Search results for "Modelli"
showing 10 items of 1866 documents
Hairy black-holes in shift-symmetric theories
2020
Scalar hair of black holes in theories with a shift symmetry are constrained by the no-hair theorem of Hui and Nicolis, assuming spherical symmetry, time-independence of the scalar field and asymptotic flatness. The most studied counterexample is a linear coupling of the scalar with the Gauss-Bonnet invariant. However, in this case the norm of the shift-symmetry current $J^2$ diverges at the horizon casting doubts on whether the solution is physically sound. We show that this is not an issue since $J^2$ is not a scalar quantity, since $J^\mu$ is not a diff-invariant current in the presence of Gauss-Bonnet. The same theory can be written in Horndeski form with a non-analytic function $G_5 \s…
The moduli spaces of S-fold CFTs
2019
An S-fold has played an important role in constructing supersymmetric field theories with interesting features. It can be viewed as a type of AdS_4 solutions of Type IIB string theory where the fields in overlapping patches are glued by elements of SL(2,Z). This paper examines three dimensional quiver theories that arise from brane configurations with an inclusion of the S-fold. An important feature of such a quiver is that it contains a link, which is the T(U(N)) theory, between two U(N) groups, along with bifundamental and fundamental hypermultiplets. We systematically study the moduli spaces of those quiver theories, including the cases in which the non-zero Chern-Simons levels are turne…
Holographic duals of 6d RG flows
2018
A notable class of superconformal theories (SCFTs) in six dimensions is parameterized by an integer $N$, an ADE group $G$, and two nilpotent elements $\mu_\mathrm{L,R}$ in $G$. Nilpotent elements have a natural partial ordering, which has been conjectured to coincide with the hierarchy of renormalization-group flows among the SCFTs. In this paper we test this conjecture for $G=\mathrm{SU}(k)$, where AdS$_7$ duals exist in IIA. We work with a seven-dimensional gauged supergravity, consisting of the gravity multiplet and two $\mathrm{SU}(k)$ non-Abelian vector multiplets. We show that this theory has many supersymmetric AdS$_7$ vacua, determined by two nilpotent elements, which are naturally …
The geometry of N=3 AdS4 in massive IIA
2018
The geometry of the ${\cal N} = 3$, SO(4)--invariant, AdS$_4$ solution of massive type IIA supergravity that uplifts from the ${\cal N} = 3 $ vacuum of $D=4$ ${\cal N} = 8$ dyonic ISO(7) supergravity is investigated. Firstly, a $D=4$, SO(4)--invariant restricted duality hierarchy is constructed and used to uplift the entire, dynamical SO(4)--invariant sector to massive type IIA. The resulting consistent uplift formulae are used to obtain a new local expression for the ${\cal N} = 3 $ AdS$_4$ solution in massive IIA and analyse its geometry. Locally, the internal $S^6$ geometry corresponds to a warped fibration of $S^2$ and a hemisphere of $S^4$. This can be regarded as a warped generalisati…
Non-supersymmetric AdS6 and the swampland
2021
We discuss infinite families of non-supersymmetric AdS$_6$ solutions in Type IIB string theory. They are siblings of supersymmetric solutions which are associated with $(p,q)$ 5-brane webs and holographically dual to 5d SCFTs engineered by those brane webs. The non-supersymmetric backgrounds carry identical 5-brane charges and are connected to the supersymmetric ones by RG flows. We study the stability of the non-supersymmetric solutions, identifying perturbative and non-perturbative decay channels for all the backgrounds explicitly available. We also identify likely decay mechanisms for solutions that have not been constructed explicitly but may be expected to exist based on brane web cons…
On AdS7 stability
2019
AdS$_7$ supersymmetric solutions in type IIA have been classified, and they are infinitely many. Moreover, every such solution has a non-supersymmetric sister. In this paper, we study the perturbative and non-perturbative stability of these non-supersymmetric solutions, focusing on cases without orientifolds. Perturbatively, we first look at the KK spectrum of spin-2 excitations. This does not exhibit instabilities, but it does show that there is no separation of scales for either the BPS and the non-BPS case, thus proving for supersymmetric AdS$_7$ a well-known recent conjecture. We then use 7d gauged supergravity and a brane polarization computation to access part of the spectrum of KK sc…
Fixed points of nonlinear sigma models in d>2
2009
Using Wilsonian methods, we study the renormalization group flow of the Nonlinear Sigma Model in any dimension $d$, restricting our attention to terms with two derivatives. At one loop we always find a Ricci flow. When symmetries completely fix the internal metric, we compute the beta function of the single remaining coupling, without any further approximation. For $d>2$ and positive curvature, there is a nontrivial fixed point, which could be used to define an ultraviolet limit, in spite of the perturbative nonrenormalizability of the theory. Potential applications are briefly mentioned.
Spatial correlations of field observables in two half-spaces separated by a movable perfect mirror
2023
We consider a system of two cavities separated by a reflecting boundary of finite mass that is free to move, and bounded to its equilibrium position by a harmonic potential. This yields an effective mirror-field interaction, as well as an effective interaction between the field modes mediated by the movable boundary. Two massless scalar fields are defined in each cavity. We consider the second-order interacting ground state of the system, that contains virtual excitations of both mirror's degrees of freedom and of the scalar fields. We investigate the correlation functions between field observables in the two cavities, and find that the squared scalar fields in the two cavities, in the inte…
Critical reflections on asymptotically safe gravity
2020
Asymptotic safety is a theoretical proposal for the ultraviolet completion of quantum field theories, in particular for quantum gravity. Significant progress on this program has led to a first characterization of the Reuter fixed point. Further advancement in our understanding of the nature of quantum spacetime requires addressing a number of open questions and challenges. Here, we aim at providing a critical reflection on the state of the art in the asymptotic safety program, specifying and elaborating on open questions of both technical and conceptual nature. We also point out systematic pathways, in various stages of practical implementation, towards answering them. Finally, we also take…
Oh, wait, O8 de Sitter may be unstable!
2021
We analyze the stability of four-dimensional de Sitter vacua constructed by compactifying massive Type IIA supergravity in the presence of two O8 sources [1]. When embedded in String Theory the first source has a clear interpretation as an O8$_-$ plane, but the second one could correspond to either an O8$_+$ plane or to an O8$_-$ plane with 16 D8-branes on top. We find that this latter solution has a tachyonic instability, corresponding to the D8-branes moving away from the O8$_-$ plane. We comment on the possible ways of distinguishing between these sources.