We study the implications of scale invariance in four-dimensional quantum field theories. Imposing unitarity, we find that infinitely many matrix elements vanish in a suitable kinematical configuration. This vanishing is a nontrivial necessary condition for conformality. We provide an argument why this is expected to be a sufficient condition as well, thereby linking scale and conformal invariance in unitary theories. We also discuss possible exceptions to our argument.
We formulate four-dimensional conformal gravity with (Anti-)de Sitter boundary conditions that are weaker than Starobinsky boundary conditions, allowing for an asymptotically subleading Rindler term concurrent with a recent model for gravity at large distances. We prove the consistency of the variational principle and derive the holographic response functions. One of them is the conformal gravity version of the Brown-York stress tensor, the other is a `partially massless response. The on-shell action and response functions are finite and do not require holographic renormalization. Finally, we discuss phenomenologically interesting examples, including the most general spherically symmetric solutions and rotating black hole solutions with partially massless hair.
There exists a certain argument that in even dimensions, scale invariant quantum field theories are conformal invariant. We may try to extend the argument in $2n + epsilon$ dimensions, but the naive extension has a small loophole, which indeed shows an obstruction in non-linear sigma models in $2+epsilon$ dimensions. Even though it could have failed due to the loophole, we show that scale invariance does imply conformal invariance of non-linear sigma models in $2+epsilon$ dimension from the seminal work by Perelman on the Ricci flow.
We study quantum gravity in $2+epsilon$ dimensions in such a way to preserve the volume preserving diffeomorphism invariance. In such a formulation, we prove the following trinity: the general covariance, the conformal invariance and the renormalization group flow to Einstein theory at long distance. We emphasize that the consistent and macroscopic universes like our own can only exist for matter central charge $0<c<25$. We show that the spacetime singularity at the big bang is resolved by the renormalization effect and universes are found to bounce back from the big crunch. Our formulation may be viewed as a Ginzburg-Landau theory which can describe both the broken and the unbroken phase of quantum gravity and the phase transition between them.
We provide the eigenfunctions for a quantum chain of $N$ conformal spins with nearest-neighbor interaction and open boundary conditions in the irreducible representation of $SO(1,5)$ of scaling dimension $Delta = 2 - i lambda$ and spin numbers $ell=dot{ell}=0$. The spectrum of the model is separated into $N$ equal contributions, each dependent on a quantum number $Y_a=[ u_a,n_a]$ which labels a representation of the principal series. The eigenfunctions are orthogonal and we computed the spectral measure by means of a new star-triangle identity. Any portion of a conformal Feynmann diagram with square lattice topology can be represented in terms of separated variables, and we reproduce the all-loop fishnet integrals computed by B. Basso and L. Dixon via bootstrap techniques. We conjecture that the proposed eigenfunctions form a complete set and provide a tool for the direct computation of conformal data in the fishnet limit of the supersymmetric $mathcal{N}=4,$ Yang-Mills theory at finite order in the coupling, by means of a cutting-and-gluing procedure on the square lattice.
Massless conformal scalar field in d=4 corresponds to the minimal unitary representation (minrep) of the conformal group SU(2,2) which admits a one-parameter family of deformations that describe massless fields of arbitrary helicity. The minrep and its deformations were obtained by quantization of the nonlinear realization of SU(2,2) as a quasiconformal group in arXiv:0908.3624. We show that the generators of SU(2,2) for these unitary irreducible representations can be written as bilinears of deformed twistorial oscillators which transform nonlinearly under the Lorentz group and apply them to define and study higher spin algebras and superalgebras in AdS_5. The higher spin (HS) algebra of Fradkin-Vasiliev type in AdS_5 is simply the enveloping algebra of SU(2,2) quotiented by a two-sided ideal (Joseph ideal) which annihilates the minrep. We show that the Joseph ideal vanishes identically for the quasiconformal realization of the minrep and its enveloping algebra leads directly to the HS algebra in AdS_5. Furthermore, the enveloping algebras of the deformations of the minrep define a one parameter family of HS algebras in AdS_5 for which certain 4d covariant deformations of the Joseph ideal vanish identically. These results extend to superconformal algebras SU(2,2|N) and we find a one parameter family of HS superalgebras as enveloping algebras of the minimal unitary supermultiplet and its deformations. Our results suggest the existence of a family of (supersymmetric) HS theories in AdS_5 which are dual to free (super)conformal field theories (CFTs) or to interacting but integrable (supersymmetric) CFTs in 4d. We also discuss the corresponding picture in AdS_4 where the 3d conformal group Sp(4,R) admits only two massless representations (minreps), namely the scalar and spinor singletons.