Bounds on Slow Roll and the de Sitter Swampland

The recently introduced swampland criterion for de Sitter (arXiv:1806.08362) can be viewed as a (hierarchically large) bound on the smallness of the slow roll parameter $\epsilon_V$. This leads us to consider the other slow roll parameter $\eta_V$ more closely, and we are lead to conjecture that the bound is not necessarily on $\epsilon_V$, but on slow roll itself. A natural refinement of the de Sitter swampland conjecture is therefore that slow roll is violated at ${\cal O}(1)$ in Planck units in any UV complete theory. A corollary is that $\epsilon_V$ need not necessarily be ${\cal O}(1)$, if $\eta_V \lesssim -{\cal O}(1)$ holds. We consider various tachyonic tree level constructions of de Sitter in IIA/IIB string theory (as well as closely related models of inflation), which superficially violate arXiv:1806.08362, and show that they are consistent with this refined version of the bound. The phrasing in terms of slow roll makes it plausible why both versions of the conjecture run into trouble when the number of e-folds during inflation is high. We speculate that one way to evade the bound could be to have a large number of fields, like in $N$-flation.Comment: v2: many refs added, clarifications and comments added, improved wording regarding single/multi-field and potential/Hubble slow roll, typos fixe

Towards a Finite-NN Hologram

We suggest that holographic tensor models related to SYK are viable candidates for exactly (ie., non-perturbatively in $N$) solvable holographic theories. The reason is that in these theories, the Hilbert space is a spinor representation, and the Hamiltonian (at least in some classes) can be arranged to commute with the Clifford level. This makes the theory solvable level by level. We demonstrate this for the specific case of the uncolored $O(n)^3$ tensor model with arbitrary even $n$, and reduce the question of determining the spectrum and eigenstates to an algebraic equation relating Young tableaux. Solving this reduced problem is conceptually trivial and amounts to matching the representations on either side, as we demonstrate explicitly at low levels. At high levels, representations become bigger, but should still be tractable. None of our arguments require any supersymmetry.Comment: 16 page

3D Gravity, Chern-Simons and Higher Spins: A Mini Introduction

These are notes of introductory lectures on (a) elements of 2+1 dimensional gravity, (b) some aspects of its relation to Chern-Simons theory, (c) its generalization to couple higher spins, and (d) cosmic singularity resolution as an application in the context of flat space higher spin theory. A knowledge of the Einstein-Hilbert action, classical non-Abelian gauge theory and some (negotiable amount of) maturity are the only pre-requisites.Comment: 23 pages, Based on talks/lectures by CK at Goteborg, Tehran and Bangkok. v2:acknowledgments and references added, v3:published versio

Bounds on Slow Roll at the Boundary of the Landscape

We present strong evidence that the tree level slow roll bounds of arXiv:1807.05193 and arXiv:1810.05506 are valid, even when the tachyon has overlap with the volume of the cycle wrapped by the orientifold. This extends our previous results in the volume-dilaton subspace to a semi-universal modulus. Emboldened by this and other observations, we investigate what it means to have a bound on (generalized) slow roll in a multi-field landscape. We argue that for $any$ point $\phi_0$ in an $N$-dimensional field space with $V(\phi_0) > 0$, there exists a path of monotonically decreasing potential energy to a point $\phi_1$ within a path length $\lesssim {\cal O}(1)$, such that $\sqrt{N}\ln \frac{V(\phi_1)}{V(\phi_0)} \lesssim - {\cal O} (1)$. The previous de Sitter swampland bounds are specific ways to realize this stringent non-local constraint on field space, but we show that it also incorporates (for example) the scenario where both slow roll parameters are intermediate-valued and the Universe undergoes a small number of e-folds, as in the Type IIA set up of arXiv:1310.8300. Our observations are in the context of tree level constructions, so we take the conservative viewpoint that it is a characterization of the classical "boundary" of the string landscape. To emphasize this, we argue that these bounds can be viewed as a type of Dine-Seiberg statement.Comment: v4: one more referenc

Contrasting SYK-like Models

We contrast some aspects of various SYK-like models with large-$N$ melonic behavior. First, we note that ungauged tensor models can exhibit symmetry breaking, even though these are 0+1 dimensional theories. Related to this, we show that when gauged, some of them admit no singlets, and are anomalous. The uncolored Majorana tensor model with even $N$ is a simple case where gauge singlets can exist in the spectrum. We outline a strategy for solving for the singlet spectrum, taking advantage of the results in arXiv:1706.05364, and reproduce the singlet states expected in $N=2$. In the second part of the paper, we contrast the random matrix aspects of some ungauged tensor models, the original SYK model, and a model due to Gross and Rosenhaus. The latter, even though disorder averaged, shows parallels with the Gurau-Witten model. In particular, the two models fall into identical Andreev ensembles as a function of $N$. In an appendix, we contrast the (expected) spectra of AdS$_2$ quantum gravity, SYK and SYK-like tensor models, and the zeros of the Riemann Zeta function.Comment: 45 pages, 17 figures; v2: minor improvements and rearrangements, refs adde

Massive Scattering Amplitudes in Six Dimensions

We show that a natural spinor-helicity formalism that can describe massive scattering amplitudes exists in $D=6$ dimensions. This is arranged by having helicity spinors carry an index in the Dirac spinor {\bf 4} of the massive little group, $SO(5) \sim Sp(4)$. In the high energy limit, two separate kinds of massless helicity spinors emerge as required for consistency with arXiv:0902.0981, with indices in the two $SU(2)$'s of the massless little group $SO(4)$. The tensors of ${\bf 4}$ lead to particles with arbitrary spin, and using these and demanding consistent factorization, we can fix $3-$ and $4-$point tree amplitudes of arbitrary masses and spins: we provide examples. We discuss the high energy limit of scattering amplitudes and the Higgs mechanism in this language, and make some preliminary observations about massive BCFW recursion.Comment: 37 pages; v2: minor improvements, JHEP versio

Strings vs Spins on the Null Orbifold

We study the null orbifold singularity in 2+1 d flat space higher spin theory as well as string theory. Using the Chern-Simons formulation of 2+1 d Einstein gravity, we first observe that despite the singular nature of this geometry, the eigenvalues of its Chern-Simons holonomy are trivial. Next, we construct a resolution of the singularity in higher spin theory: a Kundt spacetime with vanishing scalar curvature invariants. We also point out that the UV divergences previously observed in the 2-to-2 tachyon tree level string amplitude on the null orbifold do not arise in the $\alpha^\prime\to \infty$ limit. We find all the divergences of the amplitude and demonstrate that the ones remaining in the tensionless limit are physical IR-type divergences. We conclude with a discussion on the meaning and limitations of higher spin (cosmological) singularity resolution and its potential connection to string theory.Comment: 27 pages, 5 figures, v2: comments about boundary conditions added, strengthening the conclusio

Development of moringa infusion for green tea and its evaluation

Moringa oleifera leaves are known for its high nutritional quality. Its leaves are commonlyused for culinary purposes and it was explored as a potential nutraceutical in recent decades.Tea or herbal infusions have become an integral part of daily diet for a population who concernedabout a healthy lifestyle. Many herbs or plant parts have been used as infusions which providehealth promoting phytochemicals to the consumers. Therefore moringa infusions were preparedalong with some herbs/flavouring agents such as tulsi, ginger and lemon grass. Total polyphenolcontent in the infusions ranged between 685 and 1567 mg GAE/100 mL. Among phenolic acidsdetected, gallic acid was highest in all the treatments. Infusion containing moringa and tulsiscored high in organoleptic evaluation. Thus, moringa infusion can become an add-on varietyto the tea/herbal infusion consumers