Skip to main content
Log in

The analytic bootstrap and AdS superhorizon locality

  • Published:
Journal of High Energy Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We take an analytic approach to the CFT bootstrap, studying the 4-pt correlators of d > 2 dimensional CFTs in an Eikonal-type limit, where the conformal cross ratios satisfy |u| ≪ |υ| < 1. We prove that every CFT with a scalar operator ϕ must contain infinite sequences of operators \( {{\mathcal{O}}_{{\tau, \ell }}} \) with twist approaching τ → 2Δ ϕ + 2n for each integer n as → ∞. We show how the rate of approach is controlled by the twist and OPE coefficient of the leading twist operator in the ϕ × ϕ OPE, and we discuss SCFTs and the 3d Ising Model as examples. Additionally, we show that the OPE coefficients of other large spin operators appearing in the OPE are bounded as → ∞. We interpret these results as a statement about superhorizon locality in AdS for general CFTs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. A. Polyakov, Nonhamiltonian approach to conformal quantum field theory, Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz. 66 (1974) 23 [INSPIRE].

    Google Scholar 

  2. A. Belavin, A.M. Polyakov and A. Zamolodchikov, Infinite Conformal Symmetry in Two-Dimensional Quantum Field Theory, Nucl. Phys. B 241 (1984) 333 [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  3. R. Rattazzi, V.S. Rychkov, E. Tonni and A. Vichi, Bounding scalar operator dimensions in 4D CFT, JHEP 12 (2008) 031 [arXiv:0807.0004] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  4. V.S. Rychkov and A. Vichi, Universal Constraints on Conformal Operator Dimensions, Phys. Rev. D 80 (2009) 045006 [arXiv:0905.2211] [INSPIRE].

    ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. R. Rattazzi, S. Rychkov and A. Vichi, Bounds in 4D Conformal Field Theories with Global Symmetry, J. Phys. A 44 (2011) 035402 [arXiv:1009.5985] [INSPIRE].

    ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. A. Vichi, Improved bounds for CFTs with global symmetries, JHEP 01 (2012) 162 [arXiv:1106.4037] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MATH  Google Scholar 

  7. D. Poland, D. Simmons-Duffin and A. Vichi, Carving out the space of 4D CFTs, JHEP 05 (2012) 110 [arXiv:1109.5176] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. S. El-Showk et al., Solving the 3D Ising Model with the Conformal Bootstrap, Phys. Rev. D 86 (2012) 025022 [arXiv:1203.6064] [INSPIRE].

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. S. El-Showk and M.F. Paulos, Bootstrapping Conformal Field Theories with the Extremal Functional Method, arXiv:1211.2810 [INSPIRE].

  10. I. Heemskerk, J. Penedones, J. Polchinski and J. Sully, Holography from Conformal Field Theory, JHEP 10 (2009) 079 [arXiv:0907.0151] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  11. R. Rattazzi, S. Rychkov and A. Vichi, Central Charge Bounds in 4D Conformal Field Theory, Phys. Rev. D 83 (2011) 046011 [arXiv:1009.2725] [INSPIRE].

    ADS  MATH  Google Scholar 

  12. D. Poland and D. Simmons-Duffin, Bounds on 4D conformal and superconformal field theories, JHEP 05 (2011) 017 [arXiv:1009.2087] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  13. I. Heemskerk and J. Sully, More holography from conformal field theory, JHEP 09 (2010) 099 [arXiv:1006.0976] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  14. D. Pappadopulo, S. Rychkov, J. Espin and R. Rattazzi, OPE convergence in conformal field theory, Phys. Rev. D 86 (2012) 105043 [arXiv:1208.6449] [INSPIRE].

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. P. Liendo, L. Rastelli and B.C. van Rees, The bootstrap program for boundary CFT d , JHEP 07 (2013) 113 [arXiv:1210.4258] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MATH  Google Scholar 

  16. A.L. Fitzpatrick, E. Katz, D. Poland and D. Simmons-Duffin, Effective conformal theory and the flat-space limit of AdS, JHEP 07 (2011) 023 [arXiv:1007.2412] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  17. R. Sundrum, From fixed points to the fifth dimension, Phys. Rev. D 86 (2012) 085025 [arXiv:1106.4501] [INSPIRE].

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. S. El-Showk and K. Papadodimas, Emergent spacetime and holographic CFTs, JHEP 10 (2012) 106 [arXiv:1101.4163] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. A.L. Fitzpatrick and J. Kaplan, AdS field theory from conformal field theory, JHEP 02 (2013) 054 [arXiv:1208.0337] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  20. J.M. Maldacena, The large-N limit of superconformal field theories and supergravity, Adv. Theor. Math. Phys. 2 (1998) 231 [Int. J. Theor. Phys. 38 (1999) 1113] [hep-th/9711200] [INSPIRE].

  21. E. Witten, Anti-de Sitter space and holography, Adv. Theor. Math. Phys. 2 (1998) 253 [hep-th/9802150] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  22. S. Gubser, I.R. Klebanov and A.M. Polyakov, Gauge theory correlators from noncritical string theory, Phys. Lett. B 428 (1998) 105 [hep-th/9802109] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MATH  Google Scholar 

  23. G. Mack, D-independent representation of Conformal Field Theories in D dimensions via transformation to auxiliary Dual Resonance Models. Scalar amplitudes, arXiv:0907.2407 [INSPIRE].

  24. G. Mack, D-dimensional Conformal Field Theories with anomalous dimensions as Dual Resonance Models, Bulg. J. Phys. 36 (2009) 214 [arXiv:0909.1024] [INSPIRE].

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  25. J. Penedones, Writing CFT correlation functions as AdS scattering amplitudes, JHEP 03 (2011) 025 [arXiv:1011.1485] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  26. A.L. Fitzpatrick, J. Kaplan, J. Penedones, S. Raju and B.C. van Rees, A natural language for AdS/CFT correlators, JHEP 11 (2011) 095 [arXiv:1107.1499] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  27. M.F. Paulos, Towards Feynman rules for Mellin amplitudes, JHEP 10 (2011) 074 [arXiv:1107.1504] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  28. M.F. Paulos, M. Spradlin and A. Volovich, Mellin amplitudes for dual conformal integrals, JHEP 08 (2012) 072 [arXiv:1203.6362] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  29. A.L. Fitzpatrick and J. Kaplan, Unitarity and the holographic S-matrix, JHEP 10 (2012) 032 [arXiv:1112.4845] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. L.F. Alday and J.M. Maldacena, Comments on operators with large spin, JHEP 11 (2007) 019 [arXiv:0708.0672] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  31. Z. Komargodski and A. Zhiboedov, Convexity and liberation at large spin, JHEP 11 (2013) 140 [arXiv:1212.4103] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. F. Dolan and H. Osborn, Conformal four point functions and the operator product expansion, Nucl. Phys. B 599 (2001) 459 [hep-th/0011040] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  33. F. Dolan and H. Osborn, Conformal partial waves and the operator product expansion, Nucl. Phys. B 678 (2004) 491 [hep-th/0309180] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  34. F. Dolan and H. Osborn, Conformal Partial Waves: Further Mathematical Results, arXiv:1108.6194 [INSPIRE].

  35. D. Simmons-Duffin, Projectors, Shadows and Conformal Blocks, arXiv:1204.3894 [INSPIRE].

  36. O. Nachtmann, Positivity constraints for anomalous dimensions, Nucl. Phys. B 63 (1973) 237 [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  37. J. Maldacena and A. Zhiboedov, Constraining Conformal Field Theories with A Higher Spin Symmetry, J. Phys. A 46 (2013) 214011 [arXiv:1112.1016] [INSPIRE].

    ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  38. J. Maldacena and A. Zhiboedov, Constraining conformal field theories with a slightly broken higher spin symmetry, Class. Quant. Grav. 30 (2013) 104003 [arXiv:1204.3882] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  39. P.H. Ginsparg, Applied conformal field theory, hep-th/9108028 [INSPIRE].

  40. A.L. Fitzpatrick and J. Kaplan, Scattering States in AdS/CFT, arXiv:1104.2597 [INSPIRE].

  41. A.L. Fitzpatrick and J. Kaplan, Analyticity and the holographic S-matrix, JHEP 10 (2012) 127 [arXiv:1111.6972] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  42. L. Cornalba, M.S. Costa and J. Penedones, Eikonal approximation in AdS/CFT: resumming the gravitational loop expansion, JHEP 09 (2007) 037 [arXiv:0707.0120] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  43. L. Cornalba, M.S. Costa, J. Penedones and R. Schiappa, Eikonal Approximation in AdS/CFT: Conformal Partial Waves and Finite N Four-Point Functions, Nucl. Phys. B 767 (2007) 327 [hep-th/0611123] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  44. M.S. Costa, J. Penedones, D. Poland and S. Rychkov, Spinning conformal correlators, JHEP 11 (2011) 071 [arXiv:1107.3554] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  45. M.S. Costa, J. Penedones, D. Poland and S. Rychkov, Spinning conformal correlators, JHEP 11 (2011) 071 [arXiv:1107.3554] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  46. L. Susskind and E. Witten, The holographic bound in anti-de Sitter space, hep-th/9805114 [INSPIRE].

  47. J. de Boer, E.P. Verlinde and H.L. Verlinde, On the holographic renormalization group, JHEP 08 (2000) 003 [hep-th/9912012] [INSPIRE].

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  48. V. Balasubramanian and P. Kraus, Space-time and the holographic renormalization group, Phys. Rev. Lett. 83 (1999) 3605 [hep-th/9903190] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  49. M. Li, A note on relation between holographic RG equation and Polchinskis RG equation, Nucl. Phys. B 579 (2000) 525 [hep-th/0001193] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  50. I. Papadimitriou and K. Skenderis, Correlation functions in holographic RG flows, JHEP 10 (2004) 075 [hep-th/0407071] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  51. I. Heemskerk and J. Polchinski, Holographic and Wilsonian renormalization groups, JHEP 06 (2011) 031 [arXiv:1010.1264] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  52. T. Faulkner, H. Liu and M. Rangamani, Integrating out geometry: holographic Wilsonian RG and the membrane paradigm, JHEP 08 (2011) 051 [arXiv:1010.4036] [INSPIRE].

    ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  53. B.C. van Rees, Holographic renormalization for irrelevant operators and multi-trace counterterms, JHEP 08 (2011) 093 [arXiv:1102.2239] [INSPIRE].

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  54. M.S. Costa, V. Goncalves and J. Penedones, Conformal Regge theory, JHEP 12 (2012) 091 [arXiv:1209.4355] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  55. A.L. Fitzpatrick and D. Shih, Anomalous dimensions of non-chiral operators from AdS/CFT, JHEP 10 (2011) 113 [arXiv:1104.5013] [INSPIRE].

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jared Kaplan.

Additional information

ArXiv ePrint: 1212.3616

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fitzpatrick, A.L., Kaplan, J., Poland, D. et al. The analytic bootstrap and AdS superhorizon locality. J. High Energ. Phys. 2013, 4 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP12(2013)004

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP12(2013)004

Keywords

Navigation