Stringy effects for spinning strings and the Bethe ansatz

The one-loop worldsheet corrections to spinning strings in the sl(2) subsector of AdS5 × S5 are compared to the quantum string Bethe ansatz. The evaluation of the energy shift is performed in two regimes: a) in the large limit, using zeta-function regularization and b) in the limit of large winding number. The first computation agrees with the Bethe ansatz in the first three orders while the second computation leads to a disagreement with the string Bethe ansatz prediction at leading order. Careful analysis of the zeta-function regularization shows, that in this approach perturbative as well as non-perturbative terms in the string sums are missed. Hence, this together with the result b), implies that the proposed quantum string Bethe equations do not reproduce all terms in the exact string result

On AdS_5 x S^5 String S-matrix

Recently two interesting conjectures about the string S-matrix on AdS_5 x S^5 have been made. First, assuming the existence of a Hopf algebra symmetry Janik derived a functional equation for the dressing factor of the quantum string Bethe ansatz. Second, Hernandez and Lopez proposed an explicit form of 1/\sqrt\lambda correction to the dressing factor. In this note we show that in the strong coupling expansion Janik's equation is solved by the dressing factor up to the order of its validity. This observation provides a strong evidence in favor of a conjectured Hopf algebra symmetry for strings in AdS_5 x S^5 as well as the perturbative string S-matrix.Comment: 10 pages, version2: misprints are correcte

Quantum corrections to the string Bethe ansatz

One-loop corrections to the energy of semiclassical rotating strings contain both analytic and non-analytic terms in the 't Hooft coupling. Analytic contributions agree with the prediction from the string Bethe ansatz based on the classical S-matrix, but in order to include non-analytic contributions quantum corrections are required. We find a general expression for the first quantum correction to the string Bethe ansatz.Comment: 12 pages. Latex. v2: Misprints corrected and references adde

On the Scattering Phase for AdS_5 x S^5 Strings

We propose a phase factor of the worldsheet S-matrix for strings on AdS_5 x S^5 apparently solving Janik's crossing relation.Comment: 9 pages, v2: revised conclusions about agreement with perturbative string theory; minor changes, v3: resolution to above problems indicated, to appear in Mod. Phys. Lett.

Decays of metastable vacua in SQCD

The decay rates of metastable SQCD vacua in ISS-type models, both towards supersymmetric vacua as well as towards other nonsupersymmetric configurations arising in theories with elementary spectators, are estimated numerically in the semiclassical approximation by computing the corresponding multifield bounce configurations. The scaling of the bounce action with respect to the most relevant dimensionless couplings and ratios of scales is analyzed. In the case of the decays towards the susy vacua generated by nonperturbative effects, the results confirm previous analytical estimations of this scaling, obtained by assuming a triangular potential barrier. The decay rates towards susy vacua generated by R-symmetry breaking interactions turn out to be more than sufficiently suppressed for the phenomenologically relevant parameter range, and their behavior in this regime differs from analytic estimations valid for parametrically small scale ratios. It is also shown that in models with spectator fields, even though the decays towards vacua involving nonzero spectator VEVs don't have a strong parametric dependence on the scale ratios, the ISS vacuum can still be made long-lived in the presence of R-symmetry breaking interactions.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figure

Twisted K-Theory of Lie Groups

I determine the twisted K-theory of all compact simply connected simple Lie groups. The computation reduces via the Freed-Hopkins-Teleman theorem to the CFT prescription, and thus explains why it gives the correct result. Finally I analyze the exceptions noted by Bouwknegt et al.Comment: 16 page

A microscopic theory of gauge mediation

We construct models of indirect gauge mediation where the dynamics responsible for breaking supersymmetry simultaneously generates a weakly coupled subsector of messengers. This provides a microscopic realization of messenger gauge mediation where the messenger and hidden sector fields are unified into a single sector. The UV theory is SQCD with massless and massive quarks plus singlets, and at low energies it flows to a weakly coupled quiver gauge theory. One node provides the primary source of supersymmetry breaking, which is then transmitted to the node giving rise to the messenger fields. These models break R-symmetry spontaneously, produce realistic gaugino and sfermion masses, and give a heavy gravitino.Comment: 24 pages, 2 figures, accepted to JHEP for publicatio

G-flux and Spectral Divisors

We propose a construction of G-flux in singular elliptic Calabi-Yau fourfold compactifications of F-theory, which in the local limit allow a spectral cover description. The main tool of construction is the so-called spectral divisor in the resolved Calabi-Yau geometry, which in the local limit reduces to the Higgs bundle spectral cover. We exemplify the workings of this in the case of an E_6 singularity by constructing the resolved geometry, the spectral divisor and in the local limit, the spectral cover. The G-flux constructed with the spectral divisor is shown to be equivalent to the direct construction from suitably quantized linear combinations of holomorphic surfaces in the resolved geometry, and in the local limit reduces to the spectral cover flux.Comment: 30 page

Coset Construction for Duals of Non-relativistic CFTs

We systematically analyze backgrounds that are holographic duals to non-relativistic CFTs, by constructing them as cosets of the Schrodinger group and variants thereof. These cosets G/H are generically non-reductive and we discuss in generality how a metric on such spaces can be determined from a non-degenerate H-invariant symmetric two-form. Applying this to the d=2 Schrodinger algebra, we reproduce the five-dimensional backgrounds proposed as duals of fermions at unitarity, and under reasonable physical assumptions, we demonstrate uniqueness of this background. The proposed gravity dual of the Lifshitz fixed-point, for which Galileian symmetry is absent, also fits into this organizational scheme and uniqueness of this background can also be shown.Comment: 12 pages; v2: typos corrected, references adde

UV finiteness of Pohlmeyer-reduced form of the AdS_5xS^5 superstring theory

We consider the Pohlmeyer-type reduced theory found by explicitly solving the Virasoro constraints in the formulation of AdS_5xS^5 superstring in terms of supercoset currents. The resulting set of classically equivalent, integrable Lagrangian equations of motion has the advantage of involving only a physical number of degrees of freedom and yet being 2d Lorentz invariant. The corresponding reduced theory action may be written as a gauged WZW model coupled to fermions with further bosonic and fermionic potential terms. Since the AdS_5xS^5 superstring sigma model is conformally invariant, its classical relation to the reduced theory may extend to the quantum level only if the latter is, in fact, UV finite. This theory is power counting renormalizable with the only possible divergences being of potential type. We explicitly verify its 1-loop finiteness and show that the 2-loop divergences are, in general, scheme dependent and vanish in dimensional reduction scheme. We expect that the reduced theory is finite to all orders in the loop expansion.Comment: 40 pages, Latex; v2: typos corrected, minor clarifying remarks adde