Recently, an explicit, recursive formula for the all-loop integrand of planar scattering amplitudes in N=4 SYM has been described, generalizing the BCFW formula for tree amplitudes, and making manifest the Yangian symmetry of the theory. This has made it possible to easily study the structure of multi-loop amplitudes in the theory. In this paper we describe a remarkable fact revealed by these investigations: the integrand can be expressed in an amazingly simple and manifestly local form when represented in momentum-twistor space using a set of chiral integrals with unit leading singularities. As examples, we present very-concise expressions for all 2- and 3-loop MHV integrands, as well as all 2-loop NMHV integrands. We also describe a natural set of manifestly IR-finite integrals that can be used to express IR-safe objects such as the ratio function. Along the way we give a pedagogical introduction to the foundations of the subject. The new local forms of the integrand are closely connected to leading singularities---matching only a small subset of all leading singularities remarkably suffices to determine the full integrand. These results strongly suggest the existence of a theory for the integrand directly yielding these local expressions, allowing for a more direct understanding of the emergence of local spacetime physics.
We study the first non-planar correction to gluon scattering amplitudes in ${\cal N}=4$ SYM theory. The correction takes the form of a double trace partial amplitude and is suppressed by one power of $1/N$ with respect to the leading single trace contribution. We extend the duality between planar scattering amplitudes and null polygonal Wilson loops to the double trace amplitude. The new duality relates the amplitude to the correlation function of two infinite null polygonal Wilson lines that are subject to a quantum periodicity constraint. We test the duality perturbatively at one-loop order …
We give a closed-form, prescriptive representation of all-multiplicity two-loop MHV amplitude integrands in fully-color-dressed (non-planar) maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory.
We initiate an exploration of on-shell functions in $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM beyond the planar limit by providing compact, combinatorial expressions for all leading singularities of MHV amplitudes and showing that they can always be expressed as a positive sum of differently ordered Parke-Taylor tree amplitudes. This is understood in terms of an extended notion of positivity in $G(2,n)$, the Grassmannian of 2-planes in $n$ dimensions: a single on-shell diagram can be associated with many different "positive" regions, of which the familiar positive region associated with planar diagrams is just one …
A non-trivial consequence of the super-correlator/super-amplitude duality is that the integrand of the four-point correlation function of stress-tensor multiplets in planar N=4 super Yang-Mills contains a certain combination of n-point amplitude integrands for any n. This combination is the sum of products of all helicity super-amplitudes with their corresponding helicity conjugates. The four-point correlator itself is described by a single scalar function whose loop level integrands possess a hidden permutation symmetry facilitating its computation up to ten loops. We discover that assuming Y…
We report on the complete OPE series for the 6-gluon MHV and NMHV amplitudes in planar $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM theory. Namely, we provide a finite coupling prediction for all the terms in the expansion of these amplitudes around the collinear limit. These furnish a non-perturbative representation of the full amplitudes.
In massless quantum field theories the Landau equations are invariant under graph operations familiar from the theory of electrical circuits. Using a theorem on the $Y$-$Δ$ reducibility of planar circuits we prove that the set of first-type Landau singularities of an $n$-particle scattering amplitude in any massless planar theory, in any spacetime dimension $D$, at any finite loop order in perturbation theory, is a subset of those of a certain $n$-particle $\lfloor{(n{-}2)^2/4}\rfloor$-loop "ziggurat" graph. We determine this singularity locus explicitly for $D=4$ and $n=6$ and find that it co…
We derive analytic results for the symbol of certain two-loop Feynman integrals relevant for seven- and eight-point two-loop scattering amplitudes in planar $\mathcal{N}=4$ super-Yang--Mills theory. We use a bootstrap inspired strategy, combined with a set of second-order partial differential equations that provide powerful constraints on the symbol ansatz. When the complete symbol alphabet is not available, we adopt a hybrid approach. Instead of the full function, we bootstrap a certain discontinuity for which the alphabet is known. Then we write a one-fold dispersion integral to recover the …
We study the projective properties of planar zeros of tree-level scattering amplitudes in various theories. Whereas for pure scalar field theories we find that the planar zeros of the five-point amplitude do not enjoy projective invariance, coupling scalars to gauge fields gives rise to tree-level amplitudes whose planar zeros are determined by homogeneous polynomials in the stereographic coordinates labelling the direction of flight of the outgoing particles. In the case of pure gauge theories, this projective structure is generically destroyed if string corrections are taken into account. Sc…
We define recursion relations for N = 8 supergravity amplitudes using a generalization of the on-shell diagrams developed for planar N = 4 super-Yang-Mills. Although the recursion relations generically give rise to non-planar on-shell diagrams, we show that at tree-level the recursion can be chosen to yield only planar diagrams, the same diagrams occurring in the planar N = 4 theory. This implies non-trivial identities for non-planar diagrams as well as interesting relations between the N = 4 and N = 8 theories. We show that the on-shell diagrams of N = 8 supergravity obey equivalence relation…
We use generalized unitarity at the integrand-level to directly construct local, manifestly dual-conformally invariant formulae for all two-loop scattering amplitudes in planar, maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory (SYM). This representation separates contributions into manifestly finite and divergent terms---in a way that makes manifest the exponentiation of infrared divergences at the integrand-level. These results perfectly match the all-loop BCFW recursion relations, to which we provide a closed-form solution valid through two-loop-order. Finally, we describe and document a Mathemati…
We analytically evaluate the master integrals for the second type of planar contributions to the massive two-loop Bhabha scattering in QED using differential equa- tions with canonical bases. We obtain results in terms of multiple polylogarithms for all the master integrals but one, for which we derive a compact result in terms of elliptic mul- tiple polylogarithms. As a byproduct, we also provide a compact analytic result in terms of elliptic multiple polylogarithms for an integral belonging to the first family of planar Bhabha integrals, whose computation in terms of polylogarithms was addre…
In this thesis, we study the integrands of a special four-point correlation function formed of protected half-BPS operators and scattering amplitudes in planar supersymmetric $\mathcal{N}=4$ Yang-Mills. We use the `soft-collinear bootstrap' method to construct integrands of the aforementioned correlator and four-point scattering amplitudes to eight loops. The result is then extended to ten loops, by introducing two graphical relations, called the `triangle' and `pentagon' rules. These relations provide consistency conditions on the coefficients, and when combined with the `square' rule, prove …
We present the complete set of planar master integrals relevant to the calculation of three-point functions in four-loop massless Quantum Chromodynamics. Employing direct parametric integrations for a basis of finite integrals, we give analytic results for the Laurent expansion of conventional integrals in the parameter of dimensional regularization through to terms of weight eight.
We present the analytic calculation of the Master Integrals necessary to compute the planar massive QCD corrections to Di-photon (and Di-jet) production at hadron colliders. The masters are evaluated by means of the differential equations method and expressed in terms of multiple polylogarithms and one- or two-fold integrals of polylogarithms and irrational functions, up to transcendentality four.
We study the maximally-helicity-violating (MHV) six-gluon scattering amplitude in planar $\mathcal{N} = 4$ super-Yang-Mills theory at finite coupling when all three cross ratios are small. It exhibits a double logarithmic scaling in the cross ratios, controlled by a handful of "anomalous dimensions" that are functions of the coupling constant alone. Inspired by known seven-loop results at weak coupling and the integrability-based pentagon OPE, we present conjectures for the all-order resummation of these anomalous dimensions. At strong coupling, our predictions agree perfectly with the string …
We examine the generalized quantum electrodynamics as a natural extension of the Maxwell electrodynamics to cure the one-loop divergence. We establish a precise scenario to discuss the underlying features between photon and fermion where the perturbative Maxwell electrodynamics fails. Our quantum model combines stability, unitarity, and gauge invariance as the central properties. To interpret the quantum fluctuations without suffering from the physical conflicts proved by Haag's theorem, we construct the covariant quantization in the Heisenberg picture instead of the Interaction one. Furthermo…
We study the six-point NMHV ratio function in planar ${\cal N}=4$ SYM theory in the context of positive geometry. The Amplituhedron construction of the integrand for the amplitudes provides a kinematical region in which the integrand was observed to be positive. It is natural to conjecture that this property survives integration, i.e. that the final result for the ratio function is also positive in this region. Establishing such a result would imply that preserving positivity is a surprising property of the Minkowski contour of integration and it might indicate some deeper underlying structure…
Based on the Simplified Differential Equations approach, we present results for the two-loop non-planar hexa-box families of master integrals. We introduce a new approach to obtain the boundary terms and establish a one-dimensional integral representation of the master integrals in terms of Generalised Polylogarithms, when the alphabet contains non-factorisable square roots. The results are relevant to the study of NNLO QCD corrections for $W,Z$ and Higgs-boson production in association with two hadronic jets.
The planar scattering amplitudes of $\mathcal{N} = 4$ super-Yang--Mills theory display symmetries and structures which underlie their relatively simple analytic properties such as having only logarithmic singularities and no poles at infinity. Recent work shows in various nontrivial examples that the simple analytic properties of the planar sector survive into the nonplanar sector, but this has yet to be understood from underlying symmetries. Here we explicitly show that for an infinite class of nonplanar integrals that covers all subleading-color contributions to the two-loop four- and five-p…
In this article we give the details on the analytic calculation of the master integrals for the planar double box integral relevant to top-pair production with a closed top loop. We show that these integrals can be computed systematically to all order in the dimensional regularisation parameter $\varepsilon$. This is done by transforming the system of differential equations into a form linear in $\varepsilon$, where the $\varepsilon^0$-part is a strictly lower triangular matrix. Explicit results in terms of iterated integrals are presented for the terms relevant to NNLO calculations.
We present analytic expressions in terms of polylogarithmic functions for all three families of planar two-loop five-point Master Integrals with one off-shell leg. The calculation is based on the Simplified Differential Equations approach. The results are relevant to the study of many $2\to 3$ scattering processes of interest at the LHC, especially for the leading-color $W+2$ jets production.
We describe the minimal space of polylogarithmic functions that is required to express the six-particle amplitude in planar ${\cal N}=4$ super-Yang-Mills theory through six and seven loops, in the NMHV and MHV sectors respectively. This space respects a set of extended Steinmann relations that restrict the iterated discontinuity structure of the amplitude, as well as a cosmic Galois coaction principle that constrains the functions and the transcendental numbers that can appear in the amplitude at special kinematic points. To put the amplitude into this space, we must divide it by the BDS-like …
In this paper, we study non-adjacent BCFW recursion relations and their connection to positive geometry. For an adjacent BCFW shift, the $n$-point N$^k$MHV tree-level amplitude in ${\cal N}=4$ SYM theory is expressed as a sum over planar on-shell diagrams, corresponding to canonical dlog forms on the cells in the positive Grassmannian $G_+(k,n)$. Non-adjacent BCFW shifts naturally lead to an expansion of the amplitude in terms of a different set of objects, which do not manifest the cyclic ordering and the hidden Yangian symmetry of the amplitude. We show that these terms can be interpreted as…
We present a calculation of the planar two-loop five-gluon amplitudes. The amplitudes are obtained in a variant of the generalized unitarity approach suitable for numerical computations, which we extend for use with finite field arithmetics. Employing a new method for the generation of unitarity-compatible integration-by-parts identities, all helicity amplitudes are reduced to a linear combination of master integrals for the first time. The approach allows us to compute exact values for the integral coefficients at rational phase-space points. All required master integrals are known analytical…
We compute systematically for the planar double box Feynman integral relevant to top pair production with a closed top loop the Laurent expansion in the dimensional regularisation parameter $\varepsilon$. This is done by transforming the system of differential equations for this integral and all its sub-topologies to a form linear in $\varepsilon$, where the $\varepsilon^0$-part is strictly lower triangular. This system is easily solved order by order in the dimensional regularisation parameter $\varepsilon$. This is an example of an elliptic multi-scale integral involving several elliptic sub…
Virtual two-loop corrections to scattering amplitudes are a key ingredient to precision physics at collider experiments. We compute the full set of planar master integrals relevant to five-point functions in massless QCD, and use these to derive an analytical expression for the two-loop five-gluon all-plus-helicity amplitude. After subtracting terms that are related to the universal infrared and ultraviolet pole structure, we obtain a remarkably simple and compact finite remainder function, consisting only of dilogarithms.
We extend the applications of prescriptive unitarity beyond the planar limit to provide local, polylogarithmic, integrand-level representations of six-particle MHV scattering amplitudes in both maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory and gravity. The integrand basis we construct is diagonalized on a spanning set of non-vanishing leading singularities that ensures the manifest matching of all soft-collinear singularities in both theories. As a consequence, this integrand basis naturally splits into infrared-finite and infrared-divergent parts, with hints toward an integrand-level exponentiat…
We present the calculation of the three distinct non-planar hexa-box topologies for five-point one-mass processes. These three topologies are required to obtain the two-loop virtual QCD corrections for two-jet-associated W, Z or Higgs-boson production. Each topology is solved by obtaining a pure basis of master integrals and efficiently constructing the associated differential equation with numerical sampling and unitarity-cut techniques. We present compact expressions for the alphabet of these non-planar integrals, and discuss some properties of their symbol. Notably, we observe that the exte…
Two-loop corrections to scattering amplitudes are crucial theoretical input for collider physics. Recent years have seen tremendous advances in computing Feynman integrals, scattering amplitudes, and cross sections for five-particle processes. In this paper, we initiate the study of the function space for planar two-loop six-particle processes. We study all genuine six-particle Feynman integrals, and derive the differential equations they satisfy on maximal cuts. Performing a leading singularity analysis in momentum space, and in Baikov representation, we find an integral basis that puts the d…
These notes are a written version of my talk given at the CARMA workshop in June 2017, with some additional material. I presented a few concepts that have recently been used in the computation of tree-level scattering amplitudes (mostly using pure spinor methods but not restricted to it) in a context that could be of interest to the combinatorics community. In particular, I focused on the appearance of {\it planar binary trees} in scattering amplitudes and presented some curious identities obeyed by related objects, some of which are known to be true only via explicit examples.
We evaluate the master integrals for the two-loop, planar box-diagrams contributing to the elastic scattering of muons and electrons at next-to-next-to leading-order in QED. We adopt the method of differential equations and the Magnus exponential series to determine a canonical set of integrals, finally expressed as a Taylor series around four space-time dimensions, with coefficients written as combination of generalised polylogarithms. The electron is treated as massless, while we retain full dependence on the muon mass. The considered integrals are also relevant for crossing-related processe…
We present TVID 2, a program to numerically evaluate an important class of planar three-loop self-energy master integrals with arbitrary masses. As with the predecessor version (TVID 1) the integrals are separated into a known piece, containing the UV divergencies, and a finite piece that is integrated numerically, implemented in C. The set of master integrals under consideration was found with self-energy diagrams containing two closed fermion loops in mind. Two techniques are employed in deriving the expressions for the finite pieces that are then numerically integrated: (a) Sub-loop dispers…
We demonstrate the existence of `planar', or `type-II', radiation zeros in 5-parton QCD scattering processes. That is, the Born amplitudes are shown to completely vanish for particular kinematic configurations, when all the particle 3-momenta lie in a plane. This result is shown to follow particularly simply from the known BCJ relations between the colour-ordered tree amplitudes, and the MHV formalism is used to express the additional kinematic constraint as a relatively simple expression in terms of only rapidity differences between the final-state partons. In addition, we find that zeros exi…
