We consider constraints on the S-matrix of any gapped, Lorentz invariant quantum field theory in 1 + 1 dimensions due to crossing symmetry and unitarity. In this way we establish rigorous bounds on the cubic couplings of a given theory with a fixed mass spectrum. In special cases we identify interesting integrable theories saturating these bounds. Our analytic bounds match precisely with numerical bounds obtained in a companion paper where we consider massive QFT in an AdS box and study boundary correlators using the technology of the conformal bootstrap.
We apply a bootstrap procedure to two-loop MHV amplitudes in planar N=4 super-Yang-Mills theory. We argue that the mathematically most complicated part (the $Λ^2 B_2$ coproduct component) of the n-particle amplitude is uniquely determined by a simple cluster algebra property together with a few physical constraints (dihedral symmetry, analytic structure, supersymmetry, and well-defined collinear limits). We present a concise, closed-form expression which manifests these properties for all n.
University of Science and Technology of China（中国科学技术大学）；Interdisciplinary Center for Theoretical Study, University of Science and Technology of China（中国科学技术大学理论物理交叉中心）；Peng Huanwu Center for Fundamental Theory（彭桓武基础理论研究中心）
Bootstrap AdS Veneziano Amplitude with Arbitrary Kaluza-Klein Modes
Zhejiang Institute of Modern Physics, School of Physics, Zhejiang University（浙江大学物理学院现代物理研究所）；Joint Center for Quanta-to-Cosmos Physics, Zhejiang University（浙江大学量子与宇宙学联合中心）
We use the numerical S-matrix bootstrap method to obtain bounds on the two leading Wilson coefficients of the chiral lagrangian controlling the low-energy dynamics of massless pions thus providing a proof of concept that the numerical S-matrix bootstrap can be used to derive non-perturbative bounds on EFTs in more than two spacetime dimensions.
We reformulate the heptagon cluster bootstrap to take advantage of the Steinmann relations, which require certain double discontinuities of any amplitude to vanish. These constraints vastly reduce the number of functions needed to bootstrap seven-point amplitudes in planar $\mathcal{N} = 4$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory, making higher-loop contributions to these amplitudes more computationally accessible. In particular, dual superconformal symmetry and well-defined collinear limits suffice to determine uniquely the symbols of the three-loop NMHV and four-loop MHV seven-point amplitudes. We …
We review the bootstrap method for constructing six- and seven-particle amplitudes in planar $\mathcal{N}=4$ super Yang-Mills theory, by exploiting their analytic structure. We focus on two recently discovered properties which greatly simplify this construction at symbol and function level, respectively: the extended Steinmann relations, or equivalently cluster adjacency, and the coaction principle. We then demonstrate their power in determining the six-particle amplitude through six and seven loops in the NMHV and MHV sectors respectively, as well as the symbol of the NMHV seven-particle ampl…
Using duality in optimization theory we formulate a dual approach to the S-matrix bootstrap that provides rigorous bounds to 2D QFT observables as a consequence of unitarity, crossing symmetry and analyticity of the scattering matrix. We then explain how to optimize such bounds numerically, and prove that they provide the same bounds obtained from the usual primal formulation of the S-matrix Bootstrap, at least once convergence is attained from both perspectives. These techniques are then applied to the study of a gapped system with two stable particles of different masses, which serves as a t…
We work out constraints imposed by channel duality and analyticity on tree-level amplitudes of four identical real scalars, with the assumptions of a linear spectrum of exchanged particles and Regge asymptotic behaviour. We reduce the requirement of channel duality to a countably infinite set of equations in the general case. We show that channel duality uniquely fixes the soft Regge behaviour of the amplitudes to that found in String theory, $(-s)^{2t}$. Specialising to the case of tachyonic external particles, we use channel duality to show that the amplitude can be any one in an infinite-di…
A Dispersive Bootstrap for the Virasoro-Shapiro Amplitude
School of Fundamental Physics and Mathematical Sciences, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS（杭州高等研究院基础物理与数学学院，UCAS）；Institute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院理论物理研究所）；University of Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院大学）
We describe the hexagon function bootstrap for solving for six-gluon scattering amplitudes in the large $N_c$ limit of ${\cal N}=4$ super-Yang-Mills theory. In this method, an ansatz for the finite part of these amplitudes is constrained at the level of amplitudes, not integrands, using boundary information. In the near-collinear limit, the dual picture of the amplitudes as Wilson loops leads to an operator product expansion which has been solved using integrability by Basso, Sever and Vieira. Factorization of the amplitudes in the multi-Regge limit provides additional boundary data. This boot…
We explore the space of consistent three-particle couplings in $\mathbb Z_2$-symmetric two-dimensional QFTs using two first-principles approaches. Our first approach relies solely on unitarity, analyticity and crossing symmetry of the two-to-two scattering amplitudes and extends the techniques of [arXiv:1607.06110] to a multi-amplitude setup. Our second approach is based on placing QFTs in AdS to get upper bounds on couplings with the numerical conformal bootstrap, and is a multi-correlator version of [arXiv:1607.06109]. The space of allowed couplings that we carve out is rich in features, som…
We introduce two new graphical-level relations among possible contributions to the four-point correlation function and scattering amplitude in planar, maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. When combined with the rung rule, these prove powerful enough to fully determine both functions through ten loops. This then also yields the full five-point amplitude to eight loops and the parity-even part to nine loops. We derive these rules, illustrate their applications, compare their relative strengths for fixing coefficients, and survey some of the features of the previously unknown nine and ten …
We consider constraints on the S-matrix of any gapped, Lorentz invariant quantum field theory in 3+1 dimensions due to crossing symmetry, analyticity and unitarity. We extremize cubic couplings, quartic couplings and scattering lengths relevant for the elastic scattering amplitude of two identical scalar particles. In the cases where our results can be compared with the older S-matrix literature they are in excellent agreement. We also extremize a cubic coupling in 2+1 dimensions which we can directly compare to a universal bound for a QFT in AdS. This paper generalizes our previous 1+1 dimens…
We review unitarity and crossing constraints on scattering amplitudes for particles with spin in four dimensional quantum field theories. As an application we study two to two scattering of neutral spin 1/2 fermions in detail. Assuming Mandelstam analyticity of its scattering amplitude, we use the numerical S-matrix bootstrap method to estimate various non-perturbative bounds on quartic and cubic (Yukawa) couplings.
We consider the 2D S-matrix bootstrap in the presence of supersymmetry, $\mathbb{Z}_2$ and $\mathbb{Z}_4$ symmetry. At the boundary of the allowed S-matrix space we encounter well known integrable models such as the supersymmetric sine-Gordon and restricted sine-Gordon models, novel elliptic deformations thereof, as well as a two parameter family of $\mathbb{Z}_4$ elliptic S-matrices previously proposed by Zamolodchikov. We highlight an intricate web of relations between these various S-matrices.
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 use the amplitude soft bootstrap method to explore the space of effective field theories (EFT) of massless vectors and scalars. It is known that demanding vanishing soft limits fixes uniquely a special class of EFTs: non-linear sigma model, scalar Galileon and Born-Infeld theories. Based on the amplitudes analysis, we conjecture no-go theorems for higher-derivative vector theories and theories with coupled vectors and scalars. We then allow for more general soft theorems where the non-trivial part of the soft limit of the (n+1)-pt amplitude is equal to a linear combination of n-pt amplitude…
The applications of the existing Liouville theories for the description of the longitudinal dynamics of non-critical Nambu-Goto string are analyzed. We show that the recently developed DOZZ solution to the Liouville theory leads to the cut singularities in tree string amplitudes. We propose a new version of the Polyakov geometric approach to Liouville theory and formulate its basic consistency condition - the geometric bootstrap equation. Also in this approach the tree amplitudes develop cut singularieties.
Asymptotic bootstrap for unitary matrix integrals at complex coupling
University of California, Santa Barbara（加州大学圣塔芭芭拉分校）；University of Amsterdam（阿姆斯特丹大学）；Delta Institute for Theoretical Physics（德尔塔理论物理研究所）；Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa（里斯本大学高等技术学院）
Seven-particle scattering amplitudes in planar super-Yang-Mills theory are believed to belong to a special class of generalised polylogarithm functions called heptagon functions. These are functions with physical branch cuts whose symbols may be written in terms of the 42 cluster A-coordinates on Gr(4,7). Motivated by the success of the hexagon bootstrap programme for constructing six-particle amplitudes we initiate the systematic study of the symbols of heptagon functions. We find that there is exactly one such symbol of weight six which satisfies the MHV last-entry condition and is finite in…
We propose a strategy to study massive Quantum Field Theory (QFT) using conformal bootstrap methods. The idea is to consider QFT in hyperbolic space and study correlation functions of its boundary operators. We show that these are solutions of the crossing equations in one lower dimension. By sending the curvature radius of the background hyperbolic space to infinity we expect to recover flat-space physics. We explain that this regime corresponds to large scaling dimensions of the boundary operators, and discuss how to obtain the flat-space scattering amplitudes from the corresponding limit of…
We revisit analytical methods for constraining the nonperturbative $S$-matrix of unitary, relativistic, gapped theories in $d \geq 3$ spacetime dimensions. We assume extended analyticity of the two-to-two scattering amplitude and use it together with elastic unitarity to develop two natural expansions of the amplitude. One is the threshold (non-relativistic) expansion and the other is the large spin expansion. The two are related by the Froissart-Gribov inversion formula. When combined with crossing and a local bound on the discontinuity of the amplitude, this allows us to constrain scattering…
The S-matrix bootstrap is extended to a 1+1d theory with $O(N)$ symmetry and a boundary in what we call the R-matrix bootstrap since the quantity of interest is the reflection matrix (R-matrix). Given a bulk S-matrix, the space of allowed R-matrices is an infinite dimensional convex space from which we plot a two dimensional section given by a convex domain on a 2d plane. In certain cases, at the boundary of the domain, we find vertices corresponding to integrable R-matrices with no free parameters. In other cases, when there is a one-parameter family of integrable R-matrices, the whole bounda…
In a recent paper [1], three-particle interactions without invariance under Lorentz boosts were constrained by demanding that they yield tree-level four-particle scattering amplitudes with singularities as dictated by unitarity and locality. In this brief note, we show how to obtain an independent verification and consistency check of these boostless bootstrap results using BCFW momentum shifts. We point out that the constructibility criterion, related to the behaviour of the deformed amplitude at infinite BCFW parameter z, is not strictly necessary to obtain non-trivial constraints for the th…
The S-matrix Bootstrap originated on the idea that the S-matrix might be fully constrained by global symmetries, crossing, unitarity, and analyticity without relying on an underlying dynamical theory that may or may not be a quantum field theory. Recently this approach was revived from a somewhat different point of view. Using the same constraints, one numerically maps out the (infinite-dimensional) space of allowed S-matrices that should contain all consistent quantum field theories (and quantum theories of gravity). Moreover, in the best case scenario one finds special points in the space th…
Infrared divergences in scattering amplitudes arise when a loop momentum $\ell$ becomes collinear with a massless external momentum $p$. In gauge theories, it is known that the L-loop logarithm of a planar amplitude has much softer infrared singularities than the L-loop amplitude itself. We argue that planar amplitudes in N=4 super-Yang-Mills theory enjoy softer than expected behavior as $\ell \parallel p$ already at the level of the integrand. Moreover, we conjecture that the four-point integrand can be uniquely determined, to any loop-order, by imposing the correct soft-behavior of the logar…
We study the reflection amplitudes of affine Toda field theories with boundary, following the ideas developed by Fring and Koberle and focusing our attention on the $E_{n}$ series elements, because of their interesting structure of higher order poles. We also investigate the corresponding minimal reflection matrices, finding, with respect to the bulk case, a more complicated relation between the spectra of bound states associated to the minimal and to the ''dressed'' amplitudes.
We develop crossing symmetric dispersion relations for describing 2-2 scattering of identical external particles carrying spin. This enables us to import techniques from Geometric Function Theory and study two sided bounds on low energy Wilson coefficients. We consider scattering of photons, gravitons in weakly coupled effective field theories. We provide general expressions for the locality/null constraints. Consideration of the positivity of the absorptive part leads to an interesting connection with the recently conjectured weak low spin dominance. We also construct the crossing symmetric a…
One of the main challenges in obtaining predictions for collider experiments from perturbative quantum field theory, is the direct evaluation of the Feynman integrals it gives rise to. In this chapter, we review an alternative bootstrap method that instead efficiently constructs physical quantities by exploiting their analytic structure. We present in detail the setting where this method has been originally developed, six- and seven-particle amplitudes in the large-color limit of $\mathcal{N}=4$ super Yang-Mills theory. We discuss the class of functions these amplitudes belong to, and the stro…
The principle of boundary bootstrap plays a significant role in the algebraic study of the purely elastic boundary reflection matrix $K_a(θ)$ for integrable quantum field theory defined on a space-time with a boundary. However, general structure of that principle in the form as was originally introduced by Fring and Köberle has remained unclear. In terms of a new matrix $J_a(θ)=\sqrt{K_a(θ)/K_{\bar{a}}(iπ+θ)}$, the boundary bootstrap takes a simple form. Incidentally, a hypothesised expression of the boundary reflection matrix for simply-laced $ADE$ affine Toda field theory defined on a half l…
The modular matrix for the generic 1-point conformal blocks on the torus is expressed in terms of the fusion matrix for the 4-point blocks on the sphere. The modular invariance of the toric 1-point functions in the Liouville field theory with DOZZ structure constants is proved.
We propose the relaxation bootstrap method for the numerical solution of multi-matrix models in the large $N$ limit, developing and improving the recent proposal of H.Lin. It gives rigorous inequalities on the single trace moments of the matrices up to a given "cutoff" order (length) of the moments. The method combines usual loop equations on the moments and the positivity constraint on the correlation matrix of the moments. We have a rigorous proof of applicability of this method in the case of the one-matrix model where the condition of positivity of the saddle point solution appears to be e…
We formulate and close the boundary state bootstrap for factorizing K-matrices in AdS/CFT. We found that there are no boundary degrees of freedom in the boundary bound states, merely the boundary parameters are shifted. We use this family of boundary bound states to describe the D3-D5 system for higher dimensional matrix product states and provide their asymptotic overlap formulas. In doing so we generalize the nesting for overlaps of matrix product states and Bethe states.
We study constraints from higher-point amplitudes on $2 \to 2$ scattering in the context of effective field theory (EFT) using the perturbative numerical S-matrix bootstrap. Specifically, we investigate the class of weakly coupled EFTs with amplitudes that obey the hidden zero and split conditions that are known to hold both for Tr($Φ^3$) theory and for certain string tree amplitudes, including at 4-point the beta function. Requiring the splitting condition for the 5-point amplitude not only fixes nearly all its contact terms, but it also imposes non-linear constraints among the 4-point EFT Wi…
S-matrix bootstrap and positivity bounds are usually viewed as constraints on low-energy theories imposed by the requirement of a standard UV completion. By considering graviton--photon scattering in the Standard Model, we argue that the low-energy theory can be used to put constraints on the UV behaviour of the gravitational scattering amplitudes.
We construct the complete (planar and non-planar) integrand for the six-loop four-point amplitude in maximal $D\le10$ super-Yang-Mills. This construction employs new advances that combat the proliferation of diagram contributions and state sums when evaluating multi-loop $D$-dimensional unitarity cuts. Concretely, we introduce two graph-based approaches to evaluating generalized unitarity cuts in $D$ dimensions: 1) recursively from lower-loop cuts, or 2) directly from known higher-loop planar cuts. Neither method relies on explicit state sums or any sewing of tree-level amplitudes. These metho…
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, Werner-Heisenberg-Institut（马克斯·普朗克物理研究所）；LAPTh, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS（萨瓦大学）；Interdisciplinary Center for Theoretical Study, University of Science and Technology of China（中国科学技术大学）；Peng Huanwu Center for Fundamental Theory（彭桓武理论中心）；Center for High Energy Physics, Peking University（北京大学高能物理中心）
We investigate the boundary bootstrap programme for finding exact reflection matrices of integrable boundary quantum field theories with N=1 boundary supersymmetry. The bulk S-matrix and the reflection matrix are assumed to take the form S=S_1S_0, R=R_1R_0, where S_0 and R_0 are the S-matrix and reflection matrix of some integrable non-supersymmetric boundary theory that is assumed to be known, and S_1 and R_1 describe the mixing of supersymmetric indices. Under the assumption that the bulk particles transform in the kink and boson/fermion representations and the ground state is a singlet we p…
The main objective of this work is to isolate Effective Field Theory scattering amplitudes in the space of non-perturbative two-to-two amplitudes, using the S-matrix Bootstrap. We do so by introducing the notion of Effective Field Theory cutoff in the S-matrix Bootstrap approach. We introduce a number of novel numerical techniques and improvements both for the primal and the linearized dual approach. We perform a detailed comparison of the full unitarity bounds with those obtained using positivity and linearized unitarity. Moreover, we discuss the notion of Spin-Zero and UV dominance along the…
