We consider 5-point functions in conformal field theories in d > 2 dimensions. Using weight-shifting operators, we derive recursion relations which allow for the computation of arbitrary conformal blocks appearing in 5-point functions of scalar operators, reducing them to a linear combination of blocks with scalars exchanged. We additionally derive recursion relations for the conformal blocks which appear when one of the external operators in the 5-point function has spin 1 or 2. Our results allow us to formulate positivity constraints using 5-point functions which describe the expectation value of the energy operator in bilocal states created by two scalars.
We study the structure of series expansions of general spinning conformal blocks. We find that the terms in these expansions are naturally expressed by means of special functions related to matrix elements of Spin(d) representations in Gelfand-Tsetlin basis, of which the Gegenbauer polynomials are a special case. We study the properties of these functions and explain how they can be computed in practice. We show how the Casimir equation in Dolan-Osborn coordinates leads to a simple one-step recursion relation for the coefficients of the series expansion of general spinning conformal block. The…
We derive an infinite set of recursion formulae for Nekrasov instanton partition function for linear quiver U(N) supersymmetric gauge theories in 4D. They have a structure of a deformed version of W_{1+\infty} algebra which is called SH^c algebra (or degenerate double affine Hecke algebra) in the literature. The algebra contains W_N algebra with general central charge defined by a parameter β, which gives the $Ω$ background in Nekrasov's analysis. Some parts of the formulae are identified with the conformal Ward identity for the conformal block function of Toda field theory.
We derive closed-form expressions for all ingredients of the Zamolodchikov-like recursion relation for general spinning conformal blocks in 3-dimensional conformal field theory. This result opens a path to efficient automatic generation of conformal block tables, which has immediate applications in numerical conformal bootstrap program. Our derivation is based on an understanding of null states and conformally-invariant differential operators in momentum space, combined with a careful choice of the relevant tensor structures bases. This derivation generalizes straightforwardly to higher spacet…
We investigate a relation between the super topological recursion and Gaiotto vectors for $\mathcal{N}=1$ superconformal blocks. Concretely, we introduce the notion of the untwisted and $μ$-twisted super topological recursion, and construct a dual algebraic description in terms of super Airy structures. We then show that the partition function of an appropriate super Airy structure coincides with the Gaiotto vector for $\mathcal{N}=1$ superconformal blocks in the Neveu-Schwarz or Ramond sector. Equivalently, the Gaiotto vector can be computed by the untwisted or $μ$-twisted super topological r…
In the context of conformal field theories in general space-time dimension, we find all the possible singularities of the conformal blocks as functions of the scaling dimension $Δ$ of the exchanged operator. In particular, we argue, using representation theory of parabolic Verma modules, that in odd spacetime dimension the singularities are only simple poles. We discuss how to use this information to write recursion relations that determine the conformal blocks. We first recover the recursion relation introduced in 1307.6856 for conformal blocks of external scalar operators. We then generalize…
Celestial amplitudes are flat-space amplitudes which are Mellin-transformed to correlators living on the celestial sphere. In this note we present a recursion relation, based on a tree-level BCFW recursion, for gravitational celestial amplitudes and use it to explore the notion of conformal softness. As the BCFW formula exponentiates in the soft energy, it leads directly to conformal soft theorems in an exponential form. These appear from a soft piece of the amplitude characterized by a discrete family of singularities with weights $Δ=1-\mathbb{Z}_+$. As a byproduct, in the case of the MHV sec…
We reconsider the computation of the entanglement entropy of two disjoint intervals in a (1+1) dimensional conformal field theory by conformal block expansion of the 4-point correlation function of twist fields. We show that accurate results may be obtained by taking into account several terms in the operator product expansion (OPE) of twist fields and by iterating the Zamolodchikov recursion formula for each conformal block. We perform a detailed analysis for the Ising conformal field theory and for the free compactified boson. Each term in the conformal block expansion can be easily analytic…
We study Virasoro minimal-model 4-point conformal blocks on the sphere and 0-point conformal blocks on the torus (the Virasoro characters), as solutions of Zamolodchikov-type recursion relations. In particular, we study the singularities due to resonances of the dimensions of conformal fields in minimal-model representations, that appear in the intermediate steps of solving the recursion relations, but cancel in the final results.
We review holographic renormalization for non-conformal branes using the Hamilton-Jacobi formalism. We provide the tools required for the computation of the holographic dictionary, while we present some marginally new technical results regarding holographic renormalization for $Dp$-branes, $p<5$, for Einstein-Maxwell theory coupled to a dilaton. The computations are based on a recursive algorithm by Papadimitriou, that solves the radial Hamilton-Jacobi equation in the asymptotic boundary of the bulk. This paper is a short version of the Master thesis of the author written in 2014 at the Instit…
We revisit the problem of performing conformal block decomposition of exchange Witten diagrams in the crossed channel. Using properties of conformal blocks and Witten diagrams, we discover infinitely many linear relations among the crossed channel decomposition coefficients. These relations allow us to formulate a recursive algorithm that solves the decomposition coefficients in terms of certain seed coefficients. In one dimensional CFTs, the seed coefficient is the decomposition coefficient of the double-trace operator with the lowest conformal dimension. In higher dimensions, the seed coeffi…
Witten diagrams are basic objects for studying dynamics in AdS space, and also play key roles in the analytic functional bootstrap. However, these diagrams are notoriously hard to evaluate, making it extremely difficult to search for recursion relations among them. In this note, we present simple methods to obtain recursion relations for exchange Witten diagrams from conformal block recursion relations. We discover a variety of new relations, including the dimensional reduction formulae for exchange Witten diagrams. In particular, we find a five-term recursion relation relating exchange Witten…
We study large $c$ conformal blocks outside the known limits. This work seems to be hard, but it is possible numerically by using the Zamolodchikov recursion relation. As a result, we find new some properties of large $c$ conformal blocks with a pair of two different dimensions for any channel and with various internal dimensions. With light intermediate states, we find a Cardy-like asymptotic formula for large $c$ conformal blocks and also we find that the qualitative behavior of various large $c$ blocks drastically changes when the dimensions of external primary states reach the value $c/32$…
Based on prototypical example of Al.Zamolodchikov's recursion relations for the four point conformal block and using recently proposed Alday-Gaiotto-Tachikawa (AGT) conjecture, recursion relations are derived for the generalized prepotential of ${\cal N}=2$ SYM with $f=0,1,2,3,4$ (anti) fundamental or an adjoint hypermultiplets. In all cases the large expectation value limit is derived explicitly. A precise relationship between generic 1-point conformal block on torus and specific 4-point conformal block on sphere is established. In view of AGT conjecture this translates into a relation betwee…
We derive recursion relations for the anomalous dimensions of double-trace operators occurring in the conformal block expansion of four-point stress tensor correlators in the 6d $(2,0)$ theory, which encode higher-derivative corrections to supergravity in $AdS_7 \times S^4$ arising from M-theory. As a warm-up, we derive analogous recursion relations for four-point functions of scalar operators in a toy non-supersymmetric 6d conformal field theory.
All types of 4-point spheric conformal blocks in both sectors of N=1 superconformal field theory are introduced and analyzed. The elliptic recurrence formulae are derived for all the types of blocks not previously discussed in the literature. The results are used for numerical verification of the crossing symmetry of some 4-point functions in the N=1 superconformal Liouville field theory.
Four-point super-conformal blocks for the N = 1 Neveu-Schwarz algebra are defined in terms of power series of the even super-projective invariant. Coefficients of these expansions are represented both as sums over poles in the "intermediate" conformal weight and as sums over poles in the central charge of the algebra. The residua of these poles are calculated in both cases. Closed recurrence relations for the block coefficients are derived.
We develop a recursive approach to computing Neveu-Schwarz conformal blocks associated with n-punctured Riemann surfaces. This work generalizes the results of [1] obtained recently for the Virasoro algebra. The method is based on the analysis of the analytic properties of the superconformal blocks considered as functions of the central charge c. It consists of two main ingredients: the study of the singular behavior of the conformal blocks and the analysis of their asymptotic properties when c tends to infinity. The proposed construction is applicable for computing multi-point blocks in differ…
Based on the spectrum identified in our earlier work [arXiv:1809.02191], we numerically solve the bootstrap to determine four-point correlation functions of the geometrical connectivities in the $Q$-state Potts model. Crucial in our approach is the existence of "interchiral conformal blocks", which arise from the degeneracy of fields with conformal weight $h_{r,1}$, with $r\in\mathbb{N}^*$, and are related to the underlying presence of the "interchiral algebra" introduced in [arXiv:1207.6334]. We also find evidence for the existence of "renormalized" recursions, replacing those that follow fro…
We construct confluent conformal blocks of the second kind of the Virasoro algebra. We also construct the Stokes transformations which map such blocks in one Stokes sector to another. In the BPZ limit, we verify explicitly that the constructed blocks and the associated Stokes transformations reduce to solutions of the confluent BPZ equation and its Stokes matrices, respectively. Both the confluent conformal blocks and the Stokes transformations are constructed by taking suitable confluent limits of the crossing transformations of the four-point Virasoro conformal blocks.
Extending previous work on 2 -- and 3 -- point functions, we study the 4 -- point function and its conformal block structure in conformal quantum mechanics CFT$_1$, which realizes the SO(2,1) symmetry group. Conformal covariance is preserved even though the operators with which we work need not be primary and the states are not conformally invariant. We find that only one conformal block contributes to the four-point function. We describe some further properties of the states that we use and we construct dynamical evolution generated by the compact generator of SO(2.1).
In this work we initiate an integrability-based approach to multipoint conformal blocks for higher dimensional conformal field theories. Our main observation is that conformal blocks for $N$-point functions may be considered as eigenfunctions of integrable Gaudin Hamiltonians. This provides us with a complete set of differential equations that can be used to evaluate multipoint blocks.
Virasoro irregular conformal block with arbitrary rank is obtained for the classical limit or equivalently Nekrasov-Shatashvili limit using the beta-deformed irregular matrix model (Penner-type matrix model for the irregular conformal block). The same result is derived using the generalized Mathieu equation which is equivalent to the loop equation of the irregular matrix model.
We present a new systematic way to evaluate the classical limit of the Virasoro irregular conformal block for arbitrary rank n based on the irregular partition function. In addition, we prove that the classical irregular conformal block has the exponential form as suggested by A. Zamolodchikov and Al. Zamolodchikov for the regular case. We provide an explicit calculation for the rank 2 case in detail.
Virasoro irregular conformal block is presented as the expectation value of Jack-polynomials of the beta-deformed Penner-type matrix model and is compared with the inner product of Gaiotto states with arbitrary rank. It is confirmed that there are non-trivial modifications of the Gaiotto states due to the normalization of the states. The relation between the two is explicitly checked for rank 2 irregular conformal block.
Classical conformal blocks naturally appear in the large central charge limit of 2D Virasoro conformal blocks. In the $AdS_{3}/CFT_{2}$ correspondence, they are related to classical bulk actions and are used to calculate entanglement entropy and geodesic lengths. In this work, we discuss the identification of classical conformal blocks and the Painlevé VI action showing how isomonodromic deformations naturally appear in this context. We recover the accessory parameter expansion of Heun's equation from the isomonodromic $τ$-function. We also discuss how the $c = 1$ expansion of the $τ$-function…
In this paper we develop further the relation between conformal four-point blocks involving external spinning fields and Calogero-Sutherland quantum mechanics with matrix-valued potentials. To this end, the analysis of \cite{Schomerus:2016epl} is extended to arbitrary dimensions and to the case of boundary two-point functions. In particular, we construct the potential for any set of external tensor fields. Some of the resulting Schrödinger equations are mapped explicitly to the known Casimir equations for 4-dimensional seed conformal blocks. Our approach furnishes solutions of Casimir equation…
Using a super scalar field representation of the chiral vertex operators we develop a general method of calculating braiding matrices for all types of N=1 super-conformal 4-point blocks involving Ramond external weights. We give explicit analytic formulae in a number of cases.
We discuss the resummation procedure of the superpotential in 4d $\mathcal{N}=2$ SYM theory without matter from the point of view of 2d Liouville conformal field theory, utilizing the AGT correspondence. We identify contributions of different descendants of the intermediate state, defining a conformal block in CFT, to the superpotential and answer the question, which descendants are responsible for the appearance of the branch cuts in the superpotential.
Irregular conformal block is motivated by the Argyres-Douglas type of N=2 super conformal gauge theory. We investigate the classical/NS limit of the irregular conformal block using spectral curve on a Riemann surface with irregular punctures, which is equivalent to the loop equation of irregular matrix model. The spectral curve is reduced to the second order (Virasoro symmetry, $SU(2)$ for the gauge theory) and third order ($W_3$ symmetry, $SU(3)$) differential equations of a polynomial with finite degree. The Virasoro and W symmetry generate flow equations in the spectral curve and determine …
We consider the conformal blocks in the theories with extended conformal W-symmetry for the integer Virasoro central charges. We show that these blocks for the generalized twist fields on sphere can be computed exactly in terms of the free field theory on the covering Riemann surface, even for a non-abelian monodromy group. The generalized twist fields are identified with particular primary fields of the W-algebra, and we propose a straightforward way to compute their W-charges. We demonstrate how these exact conformal blocks can be effectively computed using the technique arisen from the gaug…
We study the classical c\to \infty limit of the Virasoro conformal blocks. We point out that the classical limit of the simplest nontrivial null-vector decoupling equation on a sphere leads to the Painleve VI equation. This gives the explicit representation of generic four-point classical conformal block in terms of the regularized action evaluated on certain solution of the Painleve VI equation. As a simple consequence, the monodromy problem of the Heun equation is related to the connection problem for the Painleve VI.
We study the solution of the Schlesinger system for the 4-point $\mathfrak{sl}_N$ isomonodromy problem and conjecture an expression for the isomonodromic $τ$-function in terms of 2d conformal field theory beyond the known $N=2$ Painlevé VI case. We show that this relation can be used as an alternative definition of conformal blocks for the $W_N$ algebra and argue that the infinite number of arbitrary constants arising in the algebraic construction of $W_N$ conformal block can be expressed in terms of only a finite set of parameters of the monodromy data of rank $N$ Fuchsian system with three r…
In this paper we derive the projectors to all irreducible SO(d) representations (traceless mixed-symmetry tensors) that appear in the partial wave decomposition of a conformal correlator of four stress-tensors in d dimensions. These projectors are given in a closed form for arbitrary length $l_1$ of the first row of the Young diagram. The appearance of Gegenbauer polynomials leads directly to recursion relations in $l_1$ for seed conformal blocks. Further results include a differential operator that generates the projectors to traceless mixed-symmetry tensors and the general normalization cons…
Irregular conformal block is a new tool to study Argyres-Douglas theory, whose irregular vector is represented as a simultaneous eigenstate of a set of positive Virasoro generators. One way to find the irregular conformal block is to use the partition function of the β-ensemble of hermitian matrix model. So far the method is limited to the case of irregular singularity of even degree. In this letter, we present a new matrix model for the case of odd degree and calculate its partition function. The model is different from the previous one in that its potential has additional factor of square ro…
The operator product expansion (OPE) on the celestial sphere of conformal primary gluons and gravitons is studied. Asymptotic symmetries imply recursion relations between products of operators whose conformal weights differ by half-integers. It is shown, for tree-level Einstein-Yang-Mills theory, that these recursion relations are so constraining that they completely fix the leading celestial OPE coefficients in terms of the Euler beta function. The poles in the beta functions are associated with conformally soft currents.
We describe Zhu recursion for a vertex operator algebra (VOA) on a general genus Riemann surface in the Schottky uniformization where $n$-point correlation functions are written as linear combinations of $(n-1)$-point functions with universal coefficients. These coefficients are identified with specific geometric structures on the Riemann surface. We apply Zhu recursion to the Heisenberg VOA and determine all its correlation functions. For a general VOA, Zhu recursion with respect to the Virasoro vector is shown to lead to conformal Ward identities expressed in terms of derivatives with respec…
We establish a set of new on-shell recursion relations for amplitudes satisfying soft theorems. The recursion relations can apply to those amplitudes whose additional physical inputs from soft theorems are enough to overcome the bad large-z behaviour. This work is a generalization of the recursion relations recently obtained by Cheung et al for amplitudes in scalar effective field theories with enhanced vanishing soft behaviours, which can be regarded as a special case of those with non-vanishing soft limits. We apply the recursion relations to tree-level amplitudes in various theories, includ…
We develop the theory of irregular conformal blocks of the Virasoro algebra. In previous studies, expansions of irregular conformal blocks at regular singular points were obtained as degeneration limits of regular conformal blocks; however, such expansions at irregular singular points were not clearly understood. This is because precise definitions of irregular vertex operators had not been provided previously. In this paper, we present precise definitions of irregular vertex operators of two types and we prove that one of our vertex operators exists uniquely. Then, we define irregular conform…
Conformal blocks for correlation functions of tensor operators play an increasingly important role for the conformal bootstrap programme. We develop a universal approach to such spinning blocks through the harmonic analysis of certain bundles over a coset of the conformal group. The resulting Casimir equations are given by a matrix version of the Calogero-Sutherland Hamiltonian that describes the scattering of interacting spinning particles in a 1-dimensional external potential. The approach is illustrated in several examples including fermionic seed blocks in 3D CFT where they take a very sim…
We study the relation of irregular conformal blocks with the Painlevé III$_3$ equation. The functional representation for the quasiclassical irregular block is shown to be consistent with the BPZ equations of conformal field theory and the Hamilton-Jacobi approach to Painlevé III$_3$. It leads immediately to a limiting case of the blow-up equations for dual Nekrasov partition function of 4d pure supersymmetric gauge theory, which can be even treated as a defining system of equations for both $c=1$ and $c\to\infty$ conformal blocks. We extend this analysis to the domain of strong-coupling regim…
Classical Virasoro conformal blocks are believed to be directly related to accessory parameters of Floquet type in the Heun equation and some of its confluent versions. We extend this relation to another class of accessory parameter functions that are defined by inverting all-order Bohr-Sommerfeld periods for confluent and biconfluent Heun equation. The relevant conformal blocks involve Nagoya irregular vertex operators of rank 1 and 2 and conjecturally correspond to partition functions of a 4D $\mathcal{N}=2$, $N_f=3$ gauge theory at strong coupling and an Argyres-Douglas theory.
We use localization techniques to study the non-perturbative properties of an N=2 superconformal gauge theory with gauge group SU(3) and six fundamental flavours. The instanton corrections to the prepotential, the dual periods and the period matrix are calculated in a locus of special vacua possessing a Z_3 symmetry. In a semi-classical expansion, we show that these observables are constrained by S-duality via a modular anomaly equation which takes the form of a recursion relation. The solutions of the recursion relation are quasi-modular functions of Gamma_1(3), which is a subgroup of the S-d…
General fermionic expressions for the branching functions of the rational coset conformal field theories $\widehat{su}(2)_{M}\times \widehat{su}(2)_N/\widehat{su}(2)_{M+N}$ are given. The equality of the bosonic and fermionic representations for the branching functions is proven by introducing polynomial truncations of these branching functions which are the configuration sums of the RSOS models in regime III. The path space interpretation of the RSOS models provides recursion relations for the configuration sums. The proof of the recursion relations for the fermionic expressions is given by u…
Recently, spin-one wavefunctions in four dimensions that are conformal primaries of the Lorentz group SL(2,C) were constructed. We compute low-point, tree-level gluon scattering amplitudes in the space of these conformal primary wavefunctions. The answers have the same conformal covariance as correlators of spin-one primaries in a 2d CFT. The BCFW recursion relation between three- and four-point gluon amplitudes is recast into this conformal basis.
We derive general tree-level recursion relations for amplitudes which include massive propagating particles. As an illustration, we apply these recursion relations to scattering amplitudes of gluons coupled to massive scalars. We provide new results for all amplitudes with a pair of scalars and n < 5 gluons. These amplitudes can be used as building blocks in the computation of one-loop 6-gluon amplitudes using unitarity based methods.
We present a recursive rule for the symbol of perturbative contributions to the vacuum wave function of a conformally coupled scalar in FRW cosmologies. The rule applies exactly for a class of interactions and cosmologies, which contains λϕ^3 in dS_4, a case of particular relevance as a source of building blocks for inflationary correlators. We use the rule to efficiently reproduce the tree-level four-point contribution and present novel computations of the bubble integrand and the tree-level five-point contribution. Our results apply equally well to the computation of Witten diagrams in Eucli…
We show how to refine conformal block expansion convergence estimates from hep-th/1208.6449. In doing so we find a novel explicit formula for the 3d conformal blocks on the real axis.
For conformal field theories in arbitrary dimensions, we introduce a method to derive the conformal blocks corresponding to the exchange of a traceless symmetric tensor appearing in four point functions of operators with spin. Using the embedding space formalism, we show that one can express all such conformal blocks in terms of simple differential operators acting on the basic scalar conformal blocks. This method gives all conformal blocks for conformal field theories in three dimensions. We demonstrate how this formalism can be applied in a few simple examples.
Conformal blocks are the building blocks for correlation functions in conformal field theories. The four-point function is the most well-studied case. We consider conformal blocks for $n$-point correlation functions. For conformal field theories in dimensions $d=1$ and $d=2$, we use the shadow formalism to compute $n$-point conformal blocks, for arbitrary $n$, in a particular channel which we refer to as the comb channel. The result is expressed in terms of a multivariable hypergeometric function, for which we give series, differential, and integral representations. In general dimension $d$ we…
We study CFT2 conformal blocks on a torus and their holographic realization. The classical conformal blocks arising in the regime where conformal dimensions grow linearly with the large central charge are shown to be holographically dual to the geodesic networks stretched in the thermal AdS bulk space. We discuss the n-point conformal blocks and their duals, the 2-point case is elaborated in full detail. We develop various techniques to calculate both quantum and classical conformal block functions. In particular, we show that exponentiated global torus blocks reproduce classical torus blocks …
We derive expressions for conformal blocks involving operators with arbitrary spins in 3-dimensional CFTs. We use previous results on the action of the OPE in the embedding space to derive the conformal blocks. The blocks are given as explicit power series in terms of the conformal cross ratios.
We derive conformal blocks in an inverse spacetime dimension expansion. In this large D limit, the blocks are naturally written in terms of a new combination of conformal cross-ratios. We comment on the implications for the conformal bootstrap at large D.
We consider the dimensional reduction of a CFT, breaking multiplets of the d-dimensional conformal group SO(d+1,1) up into multiplets of SO(d,1). This leads to an expansion of d-dimensional conformal blocks in terms of blocks in d-1 dimensions. In particular, we obtain a formula for 3d conformal blocks as an infinite sum over 2F1 hypergeometric functions with closed-form coefficients.
