0000000000154178

AUTHOR

Robert Runkel

A new formulation of the loop-tree duality at higher loops

We present a new formulation of the loop-tree duality theorem for higher loop diagrams valid both for massless and massive cases. $l$-loop integrals are expressed as weighted sum of trees obtained from cutting $l$ internal propagators of the loop graph. In addition, the uncut propagators gain a modified $i \delta$-prescription, named dual-propagators. In this new framework one can go beyond graphs and calculate the integrand of loop amplitudes as a weighted sum of tree graphs, which form a tree-like object. These objects can be computed efficiently via recurrence relations.

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Proteins' Knotty Problems

Abstract Knots in proteins are increasingly being recognized as an important structural concept, and the folding of these peculiar structures still poses considerable challenges. From a functional point of view, most protein knots discovered so far are either enzymes or DNA-binding proteins. Our comprehensive topological analysis of the Protein Data Bank reveals several novel structures including knotted mitochondrial proteins and the most deeply embedded protein knot discovered so far. For the latter, we propose a novel folding pathway based on the idea that a loose knot forms at a terminus and slides to its native position. For the mitochondrial proteins, we discuss the folding problem fr…

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Feynman integrals for binary systems of black holes

The initial phase of the inspiral process of a binary black-hole system can be described by perturbation theory. At the third post-Minkowskian order a two-loop double box graph, known as H-graph, contributes. In this talk we report how all master integrals of the H-graph with equal masses can be expressed up to weight four in terms of multiple polylogarithms. We also discuss techniques for the unequal mass case. The essential complication (and the focus of the talk) is the occurrence of several square roots.

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Causality and Loop-Tree Duality at Higher Loops

We relate a $l$-loop Feynman integral to a sum of phase space integrals, where the integrands are determined by the spanning trees of the original $l$-loop graph. Causality requires that the propagators of the trees have a modified $i\delta$-prescription and we present a simple formula for the correct $i\delta$-prescription.

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Integrands of loop amplitudes within loop-tree duality

Using loop-tree duality, we relate a renormalised $n$-point $l$-loop amplitude in a quantum field theory to a phase-space integral of a regularised $l$-fold forward limit of a UV-subtracted $(n+2l)$-point tree-amplitude-like object. We show that up to three loops the latter object is easily computable from recurrence relations. This defines an integrand of the loop amplitude with a global definition of the loop momenta. Field and mass renormalisation are performed in the on-shell scheme.

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