The a-theorem and the asymptotics of 4D quantum field theory

DOI10.1007/JHEP01(2013)152zbMATH Open1342.81347arXiv1204.5221OpenAlexW2139101516MaRDI QIDQ302519FDOQ302519

Markus A. Luty, R. Rattazzi, Joseph Polchinski

Publication date: 12 August 2016

Published in: Journal of High Energy Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: We study the possible IR and UV asymptotics of 4D Lorentz invariant unitary quantum field theory. Our main tool is a generalization of the Komargodski-Schwimmer proof for the $a$-theorem. We use this to rule out a large class of renormalization group flows that do not asymptote to conformal field theories in the UV and IR. We show that if the IR (UV) asymptotics is described by perturbation theory, all beta functions must vanish faster than $(1/|lnmu|{)}^{1/2}$ as $muo0$ ($muoinfty$). This implies that the only possible asymptotics within perturbation theory is conformal field theory. In particular, it rules out perturbative theories with scale but not conformal invariance, which are equivalent to theories with renormalization group pseudocycles. Our arguments hold even for theories with gravitational anomalies. We also give a non-perturbative argument that excludes theories with scale but not conformal invariance. This argument holds for theories in which the stress-energy tensor is sufficiently nontrivial in a technical sense that we make precise.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1204.5221

zbMATH Keywords

renormalization groupanomalies in field and string theoriesspace-time symmetries

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Renormalization group methods applied to problems in quantum field theory (81T17) Anomalies in quantum field theory (81T50)

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Cited In (68)

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• A de Sitter \(S\)-matrix from amputated cosmological correlators
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• Dilaton and massive hadrons in a conformal phase
• Trace anomalies and the graviton-dilaton amplitude

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