In this paper we analyse formulas which reproduce different contributions to scattering amplitudes in N=4 super Yang-Mills theory through a Grassmannian integral. Recently their Yangian invariance has been proved directly by using the explicit expression of the Yangian level-one generators. The specific cyclic structure of the form integrated over the Grassmannian enters in a crucial way in demonstrating the symmetry. Here we show that the Yangian symmetry fixes this structure uniquely.
We investigate the Yangian symmetry of scattering amplitudes in N=4 super Yang-Mills theory and show that its formulations in twistor and momentum twistor space can be interchanged. In particular we show that the full symmetry can be thought of as the Yangian of the dual superconformal algebra, annihilating the amplitude with the MHV part factored out. The equivalence of this picture with the one where the ordinary superconformal symmetry is thought of as fundamental is an algebraic expression of T-duality. Motivated by this, we analyse some recently proposed formulas, which reproduce differen…
Some time ago the general tree-level scattering amplitudes of N=4 Super Yang-Mills theory were expressed as certain Grassmannian contour integrals. These remarkable formulas allow to clearly expose the super-conformal, dual super-conformal, and Yangian symmetries of the amplitudes. Using ideas from integrability it was recently shown that the building blocks of the amplitudes permit a natural multi-parameter deformation. However, this approach had been criticized by the observation that it seemed impossible to reassemble the building blocks into Yangian-invariant deformed non-MHV amplitudes. I…
In the past years, there have been tremendous advances in the field of planar N=4 super Yang-Mills scattering amplitudes. At tree-level they were formulated as Grassmannian integrals and were shown to be invariant under the Yangian of the superconformal algebra psu(2,2|4). Recently, Yangian invariant deformations of these integrals were introduced as a step towards regulated loop-amplitudes. However, in most cases it is still unclear how to evaluate these deformed integrals. In this work, we propose that changing variables to oscillator representations of psu(2,2|4) turns the deformed Grassman…
Motivated by reformulating Yangian invariants in planar ${\cal N}=4$ SYM directly as $d\log$ forms on momentum-twistor space, we propose a purely algebraic problem of determining the arguments of the $d\log$'s, which we call "letters", for any Yangian invariant. These are functions of momentum twistors $Z$'s, given by the positive coordinates $α$'s of parametrizations of the matrix $C(α)$, evaluated on the support of polynomial equations $C(α) \cdot Z=0$. We provide evidence that the letters of Yangian invariants are related to the cluster algebra of Grassmannian $G(4,n)$, which is relevant fo…
We study leading singularities of scattering amplitudes which are obtained as residues of an integral over a Grassmannian manifold. We recursively do the transformation from twistors to momentum twistors and obtain an iterative formula for Yangian invariants that involves a succession of dualized twistor variables. This turns out to be useful in addressing the problem of classifying the residues of the Grassmannian. The iterative formula leads naturally to new coordinates on the Grassmannian in terms of which both composite and non-composite residues appear on an equal footing. We write down r…
We review recent progress in the understanding of symmetries for scattering amplitudes in N=4 superconformal Yang-Mills theory. It is summarized how the superficial breaking of superconformal symmetry by collinear anomalies and the renormalization process can be cured at tree and loop level. This is achieved by correcting the representation of the superconformal group on amplitudes. Moreover, we comment on the Yangian symmetry of scattering amplitudes and how it inherits these correction terms from the ordinary Lie algebra symmetry. Invariants under this algebra and their relation to the Grass…
We attempt to systematically derive tree-level scattering amplitudes in four-dimensional, planar, maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory from integrability. We first review the connections between integrable spin chains, Yangian invariance, and the construction of such invariants in terms of Grassmannian contour integrals. Building upon these results, we equip a class of Grassmannian integrals for general symmetry algebras with unitary integration contours. These contours emerge naturally by paying special attention to the proper reality conditions of the algebras. Specializing to psu(2,2|…
The conjectured duality relating all-loop leading singularities of n-particle N^(k-2)MHV scattering amplitudes in N=4 SYM to a simple contour integral over the Grassmannian G(k,n) makes all the symmetries of the theory manifest. Every residue is individually Yangian invariant, but does not have a local space-time interpretation--only a special sum over residues gives physical amplitudes. In this paper we show that the sum over residues giving tree amplitudes can be unified into a single algebraic variety, which we explicitly construct for all NMHV and N^2MHV amplitudes. Remarkably, this allows…
We show that a certain class of light-like Wilson loops exhibits a Yangian symmetry at one loop, or equivalently, in an Abelian theory. The Wilson loops we discuss are equivalent to one-loop MHV amplitudes in N=4 super Yang-Mills theory in a certain kinematical regime. The fact that we find a Yangian symmetry constraining their functional form can be thought of as the effect of the original conformal symmetry associated to the scattering amplitudes in the N=4 theory.
It was shown that the spin chain model coming from AdS/CFT correspondence satisfies the Yangian symmetry if we assume evaluation representation, though so far there is no explicit proof that the evaluation representation satisfies the Serre relation, which is one of the defining equations of the Yangian algebra imposing constraints on the whole algebraic structure. We prove completely that the evaluation representation adopted in the model satisfies the Serre relation by introducing a three-dimensional gamma matrix. After studying the Serre relation, we proceed to the whole Yangian algebraic s…
A dual formulation of the S Matrix for N=4 SYM has recently been presented, where all leading singularities of n-particle N^{k-2}MHV amplitudes are given as an integral over the Grassmannian G(k,n), with cyclic symmetry, parity and superconformal invariance manifest. In this short note we show that the dual superconformal invariance of this object is also manifest. The geometry naturally suggests a partial integration and simple change of variable to an integral over G(k-2,n). This change of variable precisely corresponds to the mapping between usual momentum variables and the "momentum twisto…
We give an explicit recursive formula for the all L-loop integrand for scattering amplitudes in N=4 SYM in the planar limit, manifesting the full Yangian symmetry of the theory. This generalizes the BCFW recursion relation for tree amplitudes to all loop orders, and extends the Grassmannian duality for leading singularities to the full amplitude. It also provides a new physical picture for the meaning of loops, associated with canonical operations for removing particles in a Yangian-invariant way. Loop amplitudes arise from the "entangled" removal of pairs of particles, and are naturally prese…
We establish a direct connection between scattering amplitudes in planar four-dimensional theories and a remarkable mathematical structure known as the positive Grassmannian. The central physical idea is to focus on on-shell diagrams as objects of fundamental importance to scattering amplitudes. We show that the all-loop integrand in N=4 SYM is naturally represented in this way. On-shell diagrams in this theory are intimately tied to a variety of mathematical objects, ranging from a new graphical representation of permutations to a beautiful stratification of the Grassmannian G(k,n) which gene…
Yangian symmetry of amplitudes in $\mathcal{N}=4$ super Yang-Mills theory is formulated in terms of eigenvalue relations for monodromy matrix operators. The Quantum Inverse Scattering Method provides the appropriate tools to treat the extended symmetry and to recover as its consequences many known features like cyclic and inversion symmetry, BCFW recursion, Inverse Soft Limit construction, Grassmannian integral representation, $\mathrm{R}$-invariants and on-shell diagram approach.
In these introductory lectures we discuss the topic of Yangian symmetry from various perspectives. Forming the classical counterpart of the Yangian and an extension of ordinary Noether symmetries, first the concept of nonlocal charges in classical, two-dimensional field theory is reviewed. We then define the Yangian algebra following Drinfeld's original motivation to construct solutions to the quantum Yang-Baxter equation. Different realizations of the Yangian and its mathematical role as a Hopf algebra and quantum group are discussed. We demonstrate how the Yangian algebra is implemented in q…
In the following paper, which is based on the authors PhD thesis submitted to Imperial College London, we explore the applicability of Yangian symmetry to various integrable models, in particular, in relation with S-matrices. One of the main themes in this work is that, after a careful study of the mathematics of the symmetry algebras one finds that in an integrable model, one can directly reconstruct S-matrices just from the algebra. It has been known for a long time that S-matrices in integrable models are fixed by symmetry. However, Lie algebra symmetry, the Yang-Baxter equation, crossing a…
In this paper we give gauged linear sigma model (GLSM) realizations of a number of geometries not previously presented in GLSMs. We begin by describing GLSM realizations of maps including Veronese and Segre embeddings, which can be applied to give GLSMs explicitly describing constructions such as the intersection of one hypersurface with the image under some map of another. We also discuss GLSMs for intersections of Grassmannians and Pfaffians with one another, and with their images under various maps, which sometimes form exotic constructions of Calabi-Yaus, as well as GLSMs for other exotic …
In the context of planar holography, integrability plays an important role for solving certain massless quantum field theories such as N=4 SYM theory. In this letter we show that integrability also features in the building blocks of massive quantum field theories. At one-loop order we prove that all massive n-gon Feynman integrals in generic spacetime dimensions are invariant under a massive Yangian symmetry. At two loops similar statements can be proven for graphs built from two n-gons. At generic loop order we conjecture that all graphs cut from regular tilings of the plane with massive prop…
In this paper we continue our study of the dual SL(2,C) symmetry of the BFKL equation, analogous to the dual conformal symmetry of N=4 Super Yang Mills. We find that the ordinary and dual SL(2,C) symmetries do not generate a Yangian, in contrast to the ordinary and dual conformal symmetries in the four-dimensional gauge theory. The algebraic structure is still reminiscent of that of N=4 SYM, however, and one can extract a generator from the dual SL(2,C) close to the bi-local form associated with Yangian algebras. We also discuss the issue of whether the dual SL(2,C) symmetry, which in its orig…
Recently, infinite families of massive Feynman integrals were found to feature an unexpected Yangian symmetry. In the massless case, similar integrability properties are understood via the interpretation of individual Feynman integrals as correlators in the massless fishnet theory introduced by Gürdoğan and Kazakov. Here we seek for an analogous interpretation of the integrability of massive Feynman integrals. We contrast two approaches to define simple massive quantum field theories in four dimensions. First, we discuss spontaneous symmetry breaking in the massless bi-scalar fishnet theory. W…
