiv2008

SQCD: A Geometric Apercu

We take new algebraic and geometric perspectives on the old subject of SQCD. We count chiral gauge invariant operators using generating functions, or Hilbert series, derived from the plethystic programme and the Molien-Weyl formula. Using the character expansion technique, we also see how the global symmetries are encoded in the generating functions. Equipped with these methods and techniques of algorithmic algebraic geometry, we obtain the character expansions for theories with arbitrary numbers of colours and flavours. Moreover, computational algebraic geometry allows us to systematically study the classical vacuum moduli space of SQCD and investigate such structures as its irreducible components, degree and syzygies. We find the vacuum manifolds of SQCD to be affine Calabi-Yau cones over weighted projective varieties.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

Turbulence and Holography

We examine the interplay between recent advances in quantum gravity and the problem of turbulence. In particular, we argue that in the gravitational context the phenomenon of turbulence is intimately related to the properties of spacetime foam. In this framework we discuss the relation of turbulence and holography and the interpretation of the Kolmogorov scaling in the quantum gravitational setting.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

On the Origin of Time and the Universe

We present a novel solution to the low entropy and arrow of time puzzles of the initial state of the Universe. Our approach derives from the physics of a specific generalization of Matrix theory put forth in earlier work as the basis for a quantum theory of gravity. The particular dynamical state space of this theory, the infinite dimensional analogue of the Fubini-Study metric over a complex non-linear Grassmannian, has recently been studied by Michor and Mumford. The geodesic distance between any two points on this space is zero. Here we show that this mathematical result translates to a description of a hot, zero entropy state and an arrow of time after the Big Bang. This is modeled as a far from equilibrium, large fluctuation driven, "freezing by heating" metastable ordered phase transition of a non-linear dissipative dynamical system.

hep-th↗

arXiv2007

Entropy of near-extremal black holes in AdS_5

We construct the microstates of near-extremal black holes in AdS_5 x S^5 as gases of defects distributed in heavy BPS operators in the dual SU(N) Yang-Mills theory. These defects describe open strings on spherical D3-branes in the S^5, and we show that they dominate the entropy by directly enumerating them and comparing the results with a partition sum calculation. We display new decoupling limits in which the field theory of the lightest open strings on the D-branes becomes dual to a near-horizon region of the black hole geometry. In the single-charge black hole we find evidence for an infrared duality between SU(N) Yang-Mills theories that exchanges the rank of the gauge group with an R-charge. In the two-charge case (where pairs of branes intersect on a line), the decoupled geometry includes an AdS_3 factor with a two-dimensional CFT dual. The degeneracy in this CFT accounts for the black hole entropy. In the three-charge case (where triples of branes intersect at a point), the decoupled geometry contains an AdS_2 factor. Below a certain critical mass, the two-charge system displays solutions with naked timelike singularities even though they do not violate a BPS bound. We suggest a string theoretic resolution of these singularities.

hep-th↗

arXiv2007

Time and M-theory

We review our recent proposal for a background independent formulation of a holographic theory of quantum gravity. The present review incorporates the necessary background material on geometry of canonical quantum theory, holography and spacetime thermodynamics, Matrix theory, as well as our specific proposal for a dynamical theory of geometric quantum mechanics, as applied to Matrix theory. At the heart of this review is a new analysis of the conceptual problem of time and the closely related and phenomenologically relevant problem of vacuum energy in quantum gravity. We also present a discussion of some observational implications of this new viewpoint on the problem of vacuum energy.

hep-th↗

arXiv2007

Fine Structure of Dark Energy and New Physics

Following our recent work on the cosmological constant problem, in this letter we make a specific proposal regarding the fine structure (i.e., the spectrum) of dark energy. The proposal is motivated by a deep analogy between the blackbody radiation problem, which led to the development of quantum theory, and the cosmological constant problem, which we have recently argued calls for a conceptual extension of the quantum theory. We argue that the fine structure of dark energy is governed by a Wien distribution, indicating its dual quantum and classical nature. We discuss a few observational consequences of such a picture of dark energy.

hep-th↗

arXiv2006

Why there is something so close to nothing: towards a fundamental theory of the cosmological constant

The cosmological constant problem is turned around to argue for a new foundational physics postulate underlying a consistent quantum theory of gravity and matter, such as string theory. This postulate is a quantum equivalence principle which demands a consistent gauging of the geometric structure of canonical quantum theory. We argue that string theory can be formulated to accommodate such a principle, and that in such a theory the observed cosmological constant is a fluctuation about a zero value. This fluctuation arises from an uncertainty relation involving the cosmological constant and the effective volume of spacetime. The measured, small vacuum energy is dynamically tied to the large size of the universe, thus violating naive decoupling between small and large scales. The numerical value is related to the scale of cosmological supersymmetry breaking, supersymmetry being needed for a non-perturbative stability of local Minkowski spacetime regions in the classical regime.

hep-th↗

arXiv2006

Vacuum Geometry and the Search for New Physics

We propose a new guiding principle for phenomenology: special geometry in the vacuum space. New algorithmic methods which efficiently compute geometric properties of the vacuum space of N=1 supersymmetric gauge theories are described. We illustrate the technique on subsectors of the MSSM. The fragility of geometric structure that we find in the moduli space motivates phenomenologically realistic deformations of the superpotential, while arguing against others. Special geometry in the vacuum may therefore signal the presence of string physics underlying the low-energy effective theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv2006

Exploring the Vacuum Geometry of N=1 Gauge Theories

Using techniques of algorithmic algebraic geometry, we present a new and efficient method for explicitly computing the vacuum space of N=1 gauge theories. We emphasize the importance of finding special geometric properties of these spaces in connecting phenomenology to guiding principles descending from high-energy physics. We exemplify the method by addressing various subsectors of the MSSM. In particular the geometry of the vacuum space of electroweak theory is described in detail, with and without right-handed neutrinos. We discuss the impact of our method on the search for evidence of underlying physics at a higher energy. Finally we describe how our results can be used to rule out certain top-down constructions of electroweak physics.

hep-th↗

arXiv2005

The Library of Babel: On the origin of gravitational thermodynamics

We show that heavy pure states of gravity can appear to be mixed states to almost all probes. For AdS_5 Schwarzschild black holes, our arguments are made using the field theory dual to string theory in such spacetimes. Our results follow from applying information theoretic notions to field theory operators capable of describing very heavy states in gravity. For half-BPS states of the theory which are incipient black holes, our account is exact: typical microstates are described in gravity by a spacetime ``foam'', the precise details of which are almost invisible to almost all probes. We show that universal low-energy effective description of a foam of given global charges is via certain singular spacetime geometries. When one of the specified charges is the number of D-branes, the effective singular geometry is the half-BPS ``superstar''. We propose this as the general mechanism by which the effective thermodynamic character of gravity emerges.

hep-th↗

arXiv2005

Non-supersymmetric smooth geometries and D1-D5-P bound states

We construct smooth non-supersymmetric soliton solutions with D1-brane, D5-brane and momentum charges in type IIB supergravity compactified on T^4 x S^1, with the charges along the compact directions. This generalises previous studies of smooth supersymmetric solutions. The solutions are obtained by considering a known family of U(1) x U(1) invariant metrics, and studying the conditions imposed by requiring smoothness. We discuss the relation of our solutions to states in the CFT describing the D1-D5 system, and describe various interesting features of the geometry.

hep-th↗

arXiv2005

The Library of Babel

We show that heavy pure states of gravity can appear to be mixed states to almost all probes. Our arguments are made for $\rm{AdS}_5$ Schwarzschild black holes using the field theory dual to string theory in such spacetimes. Our results follow from applying information theoretic notions to field theory operators capable of describing very heavy states in gravity. For certain supersymmetric states of the theory, our account is exact: the microstates are described in gravity by a spacetime ``foam'', the precise details of which are invisible to almost all probes.

hep-th↗

arXiv2004

Alpha-states in de Sitter space

Field theory in de Sitter space admits a one-parameter family of vacua determined by a superselection parameter alpha. Of these vacua, the Euclidean vacuum uniquely extrapolates to the vacuum of flat Minkowski space. States which resemble the alpha-vacua can be constructed as excitations above the Euclidean vacuum. Such states have modes alpha(k) which decay faster that k^{(1-d)/2}. Fields in such states exhibit non-local correlations when examined from the perspective of fields in the Euclidean vacuum. The dynamics of such entangled states are fully consistent. If an alpha-state with properties that interpolate between an alpha-vacuum and the Euclidean vacuum were the initial condition for inflation, a signature for this may be found in a momentum dependent correction to the inflationary power spectrum. The functional formalism, which provides the tool for examining physics in an alpha-state, extends to fields of other spin. In particular, the extension to spin-2 may proffer a new class of infrared modifications to gravitational interactions. The implications of superselection sectors for the landscape of string vacua are briefly discussed.

hep-th↗

arXiv2004

Toward a Background Independent Quantum Theory of Gravity

Any canonical quantum theory can be understood to arise from the compatibility of the statistical geometry of distinguishable observations with the canonical Poisson structure of Hamiltonian dynamics. This geometric perspective offers a novel, background independent non-perturbative formulation of quantum gravity. We invoke a quantum version of the equivalence principle, which requires both the statistical and symplectic geometries of canonical quantum theory to be fully dynamical quantities. Our approach sheds new light on such basic issues of quantum gravity as the nature of observables, the problem of time, and the physics of the vacuum. In particular, the observed numerical smallness of the cosmological constant can be rationalized in this approach.

gr-qc↗