Recursive structure of the Gauß hypergeometric function and boundary/crosscap conformal block

The Gauß hypergeometric function shows a recursive structure which resembles those found in conformal blocks. We compare it with the recursive structure of the conformal block in boundary/crosscap conformal field theories that is obtained from the representation theory. We find that the pole structure perfectly agrees but the recursive structure in the Gauß hypergeometric function is slightly “off-shell”.

Efficient rules for all conformal blocks

We formulate a set of general rules for computing d-dimensional four-point global conformal blocks of operators in arbitrary Lorentz representations in the context of the embedding space operator product expansion formalism [1]. With these rules, the procedure for determining any conformal block of interest is reduced to (1) identifying the relevant projection operators and tensor structures and (2) applying the conformal rules to obtain the blocks. To facilitate the bookkeeping of contributing terms, we introduce a convenient diagrammatic notation. We present several concrete examples to illustrate the general procedure as well as to demonstrate and test the explicit application of the rules. In particular, we consider four-point functions involving scalars S and some specific irreducible representations R, namely 〈SSSS〉, 〈SSSR〉, 〈SRSR〉 and 〈SSRR〉 (where, when allowed, R is a vector or a fermion), and determine the corresponding blocks for all possible exchanged representations.

Conformal blocks from celestial gluon amplitudes. Part II. Single-valued correlators

In a recent paper, here referred to as part I, we considered the celestial four-gluon amplitude with one gluon represented by the shadow transform of the corresponding primary field operator. This correlator is ill-defined because it contains branch points related to the presence of conformal blocks with complex spin. In this work, we adopt a procedure similar to minimal models and construct a single-valued completion of the shadow correlator, in the limit when the shadow is “soft.” By following the approach of Dotsenko and Fateev, we obtain an integral representation of such a single-valued correlator. This allows inverting the shadow transform and constructing a single-valued celestial four-gluon amplitude. This amplitude is drastically different from the original Mellin amplitude. It is defined over the entire complex plane and has correct crossing symmetry, OPE and bootstrap properties. It agrees with all known OPEs of celestial gluon operators. The conformal block spectrum consists of primary fields with dimensions ∆ = m + iλ, with integer m ≥ 1 and various, but always integer spin, in all group representations contained in the product of two adjoint representations.

Intersecting defects in gauge theory, quantum spin chains, and Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equations

We propose an interesting BPS/CFT correspondence playground: the correlation function of two intersecting half-BPS surface defects in four-dimensional $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 supersymmetric SU(N) gauge theory with 2N fundamental hypermultiplets. We show it satisfies a difference equation, the fractional quantum T-Q relation. Its Fourier transform is the 5-point conformal block of the $$ {\hat{\mathfrak{sl}}}_N $$ sl ̂ N current algebra with one of the vertex operators corresponding to the N-dimensional $$ {\mathfrak{sl}}_N $$ sl N representation, which we demonstrate with the help of the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equation. We also identify the correlator with a state of the $$ {XXX}_{{\mathfrak{sl}}_2} $$ XXX sl 2 spin chain of N Heisenberg-Weyl modules over Y ($$ {\mathfrak{sl}}_2 $$ sl 2 ). We discuss the associated quantum Lax operators, and connections to isomonodromic deformations.

Conformal bootstrap near the edge

We propose a bootstrap program for CFTs near intersecting boundaries which form a co-dimension 2 edge. We describe the kinematical setup and show that bulk 1-pt functions and bulk-edge 2-pt functions depend on a non-trivial cross-ratio and on the angle between the boundaries. Using the boundary OPE (BOE) with respect to each boundary, we derive two independent conformal block expansions for these correlators. The matching of the two BOE expansions leads to a crossing equation. We analytically solve this equation in several simple cases, notably for a free bulk field, where we recover Feynman-diagrammatic results by Cardy.

Is the EMI model a QFT? An inquiry on the space of allowed entropy functions

The mutual information I(A, B) of pairs of spatially separated regions satisfies, for any d-dimensional CFT, a set of structural physical properties such as positivity, monotonicity, clustering, or Poincaré invariance, among others. If one imposes the extra requirement that I(A, B) is extensive as a function of its arguments (so that the tripartite information vanishes for any set of regions, I3(A, B, C ) ≡ 0), a closed geometric formula involving integrals over ∂A and ∂B can be obtained. We explore whether this “Extensive Mutual Information” model (EMI), which in fact describes a free fermion in d = 2, may similarly correspond to an actual CFT in general dimensions. Using the long-distance behavior of IEMI(A, B) we show that, if it did, it would necessarily include a free fermion, but also that additional operators would have to be present in the model. Remarkably, we find that IEMI(A, B) for two arbitrarily boosted spheres in general d exactly matches the result for the free fermion current conformal block $$ {G}_{\Delta =\left(d-1\right),J=1}^d $$ G ∆ = d − 1 , J = 1 d . On the other hand, a detailed analysis of the subleading contribution in the long-distance regime rules out the possibility that the EMI formula represents the mutual information of any actual CFT or even any limit of CFTs. These results make manifest the incompleteness of the set of known constraints required to describe the space of allowed entropy functions in QFT.

The ABCDEFG of little strings

Starting from type IIB string theory on an ADE singularity, the (2, 0) little string arises when one takes the string coupling gs to 0. In this setup, we give a unified description of the codimension-two defects of the little string, labeled by a simple Lie algebra $$ \mathfrak{g} $$ g . Geometrically, these are D5 branes wrapping 2-cycles of the singularity, subject to a certain folding operation when the algebra is non simply-laced. Equivalently, the defects are specified by a certain set of weights of $$ {}^L\mathfrak{g} $$ L g , the Langlands dual of $$ \mathfrak{g} $$ g . As a first application, we show that the instanton partition function of the $$ \mathfrak{g} $$ g -type quiver gauge theory on the defect is equal to a 3-point conformal block of the $$ \mathfrak{g} $$ g -type deformed Toda theory in the Coulomb gas formalism. As a second application, we argue that in the (2, 0) CFT limit, the Coulomb branch of the defects flows to a nilpotent orbit of $$ \mathfrak{g} $$ g .

Conformal blocks from celestial gluon amplitudes

In celestial conformal field theory, gluons are represented by primary fields with dimensions ∆ = 1 + iλ, λ ∈ ℝ and spin J = ±1, in the adjoint representation of the gauge group. All two- and three-point correlation functions of these fields are zero as a consequence of four-dimensional kinematic constraints. Four-point correlation functions contain delta-function singularities enforcing planarity of four-particle scattering events. We relax these constraints by taking a shadow transform of one field and perform conformal block decomposition of the corresponding correlators. We compute the conformal block coefficients. When decomposed in channels that are “compatible” in two and four dimensions, such four-point correlators contain conformal blocks of primary fields with dimensions ∆ = 2 + M + iλ, where M ≥ 0 is an integer, with integer spin J = −M, −M + 2, …, M − 2, M. They appear in all gauge group representations obtained from a tensor product of two adjoint representations. When decomposed in incompatible channels, they also contain primary fields with continuous complex spin, but with positive integer dimensions.

Universality in asymptotic bounds and its saturation in 2D CFT

We study asymptotics of three point coefficients (light-light-heavy) and two point correlators in heavy states in unitary, compact 2D CFTs. We prove an upper and lower bound on such quantities using numerically assisted Tauberian techniques. We obtain an optimal upper bound on the spectrum of operators appearing with fixed spin from the OPE of two identical scalars. While all the CFTs obey this bound, rational CFTs come close to saturating it. This mimics the scenario of bounds on asymptotic density of states and thereby pronounces an universal feature in asymptotics of 2D CFTs. Next, we clarify the role of smearing in interpreting the asymptotic results pertaining to considerations of eigenstate thermalization in 2D CFTs. In the context of light-light-heavy three point coefficients, we find that the order one number in the bound is sensitive to how close the light operators are from the $$ \frac{c}{32} $$ c 32 threshold. In context of two point correlator in heavy state, we find the presence of an enigmatic regime which separates the AdS3 thermal physics and the BTZ black hole physics. Furthermore, we present some new numerical results on the behaviour of spherical conformal block.