4-dimensional Chern-Simons theory and integrable field theories

These lecture notes concern the semi-holomorphic 4d Chern-Simons theory and its applications to classical integrable field theories in 2d and in particular integrable sigma-models. After introducing the main properties of the Chern-Simons theory in 3d, we will define its 4d analogue and explain how it is naturally related to the Lax formalism of integrable 2d theories. Moreover, we will explain how varying the boundary conditions imposed on this 4d theory allows to recover various occurences of integrable sigma-models through this construction, in particular illustrating this on two simple examples: the Principal Chiral Model and its Yang-Baxter deformation. These notes were written for the lectures delivered at the school “Integrability, Dualities and Deformations”, that ran from 23 to 27 August 2021 in Santiago de Compostela and virtually.

Perturbative renormalization of the $$ \mathrm{T}\overline{\mathrm{T}} $$-deformed free massive Dirac fermion

In this paper we explicitly carry out the perturbative renormalization of the $$ T\overline{T} $$ T T ¯ -deformed free massive Dirac fermion in two dimensions up to second order in the coupling constant. This is done by computing the two-to-two S-matrix using the LSZ reduction formula and canceling out the divergences by introducing counterterms. We demonstrate that the renormalized Lagrangian is unambiguously determined by demanding that it gives the correct S-matrix of a $$ T\overline{T} $$ T T ¯ -deformed integrable field theory. Remarkably, the renormalized Lagrangian is qualitatively very different from its classical counterpart.

Resurgence and 1/N Expansion in Integrable Field Theories

In theories with renormalons the perturbative series is factorially divergent even after restricting to a given order in 1/N, making the 1/N expansion a natural testing ground for the theory of resurgence. We study in detail the interplay between resurgent properties and the 1/N expansion in various integrable field theories with renormalons. We focus on the free energy in the presence of a chemical potential coupled to a conserved charge, which can be computed exactly with the thermodynamic Bethe ansatz (TBA). In some examples, like the first 1/N correction to the free energy in the non-linear sigma model, the terms in the 1/N expansion can be fully decoded in terms of a resurgent trans-series in the coupling constant. In the principal chiral field we find a new, explicit solution for the large N free energy which can be written as the median resummation of a trans-series with infinitely many, analytically computable IR renormalon corrections. However, in other examples, like the Gross-Neveu model, each term in the 1/N expansion includes non-perturbative corrections which can not be predicted by a resurgent analysis of the corresponding perturbative series. We also study the properties of the series in 1/N. In the Gross-Neveu model, where this is convergent, we analytically continue the series beyond its radius of convergence and show how the continuation matches with known dualities with sine-Gordon theories.

Chains of Interacting Solitons

We present an overview of multisoliton chains arising in various non-integrable field theories and discuss different mechanisms which may lead to the occurrence of such axially-symmetric classical solutions. We explain the pattern of interactions between different solitons, in particular Q-balls, Skyrmions, and monopoles, and show how chains of interacting non-BPS solitons may form in a dynamic equilibrium between repulsive and attractive forces.

4D Chern–Simons theory and affine Gaudin models

We relate two formalisms recently proposed for describing classical integrable field theories. The first (Costello and Yamazaki in Gauge Theory and Integrability, III, 2019) is based on the action of four-dimensional Chern–Simons theory introduced and studied by Costello, Witten and Yamazaki. The second (Costello and Yamazaki, in Gauge Theory and Integrability, III, 2017) makes use of classical generalised Gaudin models associated with untwisted affine Kac–Moody algebras.

Symmetry resolved entanglement in integrable field theories via form factor bootstrap

We consider the form factor bootstrap approach of integrable field theories to derive matrix elements of composite branch-point twist fields associated with symmetry resolved entanglement entropies. The bootstrap equations are determined in an intuitive way and their solution is presented for the massive Ising field theory and for the genuinely interacting sinh-Gordon model, both possessing a ℤ2 symmetry. The solutions are carefully cross-checked by performing various limits and by the application of the ∆-theorem. The issue of symmetry resolution for discrete symmetries is also discussed. We show that entanglement equipartition is generically expected and we identify the first subleading term (in the UV cutoff) breaking it. We also present the complete computation of the symmetry resolved von Neumann entropy for an interval in the ground state of the paramagnetic phase of the Ising model. In particular, we compute the universal functions entering in the charged and symmetry resolved entanglement.

Generalized hydrodynamics regime from the thermodynamic bootstrap program

Within the generalized hydrodynamics (GHD) formalism for quantum integrable models, it is possible to compute simple expressions for a number of correlation functions at the Eulerian scale. Specializing to integrable relativistic field theories, we show the same correlators can be computed as a sum over form factors, the GHD regime corresponding to the leading contribution with one particle-hole pair on a finite energy-density background. The thermodynamic bootstrap program (TBP) formalism was recently introduced as an axiomatic approach to computing such finite-energy-density form factors for integrable field theories. We derive a new axiom within the TBP formalism from which we easily recover the predicted GHD Eulerian correlators. We also compute higher form factor contributions, with more particle-hole pairs, within the TBP, allowing for the computation of correlation functions in the diffusive, and beyond, GHD regimes. The two particle-hole form factors agree with expressions recently conjectured within the GHD.