Dissipation peak as an indicator of sample inhomogeneity in solid 4^4He oscillator experiments

A simple phenomenological model is developed for the recent torsional oscillator experiments on solid $^4$He. Within this model, for a homogeneous sample there is a specific quantitative relation between the change in the oscillator's frequency and its maximum damping at the apparent supersolid transition. Much of the published data do not satisfy this relation, indicating that the dissipation peaks in those samples are strongly inhomogeneously broadened.Comment: 2 page

Bulk Matter and the Boundary Quantum Null Energy Condition

We investigate the quantum null energy condition (QNEC) in holographic CFTs, focusing on half-spaces and particular classes of states. We present direct, and in certain cases nonperturbative, calculations for both the diagonal and off- diagonal variational derivatives of entanglement entropy. In d > 2, we find that the QNEC is saturated. We compute relations between the off-diagonal variation of entanglement, boundary relative entropy, and the bulk stress tensor. Strong subadditivity then leads to energy conditions in the bulk. In d = 2, we find that the QNEC is in general not saturated when the Ryu-Takayanagi surface intersects bulk matter. Moreover, when bulk matter is present the QNEC can imply new bulk energy conditions. For a simple class of states, we derive an example that is stronger than the bulk averaged null energy condition and reduces to it in certain limits.Comment: 22 page

A Conformal Truncation Framework for Infinite-Volume Dynamics

We present a new framework for studying conformal field theories deformed by one or more relevant operators. The original CFT is described in infinite volume using a basis of states with definite momentum, $P$, and conformal Casimir, $\mathcal{C}$. The relevant deformation is then considered using lightcone quantization, with the resulting Hamiltonian expressed in terms of this CFT basis. Truncating to states with $\mathcal{C} \leq \mathcal{C}_{\max}$, one can numerically find the resulting spectrum, as well as other dynamical quantities, such as spectral densities of operators. This method requires the introduction of an appropriate regulator, which can be chosen to preserve the conformal structure of the basis. We check this framework in three dimensions for various perturbative deformations of a free scalar CFT, and for the case of a free $O(N)$ CFT deformed by a mass term and a non-perturbative quartic interaction at large-$N$. In all cases, the truncation scheme correctly reproduces known analytic results. We also discuss a general procedure for generating a basis of Casimir eigenstates for a free CFT in any number of dimensions.Comment: 48+37 pages, 17 figures; v2: references added, small clarification

Electroweak Corrections from Triplet Scalars

We compute the electroweak S and T parameters induced by SU(2)_L triplet scalars up to one-loop order. We consider the most general renormalizable potential for a triplet and the Standard Model Higgs doublet. Our calculation is performed by integrating out the triplet at the one-loop level and also includes the one-loop renormalization group running. Effective field theory framework allows us to work in the phase with unbroken SU(2)_L x U(1)_Y symmetry. Both S and T parameters exhibit decoupling when all dimensionful parameters are large while keeping dimensionless ratios fixed. We use bounds on S and T to constrain the triplet mass and couplings.Comment: 18 page

RG Flow from ϕ4\phi^4 Theory to the 2D Ising Model

We study 1+1 dimensional $\phi^4$ theory using the recently proposed method of conformal truncation. Starting in the UV CFT of free field theory, we construct a complete basis of states with definite conformal Casimir, $\mathcal{C}$. We use these states to express the Hamiltonian of the full interacting theory in lightcone quantization. After truncating to states with $\mathcal{C} \leq \mathcal{C}_{\max}$, we numerically diagonalize the Hamiltonian at strong coupling and study the resulting IR dynamics. We compute non-perturbative spectral densities of several local operators, which are equivalent to real-time, infinite-volume correlation functions. These spectral densities, which include the Zamolodchikov $C$-function along the full RG flow, are calculable at any value of the coupling. Near criticality, our numerical results reproduce correlation functions in the 2D Ising model.Comment: 31+12 page

N = 1 superconformal blocks for general scalar operators

We use supershadow methods to derive new expressions for superconformal blocks in 4d N = 1 superconformal field theories. We analyze the four-point function ⟨A_1A^†_2B_1B^†_2⟩, where A_i and ℬ_i are scalar superconformal primary operators with arbitrary dimension and R-charge and the exchanged operator is neutral under R-symmetry. Previously studied superconformal blocks for chiral operators and conserved currents are special cases of our general results