S-duality invariant perturbation theory improved by holography

We study anomalous dimensions of unprotected low twist operators in the four-dimensional $SU(N)$ $\mathcal{N}=4$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. We construct a class of interpolating functions to approximate the dimensions of the leading twist operators for arbitrary gauge coupling $\tau$. The interpolating functions are consistent with previous results on the perturbation theory, holographic computation and full S-duality. We use our interpolating functions to test a recent conjecture by the $\mathcal{N}=4$ superconformal bootstrap that upper bounds on the dimensions are saturated at one of the duality-invariant points $\tau =i$ and $\tau =e^{i\pi /3}$. It turns out that our interpolating functions have maximum at $\tau =e^{i\pi /3}$, which are close to the conjectural values by the conformal bootstrap. In terms of the interpolating functions, we draw the image of conformal manifold in the space of the dimensions. We find that the image is almost a line despite the conformal manifold is two-dimensional. We also construct interpolating functions for the subleading twist operator and study level crossing phenomenon between the leading and subleading twist operators. Finally we study the dimension of the Konishi operator in the planar limit. We find that our interpolating functions match with numerical result obtained by Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz very well. It turns out that analytic properties of the interpolating functions reflect an expectation on a radius of convergence of the perturbation theory.Comment: 39+14 pages, 22 figures; v3: minor correction

Heat Kernels on the AdS(2) cone and Logarithmic Corrections to Extremal Black Hole Entropy

We develop new techniques to efficiently evaluate heat kernel coefficients for the Laplacian in the short-time expansion on spheres and hyperboloids with conical singularities. We then apply these techniques to explicitly compute the logarithmic contribution to black hole entropy from an N=4 vector multiplet about a Z(N) orbifold of the near-horizon geometry of quarter--BPS black holes in N=4 supergravity. We find that this vanishes, matching perfectly with the prediction from the microstate counting. We also discuss possible generalisations of our heat kernel results to higher-spin fields over Z(N) orbifolds of higher-dimensional spheres and hyperboloids.Comment: 41 page

Second order transport from anomalies

We study parity odd transport at second order in derivative expansion for a non-conformal charged fluid. We see that there are 27 parity odd transport coefficients, of which 12 are non-vanishing in equilibrium. We use the equilibrium partition function method to express 7 of these in terms of the anomaly, shear viscosity, charge diffusivity and thermodynamic functions. The remaining 5 are constrained by 3 relations which also involve the anomaly. We derive Kubo formulae for 2 of the transport coefficients and show these agree with that derived from the equilibrium partition function.Comment: Error in total number of independent parity odd transport coefficients has been corrected from 29 to 27. Results for the relation of the transport coefficients to the anomaly unchanged. Added a section on chiral dispersion relations, includes additional references. Added two appendices and corrected some typos. 34 page

Higher Spin Cosmology

We construct cosmological solutions of higher spin gravity in 2+1 dimensional de Sitter space. We show that a consistent thermodynamics can be obtained for their horizons by demanding appropriate holonomy conditions. This is equivalent to demanding the integrability of the Euclidean boundary CFT partition function, and reduces to Gibbons-Hawking thermodynamics in the spin-2 case. By using a prescription of Maldacena, we relate the thermodynamics of these solutions to those of higher spin black holes in AdS_3.Comment: 21 pages, v2: many typos fixed, refs added, v3: minor corrections/improvements, Phys. Rev. D version, v4: one more re

Inevitable manifestation of wiggles in the expansion of the late Universe

Using the fact that the comoving angular diameter distance to the last scattering surface is strictly constrained almost model independently, we show that, for any model agreeing with the standard $\Lambda$CDM model on its background dynamics at $z\sim0$ and size of the comoving sound horizon at last scattering, the deviations of the Hubble radius from the one of the standard $\Lambda$CDM model must be a member of the set of admissible wavelets. The family of models characterized by this framework also offers nontrivial oscillatory behaviours in various functions that define the kinematics of the Universe, even when the wavelets themselves are very simple. We also discuss the consequences of attributing these kinematics to, first, dark energy, and second, varying gravitational coupling strength. Utilizing some simplest wavelets, we demonstrate the competence of this framework in describing the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) data without any modifications to the agreement with cosmic microwave background measurements. This framework also provides a natural explanation for the bumps found in nonparametric observational reconstructions of the Hubble parameter and dark energy density as compensations of the dips suggested by some BAO data, and questions the physical reality of their existence. We note that utilizing this framework on top of the models that agree with both the cosmic microwave background and local $H_0$ measurements but are held back by BAO data, one may resurrect these models through the wiggly nature of wavelets that can naturally accommodate the BAO data. Finally, we also suggest narrowing the plausible set of admissible wavelets to further improve our framework by imposing conditions from expected kinematics of a viable cosmological model or first principle fundamental physics such as energy conditions.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures; matches the version published in Physical Review

On the dynamical generation and decay of cosmological anisotropies

We present a simple model which dynamically generates cosmological anisotropies on top of standard FLRW geometry. This is in some sense reminiscent of the mean field approximation, where the mean field cosmological model under consideration would be the standard FLRW, and the dynamical anisotropy is a small perturbative correction on top of it. Using a supergravity-inspired model, we confirm that the stable fixed point of our model corresponds to standard FLRW cosmology. We use a Bianchi VII$_h$-type model supplemented with an axion-like particle (ALP) and $U(1)$ gauge fields, and we show that the anisotropies of the geometry are dynamically generated by the non-trivial interaction between the gravity sector and the $U(1)$ gauge sector. Studying the attractor flow, we show that the anisotropies are present at early times (high redshift) and decay asymptotically to an FLRW attractor fixed point. With such a mechanism, observations of non-isotropy are not contradictory to FLRW geometry or indeed the $\Lambda$CDM model. Such models could in principle shed some insights on the present cosmological tensions.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figure