G.P. Korchemsky

Dual superconformal symmetry of scattering amplitudes in N=4 super-Yang–Mills theory

We argue that all scattering amplitudes in the maximally supersymmetric N=4 super-Yang–Mills theory possess a new, dual superconformal symmetry which extends the previously discovered dual conformal symmetry of MHV amplitudes. To reveal this property we formulate the scattering amplitudes as functions on the appropriate dual superspace. Rewritten in this form, all tree-level MHV and next-to-MHV amplitudes exhibit manifest dual superconformal symmetry. We propose a new, compact and Lorentz covariant formula for the tree-level NMHV amplitudes for arbitrary numbers and types of external particles. The dual superconformal symmetry is broken at loop level by infrared divergences. However, we provide evidence that the dual conformal anomaly of the MHV and NMHV superamplitudes is the same and, therefore, their ratio is dual conformally invariant. We show this explicitly for the six-particle amplitudes at one loop. We conjecture that these properties hold for all, MHV and non-MHV, superamplitudes in N=4 SYM both at weak and at strong coupling

Conformal properties of four-gluon planar amplitudes and Wilson loops

We present further evidence for a dual conformal symmetry in the four-gluon planar scattering amplitude in N=4 SYM. We show that all the momentum integrals appearing in the perturbative on-shell calculations up to four loops are dual to true conformal integrals, well defined off shell. Assuming that the complete off-shell amplitude has this dual conformal symmetry and using the basic properties of factorization of infrared divergences, we derive the special form of the finite remainder previously found at weak coupling and recently reproduced at strong coupling by AdS/CFT. We show that the same finite term appears in a weak coupling calculation of a Wilson loop whose contour consists of four light-like segments associated with the gluon momenta. We also demonstrate that, due to the special form of the finite remainder, the asymptotic Regge limit of the four-gluon amplitude coincides with the exact expression evaluated for arbitrary values of the Mandelstam variables.

On planar gluon amplitudes/Wilson loops duality

There is growing evidence that on-shell gluon scattering amplitudes in planar N=4 SYM theory are equivalent to Wilson loops evaluated over contours consisting of straight, light-like segments defined by the momenta of the external gluons. This equivalence was first suggested at strong coupling using the AdS/CFT correspondence and has since been verified at weak coupling to one loop in perturbation theory. Here we perform an explicit two-loop calculation of the Wilson loop dual to the four-gluon scattering amplitude and demonstrate that the relation holds beyond one loop. We also propose an anomalous conformal Ward identity which uniquely fixes the form of the finite part (up to an additive constant) of the Wilson loop dual to four- and five-gluon amplitudes, in complete agreement with the BDS conjecture for the multi-gluon MHV amplitudes

Baryon distribution amplitudes in QCD

Abstract We develop a new theoretical framework for the description of leading twist light-cone baryon distribution amplitudes which is based on integrability of the helicity λ = 3 2 evolution equation to leading logarithmic accuracy. A physical interpretation is that one can identify a new ‘hidden’ quantum number which distinguishes components in the λ = 3 2 distribution amplitudes with different scale dependence. The solution of the corresponding evolution equation is reduced to a simple three-term recurrence relation. The exact analytic solution is found for the component with the lowest anomalous dimension for all moments N, and the WKB-type expansion is constructed for other levels, which becomes asymptotically exact at large N. Evolution equations for the λ = 1 2 distribution amplitudes (e.g. for the nucleon) are studied as well. We find that the two lowest anomalous dimensions for the λ = 1 2 operators (one for each parity) are separated from the rest of the spectrum by a finite ‘mass gap’. These special states can be interpreted as scalar diquarks.

Gauge/string duality for QCD conformal operators

Abstract Renormalization group evolution of QCD composite light-cone operators, built from two and more quark and gluon fields, is responsible for the logarithmic scaling violations in diverse physical observables. We analyze spectra of anomalous dimensions of these operators at large conformal spins at weak and strong coupling with the emphasis on the emergence of a dual string picture. The multi-particle spectrum at weak coupling has a hidden symmetry due to integrability of the underlying dilatation operator which drives the evolution. In perturbative regime, we demonstrate the equivalence of the one-loop cusp anomaly to the disk partition function in two-dimensional Yang–Mills theory which admits a string representation. The strong coupling regime for anomalous dimensions is discussed within the two pictures addressed recently—minimal surfaces of open strings and rotating long closed strings in AdS background. In the latter case we find that the integrability implies the presence of extra degrees of freedom—the string junctions. We demonstrate how the analysis of their equations of motion naturally agrees with the spectrum found at weak coupling.

The hexagon Wilson loop and the BDS ansatz for the six-gluon amplitude

Abstract As a test of the gluon scattering amplitude/Wilson loop duality, we evaluate the hexagonal light-like Wilson loop at two loops in N = 4 super-Yang–Mills theory. We compare its finite part to the Bern–Dixon–Smirnov (BDS) conjecture for the finite part of the six-gluon amplitude. We find that the two expressions have the same behavior in the collinear limit, but they differ by a non-trivial function of the three (dual) conformally invariant variables. This implies that either the BDS conjecture or the gluon amplitude/Wilson loop duality fails for the six-gluon amplitude, starting from two loops. Our results are in qualitative agreement with the analysis of Alday and Maldacena of scattering amplitudes with infinitely many external gluons.

Cusp anomalous dimension in maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory at strong coupling.

We construct an analytical solution to the integral equation which is believed to describe logarithmic growth of the anomalous dimensions of high-spin operators in planar N=4 super Yang-Mills theory and use it to determine the strong coupling expansion of the cusp anomalous dimension.

Noncompact Heisenberg spin magnets from high-energy QCD: I. Baxter Q-operator and separation of variables

We analyze a completely integrable two-dimensional quantum-mechanical model that emerged in the recent studies of the compound gluonic states in multi-color QCD at high energy. The model represents a generalization of the well-known homogenous Heisenberg spin magnet to infinite-dimensional representations of the SL(2,C) group and can be reformulated within the Quantum Inverse Scattering Method. Solving the Yang-Baxter equation, we obtain the R-matrix for the SL(2,C) representations of the principal series and discuss its properties. We explicitly construct the Baxter Q-operator for this model and show how it can be used to determine the energy spectrum. We apply Sklyanins method of the Separated Variables to obtain an integral representation for the eigenfunctions of the Hamiltonian. We demonstrate that the language of Feynman diagrams supplemented with the method of uniqueness provide a powerful technique for analyzing the properties of the model.We analyze a completely integrable two-dimensional quantum-mechanical model that emerged in the recent studies of the compound gluonic states in multi-color QCD at high energy. The model represents a generalization of the well-known homogenous Heisenberg spin magnet to infinite-dimensional representations of the SL(2,C) group and can be reformulated within the Quantum Inverse Scattering Method. Solving the Yang-Baxter equation, we obtain the R-matrix for the SL(2,C) representations of the principal series and discuss its properties. We explicitly construct the Baxter Q-operator for this model and show how it can be used to determine the energy spectrum. We apply Sklyanins method of the Separated Variables to obtain an integral representation for the eigenfunctions of the Hamiltonian. We demonstrate that the language of Feynman diagrams supplemented with the method of uniqueness provide a powerful technique for analyzing the properties of the model.

Evolution equations for quark–gluon distributions in multi-color QCD and open spin chains

We study the scale dependence of the twist-3 quark-gluon parton distributions using the observation that in the multi-color limit the corresponding QCD evolution equations possess an additional integral of motion and turn out to be effectively equivalent to the Schrodinger equation for integrable open Heisenberg spin chain model. We identify the integral of motion of the spin chain as a new quantum number that separates different components of the twist-3 parton distributions. Each component evolves independently and its scale dependence is governed by anomalous dimension given by the energy of the spin magnet. To find the spectrum of the QCD induced open Heisenberg spin magnet we develop the Bethe Ansatz technique based on the Baxter equation. The solutions to the Baxter equation are constructed using different asymptotic methods and their properties are studied in detail. We demonstrate that the obtained solutions provide a good qualitative description of the spectrum of the anomalous dimensions and reveal a number of interesting properties. We show that the few lowest anomalous dimensions are separated from the rest of the spectrum by a finite mass gap and estimate its value.Abstract We study the scale dependence of the twist-3 quark–gluon parton distributions using the observation that in the multi-color limit the corresponding QCD evolution equations possess an additional integral of motion and turn out to be effectively equivalent to the Schrodinger equation for integrable open Heisenberg spin chain model. We identify the integral of motion of the spin chain as a new quantum number that separates different components of the twist-3 parton distributions. Each component evolves independently and its scale dependence is governed by anomalous dimension given by the energy of the spin magnet. To find the spectrum of the QCD induced open Heisenberg spin magnet we develop the Bethe ansatz technique based on the Baxter equation. The solutions to the Baxter equation are constructed using different asymptotic methods and their properties are studied in detail. We demonstrate that the obtained solutions provide a good qualitative description of the spectrum of the anomalous dimensions and reveal a number of interesting properties. We show that the few lowest anomalous dimensions are separated from the rest of the spectrum by a finite mass gap and estimate its value.

POWER CORRECTIONS TO EVENT SHAPES AND FACTORIZATION

We study power corrections to the differential thrust, heavy mass and related event shape distributions in e+e− annihilation, whose values, e, are proportional to jet masses in the two-jet limit, e → 0. The factorization properties of these differential distributions imply that they may be written as convulutions of non-perturbative “shape” functions, describing the emission of soft quanta by the jets, and resummed perturbative cross sections. The infrared shape functions are different for different event shapes, and depend on a factorization scale, but are independent of the center-of-mass energy Q. They organize all power corrections of the form 1(eQ)n, for arbitrary n, and carry informationa on a class of uniersal matrix elements of the energy-momentum tensor in QCD, directly related to the energy-energy correlations.