We study the late-time behaviors of pseudo-(Rényi) entropy of locally excited states in rational conformal field theories (RCFTs). To construct the transition matrix, we utilize two non-orthogonal locally excited states that are created by the application of different descendant operators to the vacuum. We show that when two descendant operators are generated by a single Virasoro generator acting on the same primary operator, the late-time excess of pseudo-entropy and pseudo-Rényi entropy corresponds to the logarithmic of the quantum dimension of the associated primary operator, in agreement with the case of entanglement entropy. However, for linear combination operators generated by the generic summation of Virasoro generators, we obtain a distinct late-time excess formula for the pseudo-(Rényi) entropy compared to that for (Rényi) entanglement entropy. As the mixing of holomorphic and antiholomorphic generators enhances the entanglement, in this case, the pseudo-(Rényi) entropy can receive an additional contribution. The additional contribution can be expressed as the pseudo-(Rényi) entropy of an effective transition matrix in a finite-dimensional Hilbert space.
We consider correlation functions in symmetric product ($S_N$) orbifold CFTs at large $N$ with arbitrary seed CFT. Specifically, we consider correlators of descendant operators constructed using both the full Virasoro generators $L_{m}$ and fractional Virasoro generators $\ell_{m/n_i}$. Using covering space techniques, we show that correlators of descendants may be written entirely in terms of correlators of ancestors, and further that the appropriate set of ancestors are those operators that lift to conformal primaries on the cover. We argue that the covering space data should cancel out in s…
We consider correlation functions in symmetric product ($S_N$) orbifold CFTs at large $N$ with arbitrary seed CFT, expanding on our earlier work arXiv:2211.04633 . Using covering space techniques, we calculate descent relations using fractional Virasoro generators in correlators, writing correlators of descendants in terms of correlators of ancestors. We first consider the case three-point functions of the form ($m$-cycle)-($n$-cycle)-($q$-cycle) which lift to arbitrary primaries on the cover, and descendants thereof. In these examples we show that the final descent relations do not depend on …
Using some techniques of conformal field theories, we find a closed expression for the contribution of leading twist operators and their descendants, obtained by adding total derivatives, to the operator product expansion (OPE) of two electromagnetic currents in QCD. Our expression resums contributions of all twists and to all orders in perturbation theory up to corrections proportional to the QCD $β$-function. At tree level and to twist-four accuracy, our result agrees with the expression derived earlier by a different method. The results are directly applicable to deeply-virtual Compton scat…
We calculate six invariant terms of a gravitational field theory that nonlinearly realizes the Conformal/Poincaré quotient, and reduce to the known conformal Galileons in the limit when only the conformal mode is kept. Five of the six terms are regular coset terms, while the sixth is a Wess-Zumino (WZ) term that gives the well-known gravitational action for the trace anomaly. The obtained terms can be embedded in a quantum effective field theory (EFT) without spoiling their key features, although at a cost of certain fine tunings. The additional massive modes that appear in the EFT would have …
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.
We determine 5d $\mathcal{N}=1$ SCFTs originating from 6d $(E_n,E_m)$ conformal matter theories with $n\neq m$ by circle reduction and mass deformations. The marginal geometries are constructed and we derive their combined fiber diagrams (CFDs). The CFDs allow for an enumeration of descendant SCFTs obtained by decoupling matter hypermultiplets and a description of candidate weakly coupled quivers.
Multi-collinear factorization limits provide a window to study how locality and unitarity of scattering amplitudes can emerge dynamically from celestial CFT, the conjectured holographic dual to gauge and gravitational theories in flat space. To this end, we first use asymptotic symmetries to commence a systematic study of conformal and Kac-Moody descendants in the OPE of celestial gluons. Recursive application of these OPEs then equips us with a novel holographic method of computing the multi-collinear limits of gluon amplitudes. We perform this computation for some of the simplest helicity as…
In this thesis we analyse three aspects of Conformal Field Theories (CFTs). First, we consider correlation functions of descendant states in two-dimensional CFTs. We discuss a recursive formula to calculate them and provide a computer implementation of it. This allows us to obtain any correlation function of vacuum descendants, and for non-vacuum descendants to express the correlator as a differential operator acting on the respective primary correlator. With this code, we study some entanglement and distinguishability measures between descendant states, i.e. the Rényi entropy, trace square di…
We investigate the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH) of highly excited descendant states in two-dimensional large central charge $c$ conformal field theory. We use operator product expansion of twist operators to calculate the short interval expansions of entanglement entropy and relative entropy for an interval of length $\ell$ up to order $\ell^{12}$. Using these results to ensure ETH of a heavy state when compared with the canonical ensemble state up to various orders of $c$, we get the constraints on the expectation values of the first few quasiprimary operators in the vacuum conf…
We study the single interval entanglement and relative entropies of conformal descendants in 2d CFT. Descendants contain non-trivial entanglement, though the entanglement entropy of the canonical primary in the free boson CFT contains no additional entanglement compared to the vacuum, we show that the entanglement entropy of the state created by its level one descendant is non-trivial and is identical to that of the $U(1)$ current in this theory. We determine the first sub-leading corrections to the short interval expansion of the entanglement entropy of descendants in a general CFT from their…
Implications are explored of promoting non-conformal scale-invariant theories to conformal theories by nonlinearly realizing the missing symmetry. Properties of the associated Nambu-Goldstone mode imply that conformal invariance cannot be spontaneously broken to scale invariance in unitary theories and that, as well known, scale invariant unitary theories in two dimensions are also conformal. The promoted theories have only conformal primaries and no descendants. The (non-)decoupling of the Nambu-Goldstone mode is explicitly shown in examples of scale invariant theories that are actually (not)…
We extend the definition of the refined topological vertex C to an n-coloured refined topological vertex C_n that depends on n free bosons, and compute the 5D strip partition function made of N pairs of C_n vertices and conjugate C*_n vertices. Using geometric engineering and the AGT correspondence, the 4D limit of this strip partition function is identified with a (normalized) matrix element of a (primary state) vertex operator that intertwines two (arbitrary descendant) states in a (generically non-rational) 2D conformal field theory with Z_n parafermion primary states.
We study the conformal properties of pseudo-scalar (parity-odd) operators in four-dimensional field theory. Such operators include the topological term in a gauge theory and the Yukawa coupling. We show that a single operator of this type cannot be a conformal primary on its own. This is only possible for certain mixtures of pseudo-scalar operators like the chiral Lagrangian of ${\cal N}=4$ super-Yang-Mills theory. We examine the detailed mechanism of conformal symmetry breakdown and derive an anomalous conformal Ward identity. We explore a possible link between this conformal anomaly and the …
We holographically calculate two-point functions in the pseudo-conformal universe, an early universe alternative to inflation. The pseudo-conformal universe can be modeled as a defect conformal field theory, where the reheating surface is a codimension-1 spacelike defect which breaks the conformal algebra to a de Sitter subalgebra. The dual spacetime geometries are domain walls with de-Sitter symmetry in an asymptotically anti-de Sitter spacetime. We compute 2-point functions of scalars and stress tensors by solving the linearized equations for scalar and tensor fluctuations about these backgr…
The very near horizon regions of nonextremal black holes have a conformal symmetry which is anomalous and spontaneously broken by the Rindler vacuum. Therefore, these black holes can effectively be described by the pseudo Goldstone bosons of conformal symmetry and their Schwarzian action which is determined by the breakdown of the conformal symmetry to $SL(2)$. In Euclidean gravity, the Schwarzian action leads to the Wald entropy of nonextremal black holes. These results are consistent with the neutral limit of near extremal charged black holes described by near $AdS_2$ space--times.
In this work, we develop conformal bootstrap for Galilean conformal field theory (GCFT). In a GCFT, the Hilbert space could be decomposed into quasiprimary states and its global descendants. Different from the usual conformal field theory, the quasi-primary states in a GCFT constitute multiplets, which are block-diagonized under the Galilean boost operator. More importantly the multiplets include the states of negative norms, indicating the theory is not unitary. We compute global blocks of the multiplets, and discuss the expansion of four-point functions in terms of the global blocks of the m…
We present covariant symmetry operators for the conformal wave equation in the (off-shell) Kerr-NUT-AdS spacetimes. These operators, that are constructed from the principal Killing-Yano tensor, its `symmetry descendants', and the curvature tensor, guarantee separability of the conformal wave equation in these spacetimes. We next discuss how these operators give rise to a full set of conformally invariant mutually commuting operators for the conformally rescaled spacetimes and underlie the $R$-separability of the conformal wave equation therein. Finally, by employing the WKB approximation we de…
We show that $T \bar T, J \bar T$ and $J T_a$ - deformed classical CFTs possess an infinite set of symmetries that take the form of a field-dependent generalization of two-dimensional conformal transformations. If, in addition, the seed CFTs possess an affine $U(1)$ symmetry, we show that it also survives in the deformed theories, again in a field-dependent form. These symmetries can be understood as the infinitely-extended conformal and $U(1)$ symmetries of the underlying two-dimensional CFT, seen through the prism of the "dynamical coordinates" that characterise each of these deformations. W…
In the AdS$_3$/CFT$_2$ correspondence, we find some conformal field theory (CFT) states that have no bulk description by the Bañados geometry. We elaborate the constraints for a CFT state to be geometric, i.e., having a dual Bañados metric, by comparing the order of central charge of the entanglement/Rényi entropy obtained respectively from the holographic method and the replica trick in CFT. We find that the geometric CFT states fulfill Bohr's correspondence principle by reducing the quantum KdV hierarchy to its classical counterpart. We call the CFT states that satisfy the geometric constrai…
We investigate the structure of conformal Regge trajectories for the maximally supersymmetric (2,0) theories in six dimensions. The different conformal multiplets in a single superconformal multiplet must all have similarly-shaped Regge trajectories. We show that these super-descendant trajectories interact in interesting ways, leading to new constraints on their shape. For the four-point function of the stress tensor multiplet supersymmetry also softens the Regge behavior in some channels, and consequently we observe that 'analyticity in spin' holds for all spins greater than -3. All the phys…
