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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Asymptotic scalar field cosmology in string theory

Asymptotic (late-time) cosmology depends on the asymptotic (infinite-distance) limits of scalar field space in string theory. Such limits feature an exponentially decaying potential V ~ exp(–c$\phi$) with corresponding Hubble scale H ~ $\sqrt{{\dot{\phi}}^2+2V}$ ~ exp(–λ H$\phi$ ), and at least one tower of particles whose masses scale as m ~ exp(–λΦ), as required by the Distance Conjecture. In this paper, we provide evidence that these coefficients satisfy the inequalities $\sqrt{\left(d-1\right)/\left(d-2\right)}$ ≥ λ H ≥ λ lightest ≥ 1/$\sqrt{d-2}$ in d spacetime dimensions, where λ lightest is the λ coefficient of the lightest tower. This means that at late times, as the scalar field rolls to $\phi$ → ∞, the low-energy theory remains a d-dimensional FRW cosmology with decelerated expansion, the light towers of particles predicted by the Distance Conjecture remain at or above the Hubble scale, and both the strong energy condition and the dominant energy condition are satisfied.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Hyperbolic string tadpole

Hyperbolic geometry on the one-bordered torus is numerically uniformized using Liouville theory. This geometry is relevant for the hyperbolic string tadpole vertex describing the one-loop quantum corrections of closed string field theory. We argue that the Lamé equation, upon fixing its accessory parameter via Polyakov conjecture, provides the input for the characterization. The explicit expressions for the Weil-Petersson metric as well as the local coordinates and the associated vertex region for the tadpole vertex are given in terms of classical torus conformal blocks. The relevance of this vertex for vacuum shift computations in string theory is highlighted.

Firat, Atakan Hilmi↗
DOE OSTI2024

Normalization of ZZ instanton amplitudes in type 0B minimal superstring theory

Abstract We study ZZ instanton corrections in the (2,4k)$$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 1 minimal superstring theory with the type 0B GSO projection, which becomes the type 0B$$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 1 super-JT gravity in thek→ ∞ limit. Each member of the (2,4k) family of theories has two phases distinguished by the sign of the Liouville bulk cosmological constant. The worldsheet method for computing the one-loop normalization constant multiplying the instanton corrections gives an ill-defined answer in both phases. We fix these divergences using insights from string field theory and find finite, unambiguous results. Each member of the (2,4k) family of theories is dual to a double-scaled one-matrix integral, where the double-scaling limit can be obtained starting either from a unitary matrix integral with a leading one-cut saddle point, or from a hermitian matrix integral with a leading two-cut saddle point. The matrix integral exhibits a gap-closing transition, which is the same as the double-scaled Gross-Witten-Wadia transition whenk= 1. We also compute instanton corrections in the double-scaled matrix integral for allkand in both phases, and find perfect agreement with the string theory results.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Characterizing 4-string contact interaction using machine learning

Abstract The geometry of 4-string contact interaction of closed string field theory is characterized using machine learning. We obtain Strebel quadratic differentials on 4-punctured spheres as a neural network by performing unsupervised learning with a custom-built loss function. This allows us to solve for local coordinates and compute their associated mapping radii numerically. We also train a neural network distinguishing vertex from Feynman region. As a check, 4-tachyon contact term in the tachyon potential is computed and a good agreement with the results in the literature is observed. We argue that our algorithm is manifestly independent of number of punctures and scaling it to characterize the geometry ofn-string contact interaction is feasible.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2024

UV massive resonance from IR double copy consistency

From the perspective of effective field theory (EFT), Wilson coefficients of the low energy theory are determined by integrating out modes of the full ultraviolet (UV) theory. The spectrum can be in principle resummed if one has access to all available infrared (IR) coefficients at low energies. In this work we show that there exists a general class of consistent massive resonance double-copy (CMRDC) models where UV massive residues are reconstructed through double-copy consistency conditions between the IR Wilson coefficients of the full EFT expansion. Through a color-dual bootstrap, we find surprisingly that double-copy consistency alone introduces the kinematic factors of CMRDC models that soften high energy behavior by exponentiating color-dual contacts. This bootstrap suggests that our massive resonance paradigm is an inevitable consequence of the duality between color and kinematics, thereby providing a path towards emergent UV structure directly from the IR. We then demonstrate how CMRDC models can capture a spectrum of massive modes compatible with general multiplicity, and use Padé extrapolation to solve the inverse problem of identifying massive UV resonance from a small number of IR Wilson coefficients. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Antipodal self-duality of square fishnet graphs

In strongly deformed planar 𝒩 = 4 super-Yang-Mills theory, or fishnet theory, a point-split single-trace correlation function of four dimension-𝑚 scalar operators is given by a single Feynman integral, which involves integrating over locations of a 𝑚 × 𝑚 grid of points. We show that for any integer 𝑚 this square fishnet graph is invariant under the combined action of a kinematic map and the antipode map of the Hopf algebra on multiple polylogarithms; i.e. it possesses an antipodal self-duality.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

On the holographic dual of a symmetry operator at finite temperature

Topological symmetry operators of holographic large 𝑁 CFT 𝐷 ’s are dual to dynamical branes in the gravity dual AdS 𝐷+1 . We use this correspondence to establish a dictionary between thermal expectation values of symmetry operators in the Euclidean CFT 𝐷 and the evaluation of gravitational saddles in the presence of a dynamical brane. Expectation values of 0-form symmetry operators in the CFT 𝐷 are then related to branes wrapped on volume minimizing cycles in the bulk, i.e., the Euclidean continuation of a black hole horizon. We illustrate with some representative examples, including gravity in AdS 3 , duality/triality defects in four-dimensional 𝒩 = 4 super Yang-Mills theory, and the dual of R-symmetry operators probing five-dimensional Bogomol’nyi–Prasad–Sommerfield black holes.

Anomalies↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cosmological dynamics of string theory axion strings

The quantum chromodynamics (QCD) axion may solve the strong CP problem and explain the dark matter (DM) abundance of our Universe. The axion was originally proposed to arise as the pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson of global U⁢(1) PQ Peccei-Quinn (PQ) symmetry breaking, but axions also arise generically in string theory as zero modes of higher-dimensional gauge fields. In this work we show that string theory axions behave fundamentally differently from field theory axions in the early Universe. Field theory axions may form axion strings if the PQ phase transition takes place after inflation. In contrast, we show that string theory axions do not generically form axion strings. In special inflationary paradigms, such as D-brane inflation, string theory axion strings may form; however, their tension is parametrically larger than that of field theory axion strings. We then show that such QCD axion strings overproduce the DM abundance for all allowed QCD axion masses and are thus ruled out, except in scenarios with large warping. A loop-hole to this conclusion arises in the axiverse, where an axion string could be composed of multiple different axion mass eigenstates; a heavier eigenstate could collapse the network earlier, allowing for the QCD axion to produce the correct DM abundance and also generating observable gravitational wave signals.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Metric isometries, holography, and continuous symmetry operators

In the AdS/CFT correspondence, a topological symmetry operator of the boundary conformal field theory (CFT) is dual to a dynamical brane in the gravitational bulk. Said differently, this predicts a dynamical brane for every global symmetry of the boundary CFT. We analyze this correspondence for continuous symmetries which arise from a consistent truncation of isometries on the “internal” factor 𝑋 of AdS × 𝑋. In the extra-dimensional geometry, these branes are associated with various metric singularities and do not arise from wrapped D-branes. Boosts relate configurations interpreted as topological symmetry operators and heavy defects in the CFT. From the perspective of the AdS factor, with gravity and bulk gauge fields, these are codimension-2 Gukov-Witten-like vortex configurations which are the gravity duals of 0-form symmetry operators. These effective branes come with an asymptotic tension and size which is also fully fixed by bulk dynamics. We use this higher-dimensional perspective to determine properties of the worldvolume theory for these branes. We also discuss how these considerations generalize to more general quantum field theories engineered via string theory which need not possess a semiclassical gravity dual.

anomalies↗
DOE OSTI2023

Effective Field Theory islands from perturbative and nonperturbative four-graviton amplitudes

Theoretical data obtained from physically sensible field and string theory models suggest that gravitational Effective Field Theories (EFTs) live on islands that are tiny compared to current general bounds determined from unitarity, causality, crossing symmetry, and a good high-energy behavior. In this work, we present explicit perturbative and nonperturbative 2 → 2 graviton scattering amplitudes and their associated low-energy expansion in spacetime dimensions D ≥ 4 to support this notion. Our new results include a first example of gravity weakly coupled to a nonperturbative effective action. We show that, at energies below the mass of its nonperturbative matter, the D = 4, $\mathcal{N}$ = 1 supersymmetric field theory in the confined phase lies on the same islands identified using four-dimensional perturbative models based on string theory and minimally-coupled matter circulating a loop. Furthermore, we generalize the previous four-dimensional perturbative models based on string theory and minimally-coupled massive spin-0 and spin-1 states circulating in the loop to D dimensions. Remarkably, we again find that the low-energy EFT coefficients lie on small islands. These results offer a useful guide towards constraining possible extensions of Einstein gravity.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

A species scale-driven breakdown of effective field theory in time-dependent string backgrounds

We present a novel way in which effective field theory (EFT) can break down in cosmological string backgrounds depending on the behavior of the quantum gravity cutoff in infinite distance limits, known as the species scale $Λ_s$. Namely, EFT can break down if the species scale $Λ_s$ falls off so rapidly as the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) scale factor grows from some initial value $a_i$ to some final value $a_f$ that the physical momentum of an initial Hubble-sized perturbation $\sim H_i^{-1}$ grows to exceed the species scale. For EFT to remain valid, a new condition $H_i \frac{a_i}{a_f} \ll Λ_{s,f}$ must hold, which is distinct from Trans-Planckian conditions discussed in the literature. Using the universal relation $\frac{\nabla m}{m} \cdot \frac{\nabla Λ_s}{Λ_s} = \frac{1}{d-2}$ in the infinite distance limits of moduli space where $m$ is the mass scale of the lightest tower and $\nabla$ measures variations with respect to the canonical metric on moduli space, we show that spatially flat FRW solutions in the string landscape violate this condition or at best marginally satisfy it. However, we find that sufficiently large negative spatial curvature always avoids a breakdown. To avoid EFT breakdown, we derive an upper bound on the duration of quasi-de Sitter expansion that classically evolves to decelerated expansion. Our bound is proportional to the Trans-Planckian Censorship Conjecture (TCC) bound, with the advantage that it applies to any FRW solution in the string landscape. Finally, we distinguish EFT breakdown from TCC violation, the latter being a quantum gravity constraint rather than an EFT limitation. Perhaps our most surprising finding is that in any flat FRW solution that develops a weakly coupled string at future infinity the EFT inevitably breaks down.

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.C↗
DOE OSTI2023

Geometry and Strings 2023

The proposal details plans for an upcoming meeting as part of the annual Geometry and Strings conference series. This series was formerly known as the ``F-theory'' conference series and has since broadened to include more general approaches to high energy physics centered on geometry, quantum field theory and string theory. The University of Pennsylvania has agreed to host the 2023 installment of the conference, which will take place on the UPenn campus in March 2023. The main thrust of the activities will center on several interconnected areas within the subject, including: The Swampland Program in quantum gravity and its geometric manifestations. The Geometric Engineering Program in string theory and its application to numerous question in quantum field theory. The Generalized Symmetries Program in quantum field theory and string theory. The Machine Learning Program aimed at understanding the large number of vacua present in string theory. The conference will adhere to a code of conduct aimed at making the event accessible to all participants. Additionally, particular attention will be paid to having a balanced mix of junior, mid-level and senior speakers from diverse backgrounds.

Lust, Dieter↗
DOE OSTI2023

S-duality in $ T\overline{T} $-deformed CFT

$ T\overline{T} $ deformed conformal field theories can be reformulated as worldsheet theories of non-critical strings. We use this correspondence to compute and study the $ T\overline{T} $ deformed partition sum of a symmetric product CFT. We find that it takes the form of a partition sum of a second quantized string theory with a worldsheet given by the product of the seed CFT and a gaussian sigma model with the two-torus as target space. We show that deformed symmetric product theory admits a natural UV completion that exhibits a strong weak coupling Z 2 duality that interchanges the momentum and winding numbers and maps the $ T\overline{T} $-coupling λ to its inverse 1/λ. The Z 2 duality is part of a full O(2, 2, Z)-duality group that includes a PSL(2, Z) acting on the complexified $ T\overline{T} $ coupling. The duality symmetry eliminates the appearance of complex energies at strong coupling for all seed CFTs with central charge c ≤ 6.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗