Building on an analogy with conformal invariance, local scale transformations consistent with dynamical scaling are constructed. Two types of local scale invariance are found which act as dynamical space-time symmetries of certain non-local free field theories. Physical applications include uniaxial Lifshitz points and ageing in simple ferromagnets.
Recent developments on emergence of logarithmic terms in correlators or response functions of models which exhibit dynamical symmetries analogous to conformal invariance in not necessarily relativistic systems are reviewed. The main examples of these are logarithmic Schrödinger-invariance and logarithmic conformal Galilean invariance. Some applications of these ideas to statistical physics are described.
In this note, we illustrate how the two-dimensional theory of elasticity provides a physical example of field theory displaying scale but not conformal invariance.
The covariant two-point functions, derived from Ward identities in direct space, can be affected by consistency problems and can become unbounded for large time- or space-separations. This difficulty arises for several extensions of dynamical scaling, for example Schrödinger-invariance, conformal Galilei invariance or meta-conformal invariance, but not for standard ortho-conformal invariance. For meta-conformal invariance in 1+1 dimensions, these difficulties can be cured by going over to a dual space and an extension of these dynamical symmetries through the construction of a new generator in…
Building on an analogy with conformal invariance, local scale transformations consistent with dynamical scaling are constructed. Two types of local scale invariance are found which act as dynamical space-time symmetries of certain non-local free field theories. The scaling form of two-point functions is completely fixed by the requirement of local scale invariance. These predictions are confirmed through tests in the 3D ANNNI model at its Lifshitz point and in ageing phenomena of simple ferromagnets, here studied through the kinetic Ising model with Glauber dynamics.
Dynamical symmetries of the collisionless Boltzmann transport equation, or Vlasov equation, but under the influence of an external driving force, are derived from non-standard representations of the $2D$ conformal algebra. In the case without external forces, the symmetry of the conformally invariant transport equation is first generalised by considering the particle momentum as an independent variables. This new conformal representation can be further extended to include an external force. The construction and possible physical applications are outlined.
Using Wilson renormalization group, we show that if no integrated vector operator of scaling dimension $-1$ exists, then scale invariance implies conformal invariance. By using the Lebowitz inequalities, we prove that this necessary condition is fulfilled in all dimensions for the Ising universality class. This shows, in particular, that scale invariance implies conformal invariance for the three-dimensional Ising model.
We review the status of the two-dimensional Abelian sandpile model as a strong candidate to provide a lattice realization of logarithmic conformal invariance with central charge c=-2. Evidence supporting this view is collected from various aspects of the model. These include the study of some conformally invariant boundary conditions, and the corresponding boundary condition changing fields, the calculation of correlations of certain bulk and boundary observables (the height variables) as well as a proper account of the necessary dissipation, which allows for a physical understanding of some o…
We consider the question of conformal invariance of the long-range Ising model at the critical point. The continuum description is given in terms of a nonlocal field theory, and the absence of a stress tensor invalidates all of the standard arguments for the enhancement of scale invariance to conformal invariance. We however show that several correlation functions, computed to second order in the epsilon expansion, are nontrivially consistent with conformal invariance. We proceed to give a proof of conformal invariance to all orders in the epsilon expansion, based on the description of the lon…
The behaviour of the 3D axial next-nearest neighbour Ising (ANNNI) model at the uniaxial Lifshitz point is studied using Monte Carlo techniques. A new variant of the Wolff cluster algorithm permits the analysis of systems far larger than in previous studies. The Lifshitz point critical exponents are $α=0.18(2)$, $β=0.238(5)$ and $γ=1.36(3)$. Data for the spin-spin correlation function are shown to be consistent with the explicit scaling function derived from the assumption of local scale invariance, which is a generalization of conformal invariance to the anisotropic scaling {\em at} the Lifsh…
The partition function with boundary conditions for various two-dimensional Ising models is examined and previously unobserved properties of conformal invariance and universality are established numerically.
We revisit the long-standing conjecture that in unitary field theories, scale invariance implies conformality. We explain why the Zamolodchikov-Polchinski proof in D=2 does not work in higher dimensions. We speculate which new ideas might be helpful in a future proof. We also search for possible counterexamples. We consider a general multi-field scalar-fermion theory with quartic and Yukawa interactions. We show that there are no counterexamples among fixed points of such models in 4-epsilon dimensions. We also discuss fake counterexamples, which exist among theories without a stress tensor.
A new realization of the conformal algebra is studied which mimics the behaviour of a statistical system on a discrete albeit infinite lattice. The two-point function is found from the requirement that it transforms covariantly under this realization. The result is in agreement with explicit lattice calculations of the $(1+1)D$ Ising model and the $d-$dimensional spherical model. A hard core is found which is not present in the continuum. For a semi-infinite lattice, profiles are also obtained.
In this review article, we discuss the distinction and possible equivalence between scale invariance and conformal invariance in relativistic quantum field theories. Under some technical assumptions, we can prove that scale invariant quantum field theories in $d=2$ dimension necessarily possess the enhanced conformal symmetry. The use of the conformal symmetry is well appreciated in the literature, but the fact that all the scale invariant phenomena in $d=2$ dimension enjoy the conformal property relies on the deep structure of the renormalization group. The outstanding question is whether thi…
This is a Comment on the Article ``Aging, phase ordering and conformal invariance'' by M.Henkel, M.Pleimling, C.Godrèche and J.M.Luck [Phys.Rev.Lett. 87, 265701 (2001)].
The aim of the paper is to present numerical results supporting the presence of conformal invariance in three dimensional statistical mechanics models at criticality and to elucidate the geometric aspects of universality. As a case study we study three dimensional percolation at criticality in bounded domains. Both on discrete and continuous models of critical percolation, we test by numerical experiments the invariance of quantities in finite domains under conformal transformations focusing on crossing probabilities. Our results show clear evidence of the onset of conformal invariance in fini…
We study the continuum scaling limit of the critical Ising magnetization in two dimensions. We prove the existence of subsequential limits, discuss connections with the scaling limit of critical FK clusters, and describe work in progress of the author with C. Garban and C.M. Newman.
The one-particle density matrix of the one-dimensional Tonks-Girardeau gas with inhomogeneous density profile is calculated, thanks to a recent observation that relates this system to a two-dimensional conformal field theory in curved space. The result is asymptotically exact in the limit of large particle density and small density variation, and holds for arbitrary trapping potentials. In the particular case of a harmonic trap, we recover a formula obtained by Forrester et al. [Phys. Rev. A 67, 043607 (2003)] from a different method.
In a recent preprint [ArXiv 1802.02319], Meneses et al. challenge our proof that scale invariance implies conformal invariance for the three-dimensional Ising model [B. Delamotte, M. Tissier and N. Wschebor, Phys. Rev. E 93 (2016), 012144.]. We refute their arguments. We also point out a mistake in their one-loop calculation of the dimension of the vector operator $V_μ$ of lowest dimension which is not a total derivative.
Simplicity of fundamental physical laws manifests itself in fundamental symmetries. While systems with an infinity of strongly interacting degrees of freedom (in particle physics and critical phenomena) are hard to describe, they often demonstrate symmetries, in particular scale invariance. In two dimensions (2d) locality often promotes scale invariance to a wider class of conformal transformations which allow for nonuniform re-scaling. Conformal invariance allows a thorough classification of universality classes of critical phenomena in 2d. Is there conformal invariance in 2d turbulence, a pa…
We study scaling properties of the honeycomb fully packed loop ensemble associated with a lozenge tiling model of rough surface, when the latter is driven out of equilibrium by Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) type dynamics. We show numerically that conformal invariance and signatures of critical percolation appear in the stationary KPZ state. In terms of the two-component Coulomb gas description of the Edwards-Wilkinson stationary state, our finding is understood as the invariance of one component under the effect of the non-linear KPZ term. On the other hand, we show a breaking of conformal invaria…
Up to now the raise and peel model was the single known example of a one-dimensional stochastic process where one can observe conformal invariance. The model has one-parameter. Depending on its value one has a gapped phase, a critical point where one has conformal invariance and a gapless phase with changing values of the dynamical critical exponent $z$. In this model, adsorption is local but desorption is not. The raise and strip model presented here in which desorption is also nonlocal, has the same phase diagram. The critical exponents are different as are some physical properties of the mo…
It is widely expected that the realization of scale invariance in the critical regime implies conformal invariance for a large class of systems. This is known to be true if there exist no integrated operator which transforms like a vector under rotations and which has scaling dimension $-1$. In this article we give exact expressions for the critical exponents of some of these vector operators. In particular, we show that one operator has scaling dimension exactly 3 in any space dimension. This operator turns out be the leading operator at least in $d=2$ and $d=4$. Moreover, we prove that the o…
We conjecture an exact form for an universal ratio of four-point cluster connectivities in the critical two-dimensional $Q$-color Potts model. We also provide analogous results for the limit $Q\rightarrow 1$ that corresponds to percolation where the observable has a logarithmic singularity. Our conjectures are tested against Monte Carlo simulations showing excellent agreement for $Q=1,2,3$.
We study conformal invariance of vorticity clusters in weakly compressible two-dimensional turbulence at low Mach numbers. On the basis of very high resolution direct numerical simulation we demonstrate the scaling invariance of the inverse cascade with scaling close to Kolmogorov prediction. In this range of scales, the statistics of zero-vorticity isolines are found to be compatible with those of critical percolation, thus generalizing the results obtained in incompressible Navier-Stokes turbulence.
By combining the scaling relation of Amoruso {\it et al.}, PRL {\bf 97}, 267202 (2006) with standard droplet model assumptions, a value $θ= (\sqrt{6} - 3) / 2$ is obtained. This conjecture is reasonably consistent with the best existing numerical calculations, and may be exact.
We use the conformal invariance and the holographic correspondence to fully specify the dependence of entanglement entropy on the extrinsic geometry of the 2d surface $Σ$ that separates two subsystems of quantum strongly coupled ${\mathcal{N}}=4$ SU(N) superconformal gauge theory. We extend this result and calculate entanglement entropy of a generic 4d conformal field theory. As a byproduct, we obtain a closed-form expression for the entanglement entropy in flat space-time when $Σ$ is sphere $S_2$ and when $Σ$ is two-dimensional cylinder. The contribution of the type A conformal anomaly to ent…
Appreciation of Stochastic Loewner evolution (SLE$_κ$), as a powerful tool to check for conformal invariant properties of geometrical features of critical systems has been rising. In this paper we use this method to check conformal invariance in sandpile models. Avalanche frontiers in Abelian sandpile model (ASM) are numerically shown to be conformally invariant and can be described by SLE with diffusivity $κ=2$. This value is the same as value obtained for loop erased random walks (LERW). The fractal dimension and Schramm's formula for left passage probability also suggest the same result. We…
Using conformal invariance, we show that the non-universal exponent eta_0 associated with the decay of correlations along a defect line of modified bonds in the square-lattice Ising model is related to the amplitude A_0=xi_n/n of the correlation length ξ_n(K_c) at the bulk critical coupling K_c, on a strip with width n, periodic boundary conditions and two equidistant defect lines along the strip, through A_0=(πη_0)^{-1}.
Over the years, problems like percolation and self-avoiding walks have provided important testing grounds for our understanding of the nature of the critical state. I describe some very recent ideas, as well as some older ones, which cast light both on these problems themselves and on the quantum field theories to which they correspond. These ideas come from conformal field theory, Coulomb gas mappings, and stochastic Loewner evolution.
Based on the quaternionic approach developed by one of us [Z.D. Zhang, Phil. Mag. 87 (2007) 5309.] for the three-dimensional (3D) Ising model, we study in this work conformal invariance in three dimensions. We develop a procedure for treating the 3D conformal field theory. The 2D conformal field theory is generalized to be appropriate for three dimensions, within the framework of quaternionic coordinates with complex weights. The Virasoro algebra still works, but for each complex plane of quaternionic coordinates. The quaternionic geometric phases appear in quaternionic Hilbert space as a resu…
The partition function of the Baxter-Wu model is exactly related to the generating function of a site-colouring problem on a hexagonal lattice. We extend the original Bethe ansatz solution of these models in order to obtain the eigenspectra of their transfer matrices in finite geometries and general toroidal boundary conditions. The operator content of these models are studied by solving numerically the Bethe-ansatz equations and by exploring conformal invariance. Since the eigenspectra are calculated for large lattices, the corrections to finite-size scaling are also calculated.
Two-dimensional Fermi gases with universal short-range interactions are known to exhibit a quantum anomaly, where a classical scale and conformal invariance is broken by quantum effects at strong coupling. We argue that in a quasi two-dimensional geometry, a conformal window remains at weak interactions. Using degenerate perturbation theory, we verify the conformal symmetry by computing the energy spectrum of mesoscopic particle ensembles in a harmonic trap, which separates into conformal towers formed by so-called primary states and their center-of-mass and breathing-mode excitations, the lat…
Using Monte-Carlo simulations on large lattices, we study the effects of changing the parameter $u$ (the ratio of the adsorption and desorption rates) of the raise and peel model. This is a nonlocal stochastic model of a fluctuating interface. We show that for $0<u<1$ the system is massive, for $u=1$ it is massless and conformal invariant. For $u>1$ the conformal invariance is broken. The system is in a scale invariant but not conformal invariant phase. As far as we know it is the first example of a system which shows such a behavior. Moreover in the broken phase, the critical exponents vary c…