Yang-Mills observables: from KMOC to eikonal through EFT

We obtain a conservative Hamiltonian describing the interactions of two charged bodies in Yang-Mills through $$ \mathcal{O}\left({\alpha}^2\right) $$ O α 2 and to all orders in velocity. Our calculation extends a recently-introduced framework based on scattering amplitudes and effective field theory (EFT) to consider color-charged objects. These results are checked against the direct integration of the observables in the Kosower-Maybee-O’Connell (KMOC) formalism. At the order we consider we find that the linear and color impulses in a scattering event can be concisely described in terms of the eikonal phase, thus extending the domain of applicability of a formula originally proposed in the context of spinning particles.

Comments on all-loop constraints for scattering amplitudes and Feynman integrals

We comment on the status of “Steinmann-like” constraints, i.e. all-loop constraints on consecutive entries of the symbol of scattering amplitudes and Feynman integrals in planar $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 super-Yang-Mills, which have been crucial for the recent progress of the bootstrap program. Based on physical discontinuities and Steinmann relations, we first summarize all possible double discontinuities (or first-two-entries) for (the symbol of) amplitudes and integrals in terms of dilogarithms, generalizing well-known results for n = 6, 7 to all multiplicities. As our main result, we find that extended-Steinmann relations hold for all finite integrals that we have checked, including various ladder integrals, generic double-pentagon integrals, as well as finite components of two-loop NMHV amplitudes for any n; with suitable normalization such as minimal subtraction, they hold for n = 8 MHV amplitudes at three loops. We find interesting cancellation between contributions from rational and algebraic letters, and for the former we have also tested cluster-adjacency conditions using the so-called Sklyanin brackets. Finally, we propose a list of possible last-two-entries for MHV amplitudes up to 9 points derived from $$ \overline{Q} $$ Q ¯ equations, which can be used to reduce the space of functions for higher-point MHV amplitudes.

Anyons and the double copy

We examine the double copy structure of anyons in gauge theory and gravity. Using on-shell amplitude techniques, we construct little group covariant spinor-helicity variables describing massive particles with spin, which together with locality and unitarity enables us to derive the long-range tree-level scattering amplitudes involving anyons. We discover that classical gauge theory anyon solutions double copy to their gravitational counterparts in a non-trivial manner. Interestingly, we show that the massless double copy captures the topological structure of curved spacetime in three dimensions by introducing a non-trivial mixing of the topological graviton and the dilaton. Finally, we show that the celebrated Aharonov-Bohm phase can be derived directly from the constructed on-shell amplitude, and that it too enjoys a simple double copy to its gravitational counterpart.

Spinning S-matrix bootstrap in 4d

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.

Post-Newtonian waveforms from spinning scattering amplitudes

We derive the classical gravitational radiation from an aligned spin binary black hole on closed orbits, using a dictionary built from the 5-point QFT scattering amplitude of two massive particles exchanging and emitting a graviton. We show explicitly the agreement of the transverse-traceless components of the radiative linear metric perturbations — and the corresponding gravitational wave energy flux — at future null infinity, derived from the scattering amplitude and those derived utilizing an effective worldline action in conjunction with multipolar post-Minkowskian matching. At the tree-level, this result holds at leading orders in the black holes’ velocities and up to quadratic order in their spins. At sub-leading order in black holes’ velocities, we demonstrate a matching of the radiation field for quasi-circular orbits in the no-spin limit. At the level of the radiation field, and to leading order in the velocities, there exists a one-to-one correspondence between the binary black hole mass and current quadrupole moments, and the scalar and linear-in-spin scattering amplitudes, respectively. Therefore, we show explicitly that waveforms, needed to detect gravitational waves from inspiraling binary black holes, can be derived consistently, to the orders considered, from the classical limit of quantum scattering amplitudes.

Tevelev degrees and Hurwitz moduli spaces

We interpret the degrees which arise in Tevelev’s study of scattering amplitudes in terms of moduli spaces of Hurwitz covers. Via excess intersection theory, the boundary geometry of the Hurwitz moduli space yields a simple recursion for the Tevelev degrees (together with their natural two parameter generalisation). We find exact solutions which specialise to Tevelev’s formula in his cases and connect to the projective geometry of lines and Castelnuovo’s classical count of $g^1_d$ ’s in other cases. For almost all values, the calculation of the two parameter generalisation of the Tevelev degree is new. A related count of refined Dyck paths is solved along the way.

10D super-Yang-Mills scattering amplitudes from its pure spinor action

Using the pure spinor master action for 10D super-Yang-Mills in the gauge b0V = QΞ, tree-level scattering amplitudes are calculated through the perturbiner method, and shown to match those obtained from pure spinor CFT techniques. We find kinematic numerators made of nested b-ghost operators, and show that the Siegel gauge condition b0V = 0 gives rise to color-kinematics duality satisfying numerators whose Jacobi identity follows from the Jacobi identity of a kinematic algebra.