Analyticity and crossing properties of four point function are investigated in conformal field theories in the frameworks of Wightman axioms. A Hermitian scalar conformal field, satisfying the Wightman axioms, is considered. The crucial role of microcausality in deriving analyticity domains is discussed and domains of analyticity are presented. A pair of permuted Wightman functions are envisaged. The crossing property is derived by appealing to the technique of analytic completion for the pair of permuted Wightman functions. The operator product expansion of a pair of scalar fields is studied and analyticity property of the matrix elements of composite fields, appearing in the operator product expansion, is investigated. An integral representation is presented for the commutator of composite fields where microcausality is a key ingredient. Three fundamental theorems of axiomatic local field theories; namely, PCT theorem, the theorem proving equivalence between PCT theorem and weak local commutativity and the edge-of-the-wedge theorem are invoked to derive a conformal bootstrap equation rigorously.
We investigate analyticity properties of correlation functions in conformal field theories (CFT) in the Wightman formulation. The goal is to determine domain of holomorphy of permuted Wightman functions. We focus on crossing property of three-point functions. The domain of holomorphy of a pair of three-point functions is determined by appealing to Jost's theorem and by adopting the technique of analytic completion. This program paves the way to address the issue of crossing for the four-point functions on a rigorous footing.
In the framework of quantum field theory (QFT) on noncommutative (NC) space-time with the symmetry group $O(1,1)\times SO(2)$, we prove that the Jost-Lehmann-Dyson representation, based on the causality condition taken in connection with this symmetry, leads to the mere impossibility of drawing any conclusion on the analyticity of the $2\to 2$-scattering amplitude in $\cosΘ$, $Θ$ being the scattering angle. Discussions on the possible ways of obtaining high-energy bounds analogous to the Froissart-Martin bound on the total cross-section are also presented.
This paper discusses the locality and analyticity of the crossing symmetric dispersion relation (CSDR). Imposing locality constraints on the CSDR gives rise to a local and fully crossing symmetric expansion of scattering amplitudes, dubbed as Feynman block expansion. A general formula is provided for the contact terms that emerge from the expansion. The analyticity domain of the expansion is also derived analogously to the Lehmann-Martin ellipse. Our observation of type-II super-string tree amplitude suggests that the Feynman block expansion has a bigger analyticity domain and better convergen…
We argue that certain apparently consistent low-energy effective field theories described by local, Lorentz-invariant Lagrangians, secretly exhibit macroscopic non-locality and cannot be embedded in any UV theory whose S-matrix satisfies canonical analyticity constraints. The obstruction involves the signs of a set of leading irrelevant operators, which must be strictly positive to ensure UV analyticity. An IR manifestation of this restriction is that the "wrong" signs lead to superluminal fluctuations around non-trivial backgrounds, making it impossible to define local, causal evolution, and …
Bros, Epstein and Glaser proved crossing symmetry of the S-matrix of a theory without massless fields by using certain analyticity properties of the off-shell momentum space Green's function in the complex momentum plane. The latter properties follow from representing the momentum space Green's function as Fourier transform of the position space Green's function, satisfying certain properties implied by the underlying local quantum field theory. We prove the same analyticity properties of the momentum space Green's functions in superstring field theory by directly working with the momentum spa…
We derive non-linear recursion equations for the leading infrared logarithms in massless non-renormalizable effective field theories. The derivation is based solely on the requirements of the unitarity, analyticity and crossing symmetry of the amplitudes. That emphasizes the general nature of the corresponding equations. The derived equations allow one to compute leading infrared logarithms to essentially unlimited loop order without performing a loop calculation. For the implementation of the recursion equation one needs to calculate tree diagrams only. The application of the equation is demo…
We introduce the notion of analytic stability data on the Lie algebra of vector fields on a torus. We prove that the subspace of analytic stability data is open and closed in the topological space of all stability data. We formulate a general conjecture which explains how analytic stability data give rise to resurgent series. This conjecture is checked in several examples.
Within the low-energy effective field theories of QED and gravity, the low-energy speed of light or that of gravitational waves can typically be mildly superluminal in curved spacetimes. Related to this, small scattering time advances relative to the curved background can emerge from known effective field theory coefficients for photons or gravitons. We clarify why these results are not in contradiction with causality, analyticity or Lorentz invariance, and highlight various subtleties that arise when dealing with superluminalities and time advances in the gravitational context. Consistent low…
Causality places nontrivial constraints on QFT in Lorentzian signature, for example fixing the signs of certain terms in the low energy Lagrangian. In d-dimensional conformal field theory, we show how such constraints are encoded in crossing symmetry of Euclidean correlators, and derive analogous constraints directly from the conformal bootstrap (analytically). The bootstrap setup is a Lorentzian four-point function corresponding to propagation through a shockwave. Crossing symmetry fixes the signs of certain log terms that appear in the conformal block expansion, which constrains the interact…
The Real EFThedron: A Moment Geometry for the Nonperturbative S-Matrix
Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications (BIMSA)（北京数学与应用科学研究所有）；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）；Department of Physics, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London（帝国理工学院布莱克特物理系）；International Centre for Theoretical Physics Asia-Pacific（理论物理学亚太中心）；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）
In the framework of quantum field theory (QFT) on noncommutative (NC) space-time with $SO(1,1)\times SO(2)$ symmetry, which is the feature arising when one has only space-space noncommutativity ($θ_{0i}=0$), we prove that the Jost-Lehmann-Dyson representation, based on the causality condition usually taken in connection with this symmetry, leads to the mere impossibility of drawing any conclusion on the analyticity of the $2\to 2$-scattering amplitude in $\cosΘ$, $Θ$ being the scattering angle. A physical choice of the causality condition rescues the situation and as a result an analog of Lehm…
We study a simple version of the AdS/CFT (anti-de Sitter spacetime/Conformal Field Theory) correspondence, where operators have integer conformal dimensions. In this model, bulk causality follows from boundary analyticity, even in nontrivial black hole backgrounds that break the underlying conformal symmetry. This allows a natural set of quasi-local bulk observables to be constructed. Estimates of finite central charge corrections to semiclassical correlators are made. These corrections are used to determine the regime of validity of effective field theory in the bulk spacetime. The results ar…
Physical principles such as unitarity, causality, and locality can constrain the space of consistent effective field theories (EFTs) by imposing two-sided bounds on the allowed values of Wilson coefficients. In this paper, we consider the bounds that arise from the requirement of low-energy causality alone, without appealing to any assumptions about UV physics. We focus on shift-symmetric theories, and consider bounds that arise from the propagation around both a homogeneous and a spherically-symmetric background. We find that low-energy causality, namely the requirement that there are no reso…
All conformal correlation functions of 3 scalar primary operators are constructed in an axiomatic way, relying only on conformal symmetry and causality. The construction makes use of the R-product and its analyticity properties in Minkowski momentum space. The R-product is completely determined by a system of partial differential equations (the Ward identities for conformal transformations) and a boundary condition (permutation symmetry), up to an OPE coefficient. Wightman functions and time-ordered products are then derived from the R-product using operator identities, and the Schwinger funct…
The analyticity of response functions and scattering amplitudes implies powerful relations between low-energy observables and the underlying short-distance dynamics. These 'IR/UV' relations are rooted in basic physical principles, such as causality and unitarity. In this paper, we seek similar connections in inflation, relating cosmological observations to the physics responsible for the accelerated expansion. We assume that the inflationary theory is Lorentz invariant at short distances, but allow for non-relativistic interactions and a non-trivial speed of propagation at low energies. Focusi…
Motivated by AdS/CFT, we address the following outstanding question in large $N$ conformal field theory: given the appearance of a single-trace operator in the ${\cal O}\times{\cal O}$ OPE of a scalar primary ${\cal O}$, what is its total contribution to the vacuum four-point function $\langle {\cal O}{\cal O}{\cal O}{\cal O}\rangle$ as dictated by crossing symmetry? We solve this problem in 4d conformal field theories at leading order in $1/N$. Viewed holographically, this provides a field theory reconstruction of crossing-symmetric, four-point exchange amplitudes in AdS$_5$. Our solution tak…
We study gapped 4d quantum field theories (QFTs) obtained from a relevant deformation of a UV conformal field theory (CFT). For simplicity, we assume the existence of a $\mathbb{Z}_2$ symmetry and a single $\mathbb{Z}_2$-odd stable particle and no $\mathbb{Z}_2$-even particles at low energies. Using unitarity, crossing and the assumption of maximal analyticity we compute numerically a lower bound on the value of the $a$-anomaly of the UV CFT as a function of various non-perturbative parameters describing the two-to-two scattering amplitude of the particle.
We compute the four-point function of scalar operators in CFTs with weakly broken higher spin symmetry at arbitrary 't Hooft coupling. We use the known three-point functions in these theories, the Lorentzian OPE inversion formula and crossing to fix the result up to the addition of three functions of the cross ratios. These are given by contact Witten diagrams in AdS and manifest non-analyticity of the OPE data in spin. We use Schwinger-Dyson equations to show that such terms are absent in the large $N$ Chern-Simons matter theories. The result is that the OPE data is analytic in spin up to $J=…
We derive bounds on couplings in the standard model effective field theory (SMEFT) as a consequence of causality and the analytic structure of scattering amplitudes. In the SMEFT, there are 64 independent operators at mass dimension eight that are quartic in bosons (either Higgs or gauge fields) and that contain four derivatives and/or field strengths, including both CP-conserving and CP-violating operators. Using analytic dispersion relation arguments for two-to-two bosonic scattering amplitudes, we derive 27 independent bounds on the sign or magnitude of the couplings. We show that these bou…
Leading logarithms (LLs) in massless non-renormalizable effective field theories (EFTs) can be computed with the help of non-linear recurrence relations. These recurrence relations follow from the fundamental requirements of unitarity, analyticity and crossing symmetry of scattering amplitudes and generalize the renormalization group technique for the case of non-renormalizable EFTs. We review the existing exact solutions of non-linear recurrence relations relevant for field theoretical applications. We introduce the new class of quantum field theories (quasi-renormalizable field theories) in …
Using unitarity, analyticity and crossing symmetry, we derive universal sum rules for scattering amplitudes in theories invariant under an arbitrary symmetry group. The sum rules relate the coefficients of the energy expansion of the scattering amplitudes in the IR to total cross sections integrated all the way up to the UV. Exploiting the group structure of the symmetry, we systematically determine all the independent sum rules and positivity conditions on the expansion coefficients. For effective field theories the amplitudes in the IR are calculable and hence the sum rules set constraints o…
We constrain effective field theories by going beyond the familiar positivity bounds that follow from unitarity, analyticity, and crossing symmetry of the scattering amplitudes. As interesting examples, we discuss the implications of the bounds for the Galileon and ghost-free massive gravity. The combination of our theoretical bounds with the experimental constraints on the graviton mass implies that the latter is either ruled out or unable to describe gravitational phenomena, let alone to consistently implement the Vainshtein mechanism, down to the relevant scales of fifth-force experiments, …
We review and develop a mathematical framework for nonlocal quantum field theory (QFT) with a fundamental length. As an instructive example, we reexamine the normal ordered Gaussian function of a free field and find the primitive analyticity domain of its n-point vacuum expectation values. This domain is smaller than the usual future tube of local QFT, but we prove that in difference variables, it has the same structure of a tube whose base is the (n-1)-fold product of a Lorentz invariant region. It follows that this model satisfies Wightman-type axioms with an exponential high-energy bound wh…
We propose a model for the dS/CFT correspondence. The model is constructed in terms of a "Yang-Baxter operator" $R$ for unitary representations of the deSitter group $SO(d,1)$. This $R$-operator is shown to satisfy the Yang-Baxter equation, unitarity, as well as certain analyticity relations, including in particular a crossing symmetry. With the aid of this operator we construct: a) A chiral (light-ray) conformal quantum field theory whose internal degrees of freedom transform under the given unitary representation of $SO(d,1)$. By analogy with the $O(N)$ non-linear sigma model, this chiral CF…
