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At least 91 records · Page 5
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DOE OSTI2023

AdS 3 orbifolds, BTZ black holes, and holography

Conical defects of the form (AdS 3 × S 3 )/Z k have an exact orbifold description in worldsheet string theory, which we derive from their known presentation as gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten models. The configuration of strings and fivebranes sourcing this geometry is well-understood, as is the correspondence to states/operators in the dual CFT 2 . One can analytically continue the construction to Euclidean AdS 3 (i.e. the hyperbolic ball $H$$^{+}_{3}$) and consider the orbifold by any infinite discrete (Kleinian) group generated by a set of elliptic elements γi ϵ SL(2, C), $γ$$^{ki}_{i}$ = 1, i = 1, . . . , K. The resulting geometry consists of multiple conical defects traveling along geodesics in $H$$^{+}_{3}$, and provides a semiclassical bulk description of correlation functions in the dual CFT involving the corresponding defect operators, which is nonperturbatively exact in α'. The Lorentzian continuation of these geometries describes a collection of defects colliding to make a BTZ black hole. We comment on a recent proposal to use such correlators to prepare a basis of black hole microstates, and elaborate on a picture of black hole formation and evaporation in terms of the underlying brane dynamics in the bulk.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Holography vs. Scale Separation

In this work, we point out a contradiction between holography and scale-separated AdS (i.e. parametrically large mass gap) in string theory, making the standard assumption that the holographic CFT describes the IR degrees of freedom on a brane that decouple from gravity. We show that the CFT can only decouple from gravity if the scalar potential in the dual AdS satisfies a certain criterion. Namely, there must exist a scalar field trajectory that follows the gradient of the scalar potential to the asymptotic region of the scalar field space in which limit $\partial_ϕ\ln(V)\partial_ϕ\ln(Λ_s)\leq2/(d-2)$, where $Λ_s$ is the quantum gravity cut-off. This condition, which generically implies lack of scale-separation, is satisfied in the standard examples of AdS/CFT. However, proposed attempts at achieving scale separation, such as DGKT, employ scalar potentials that violate this condition. We therefore conclude that the CFT duals of DGKT vacua cannot exist in string theory. Barring fine-tuning, our conclusions apply to other Ricci-flat flux compactifications including the KKLT scenario which relies on scale separation to obtain a metastable de Sitter uplift.

FOS: Physical sciences↗
DOE OSTI2023

The holar wind

String theory in AdS 3 with purely NS-NS fluxes and vanishing RR moduli has a continuum of winding string excitations in radial plane wave states. BTZ black holes can emit such strings, which then flow out toward the AdS 3 boundary as a stream of massive quanta, and form a black hole analogue of the solar wind. The winding string sector thus provides a decay channel for the black hole to evaporate without having either to couple the system to an external reservoir or to match the AdS 3 throat onto an asymptotically flat region. We compute the emission amplitude of this “holar wind” in the semi-classical approximation, and consider the associated version of the black hole information paradox.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Instant folded strings, dark energy and a cyclic bouncing universe

We present a wholly self-consistent, complete cyclic bouncing cosmology based on components drawn from string theory and constructed in a way that is under perturbative control throughout (e.g., with temperature much less than the string scale and string coupling g s ≪ 1 at all times). The cyclic evolution is governed by standard dilaton-gravity in (3+1)-dimensions with a perturbatively generated potential and a coupling between the dilaton and a second field that becomes massless at ϕ = ϕ ESP , resulting in an enhanced symmetry point (ESP) that prevents the dilaton from running all the way to zero coupling. A central role is played by instant folded strings (IFSs) — fundamental strings with the unusual property of being much lighter than the string mass while extending far beyond the string length, and violating the Null Energy Condition (NEC). IFSs are produced classically when the string coupling grows with time, which occurs at two critical points in each cycle. In turn, they fulfill a dual function: Enabling cosmological bounces and initiating transient epochs of dark-energy domination that naturally transition into slow contraction. The resulting cosmology eliminates the cosmic singularity and multiverse problems of big bang inflationary models and robustly predicts time-varying IFS-induced dark energy and the absence of primordial B-mode polarization in the cosmic microwave background.

alternatives to inflation↗
DOE OSTI2024

NS5-brane backgrounds and coset CFT partition functions

Worldsheet string theory is solvable for a variety of backgrounds involving Neveu-Schwarz fivebranes, in terms of gauged nonlinear sigma models on group manifolds. We compute the worldsheet torus partition function of these models, and propose gauging of null isometries as a unifying principle and conceptual framework for this large family of string backgrounds. In the process, we explain how partition functions of asymmetrically gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten models can be computed from the path integral, and organize and systematize various results scattered throughout the literature.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Gravity effects on Hawking radiation from charged black strings in Rastall theory

Highlights: • Introductory review of charged black strings in Rastall theory. • Detailed description of Hawking temperature. • Graphically Analysis of Hawking temperature. • Discuss the stability of charged black strings. The Rastall theory of gravity is the generalized form of the Einstein theory which describes the conservation law of energy and momentum tensor. In our work, we compute the charged black strings solution in the background of Rastall theory by applying the Newman–Janis approach. After computing the charged black strings solution in the background of Rastall theory, we study the thermodynamical property (i.e., Hawking temperature) for the charged black strings. Furthermore, we investigate the graphical representation of Hawking temperature via event horizon to check the stability conditions of charged black strings under the influence of Rastall theory. Moreover, we examine the modified Hawking temperature for charged black strings in Rastall theory by taking into account the quantum gravity effects. We also discuss the physical state of charged black strings under the effects of quantum gravity and spin parameter (appears due to Rastall theory in charged black strings solution).

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Tensionless strings on AdS 3 orbifolds

The bound state of one NS5 brane (wrapped on a T 4 ) and N NS1-branes has two dual descriptions: its low-energy dynamics is described by the symmetric orbifold of T 4 , while the near horizon geometry is captured by string theory on AdS 3 × S 3 × T 4 with one unit of NS flux. The latter theory is exactly solvable in the hybrid formalism, and this allows one to prove the equivalence of the two descriptions. In this paper we extend this duality to Z k orbifolds of this AdS 3 × S 3 background. In particular, we show that the corresponding worldsheet spectrum reproduces exactly the perturbative excitations on top of a certain non-perturbative state in the dual symmetric orbifold theory. Since the AdS/CFT duality map is exact for these models, we obtain an interesting picture of how the duality relates boundary and bulk descriptions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Crossing Symmetric Dispersion Relations in Quantum Field Theories

For 2-2 scattering in quantum field theories, the usual fixed t dispersion relation exhibits only two-channel symmetry. This Letter considers a crossing symmetric dispersion relation, reviving certain old ideas from the 1970s. Rather than the fixed t dispersion relation, this needs a dispersion relation in a different variable z, which is related to the Mandelstam invariants s, t, u via a parametric cubic relation making the crossing symmetry in the complex z plane a geometric rotation. The resulting dispersion is manifestly three-channel crossing symmetric. We give simple derivations of certain known positivity conditions for effective field theories, including the null constraints, which lead to two sided bounds and derive a general set of new nonperturbative inequalities. We show how these inequalities enable us to locate the first massive string state from a low energy expansion of the four dilaton amplitude in type II string theory. We also show how a generalized (numerical) Froissart bound, valid for all energies, is obtained from this approach.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Thermal Bekenstein-Hawking entropy from the worldsheet

We define and compute the leading sphere diagram contribution to the entropy of the BTZ black hole supported by Kalb-Ramond flux in bosonic string theory. In a winding condensate description, integrating exactly over the constant mode for the radial direction of AdS 3 reduces the problem to one of the correlation functions of winding operators in the free theory. The volume of the residual PSL(2,ℂ) gauge group of the sphere is canceled by the action of conformal transformations on the winding interaction insertions. We formulate a precise version of the replica trick in terms of (infinitesimally) non-integer winding condensates to produce the entropy of the BTZ black hole. The resulting entropy can be calculated from the one-point function of a non-local operator on the worldsheet.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Heisenberg spin chain as a worldsheet coordinate for lightcone quantized string

Although the energy spectrum of the Heisenberg spin chain on a circle defined by H = 1 4 Σ k = 1 M σ k x σ k + 1 x + σ k y σ k + 1 y + Δ σ k z σ k + 1 z is well known for any fixed M, the boundary conditions vary according to whether Mϵ 4N + r, where r = -1,0,1,2, and also according to the parity of the number of overturned spins in the state, In string theory all these cases must be allowed because interactions involve a string with M spins breaking into strings with M 1 < M and M - M 1 spins (or vice versa). We organize the energy spectrum and degeneracies of H in the case Δ = 0 where the system is equivalent to a system of free fermions. In spite of the multiplicity of special cases, in the limit M → ∞ the spectrum is that of a free compactified worldsheet field. Such a field can be interpreted as a compact transverse string coordinate x(σ) ≡ x(σ) + R 0 . We construct the bosonization formulas explicitly in all separate cases, and for each sector give the Virasoro conformal generators in both fermionic and bosonic formulations. Furthermore from calculations in the literature for selected classes of excited states, there is strong evidence that the only change for Δ ≠ 0 is a change in the compactification radius R 0 → R Δ . As Δ→ -1 this radius goes to infinity, giving a concrete example of noncompact space emerging from a discrete dynamical system. Finally we apply our work to construct the three string vertex implied by a string whose bosonic coordinates emerge from this mechanism.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Bootstrapping the String Kawai-Lewellen-Tye Kernel

We show that a generalized version of the 4-point string theory KLT double-copy map is the most general solution to the minimal-rank double-copy bootstrap in effective field theory. This follows from significant restrictions of the 4-point map resulting from the 6-point bootstrap analysis. The generalized 4-point double-copy map is defined by a function with only two parameters times a simple function that is symmetric in s,t,u. The two parameters can be interpreted as independent choices of α', one for each of the two sets of amplitudes double-copied with the map. Specifically, each of those two sets of amplitudes must obey either the string monodromy relations or the field theory KK & BCJ relations; there are no other options. We propose a closed form of the new double-copy map that interpolates between the original KLT string double-copy and the open & closed string period integrals. The construction clarifies the "single-valued projection" property of the Riemann zeta-function values for the 4-point string theory double copy.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

$T\overline{T}$, black holes and negative strings

String theory on AdS 3 has a solvable single-trace irrelevant deformation that is closely related to $T\overline{T}$. For one sign of the coupling, it leads to an asymptotically linear dilaton spacetime, and a corresponding Hagedorn spectrum. For the other, the resulting spacetime has a curvature singularity at a finite radial location, and an upper bound on the energies of states. Beyond the singularity, the signature of spacetime is flipped and there is an asymptotically linear dilaton boundary at infinity. We study the properties of black holes and fundamental strings in this spacetime, and find a sensible picture. The singularity does not give rise to a hard ultraviolet wall for excitations -one must include the region beyond it to understand the theory. The size of black holes diverges as their energy approaches the upper bound, as does the location of the singularity. Fundamental strings pass smoothly through the singularity, but if their energy is above the upper bound, their trajectories are singular. From the point of view of the boundary at infinity, this background can be thought of as a vacuum of Little String Theory which contains a large number of negative strings.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Dark energy, extra dimensions, and the Swampland

Perhaps the greatest challenge for fundamental theories based on compactification from extra dimensions is accommodating a period of accelerated cosmological expansion. Previous studies have identified constraints imposed by the existence of dark energy for two overlapping classes of compactified theories: (1) those in which the higher dimensional picture satisfies certain metric properties selected to reproduce known low energy phenomenology; or (2) those derived from string theory assuming they satisfy the Swampland conjectures. For either class, the analyses showed that dark energy is only possible if it takes the form of quintessence. In this paper, we explore the consequences for theories that belong to both classes and show that the joint constraints are highly restrictive, leaving few options.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2023

3d defects in 5d: RG flows and defect F-maximization

We use a combination of AdS/CFT and supersymmetric localization to study codimension-2 defects in 5d SCFTs and their gauge theory deformations. The 5d SCFTs are engineered by ( p , q ) 5-brane webs, with defects realized by D3-branes ending on the 5-brane webs. We obtain the defect free energies and find that gauge theory descriptions of the combined 5d/3d systems can be connected to the UV defect SCFTs through a form of F-maximization which extremizes over different gauge theory defects. This leads to a match between the defect free energies obtained from supersymmetric localization in the gauge theories on the one hand and string theory results on the other. We extend this match to defect RG flows.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Bootstrapping boundaries and branes

The study of conformal boundary conditions for two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs) has a long history, ranging from the description of impurities in one-dimensional quantum chains to the formulation of D-branes in string theory. Nevertheless, the landscape of conformal boundaries is largely unknown, including in rational CFTs, where the local operator data is completely determined. We initiate a systematic bootstrap study of conformal boundaries in 2d CFTs by investigating the bootstrap equation that arises from the open-closed consistency condition of the annulus partition function with identical boundaries. We find that this deceivingly simple bootstrap equation, when combined with unitarity, leads to surprisingly strong constraints on admissible boundary states. In particular, we derive universal bounds on the tension (boundary entropy) of stable boundary conditions, which provide a rigorous diagnostic for potential D-brane decays. We also find unique solutions to the bootstrap problem of stable branes in a number of rational CFTs. Along the way, we observe a curious connection between the annulus bootstrap and the sphere packing problem, which is a natural extension of previous work on the modular bootstrap. We also derive bounds on the boundary entropy at large central charge. These potentially have implications for end-of-the-world branes in pure gravity on AdS 3 .

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Can black holes preserve 𝒩 > 4 supersymmetry?

The dynamics of near-BPS black holes are governed by the breaking of the conformal symmetry that emerges near their horizons. Using the classification of superconformal symmetries, we systematically classify and quantize all effective theories that can arise in the near-BPS limit of black holes. Using these results, we argue — under certain physical assumptions — that BPS black holes cannot preserve more than four supercharges. This conclusion is consistent with existing constructions in string theory.

Black Holes in String Theory↗
DOE OSTI2023

On the black hole/string transition

We discuss aspects of the possible transition between small black holes and highly excited fundamental strings. We focus on the connection between black holes and the self gravitating string solution of Horowitz and Polchinski. This solution is interesting because it has non-zero entropy at the classical level and it is natural to suspect that it might be continuously connected to the black hole. Surprisingly, we find a different behavior for heterotic and type II cases. For the type II case we find an obstruction to the idea that the two are connected as classical solutions of string theory, while no such obstruction exists for the heterotic case. We further provide a linear sigma model analysis that suggests a continuous connection for the heterotic case. We also describe a solution generating transformation that produces a charged version of the self gravitating string. This provides a fuzzball-like construction of near extremal configurations carrying fundamental string momentum and winding charges. We provide formulas which are exact in α' relating the thermodynamic properties of the charged and the uncharged solutions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Liouville theory, AdS 2 string, and three-point functions

This is a write-up of the lectures given in Young Researchers Integrability School 2017. The main goal is to explain the connection between the ODE/IM correspondence and the classical integrability of strings in AdS. As a warm up, we first discuss the classical three-point function of the Liouville theory. The starting point is the well-known fact that the classical solutions to the Liouville equation can be constructed by solving a Schrodinger-like differential equation. We then convert it into a set of functional equations using a method similar to the ODE/IM correspondence. The classical three-point functions can be computed directly from these functional equations, and the result matches with the classical limit of the celebrated DOZZ formula. We then discuss the semi-classical three-point function of strings in AdS 2 and show that one can apply a similar idea by making use of the classical integrability of the string sigma model on AdS 2 . Furthermore, the result is given in terms of the "massive" generalization of Gamma functions, which show up also in string theory on pp-wave backgrounds and the twistorial generalization of topological string.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗