On holographic three point functions for GKP strings from integrability

Adapting the powerful integrability-based formalism invented previously for the calculation of gluon scattering amplitudes at strong coupling, we develop a method for computing the holographic three point functions for the large spin limit of Gubser-Klebanov- Polyakov (GKP) strings. Although many of the ideas from the gluon scattering problem can be transplanted with minor modifications, the fact that the information of the external states is now encoded in the singularities at the vertex insertion points necessitates several new techniques. Notably, we develop a new generalized Riemann bilinear identity, which allows one to express the area integral in terms of appropriate contour integrals in the presence of such singularities. We also give some general discussions on how semiclassical vertex operators for heavy string states should be constructed systematically from the solutions of the Hamilton-Jacobi equation.Comment: 62 pages;v2 Typos and equation (3.7) corrected. Clarifying remarks added in Section 4.1. Published version;v3 Minor errors found in version 2 are corrected. For explanation of the revision, see Erratum published in http://www.springerlink.com/content/m67055235407vx67/?MUD=M

Correlation functions of three heavy operators - the AdS contribution

We consider operators in N=4 SYM theory which are dual, at strong coupling, to classical strings rotating in S^5. Three point correlation functions of such operators factorize into a universal contribution coming from the AdS part of the string sigma model and a state-dependent S^5 contribution. Consequently a similar factorization arises for the OPE coefficients. In this paper we evaluate the AdS universal factor of the OPE coefficients which is explicitly expressed just in terms of the anomalous dimensions of the three operators.Comment: 49 pages, 3 figures; v.2 references corrected; v3: corrected discussion in section 5, results unchange

Wave functions and correlation functions for GKP strings from integrability

We develop a general method of computing the contribution of the vertex operators to the semi-classical correlation functions of heavy string states, based on the state-operator correspondence and the integrable structure of the system. Our method requires only the knowledge of the local behavior of the saddle point configuration around each vertex insertion point and can be applied to cases where the precise forms of the vertex operators are not known. As an important application, we compute the contributions of the vertex operators to the three-point functions of the large spin limit of the Gubser-Klebanov-Polyakov (GKP) strings in $AdS_3$ spacetime, left unevaluated in our previous work [arXiv:1110.3949] which initiated such a study. Combining with the finite part of the action already computed previously and with the newly evaluated divergent part of the action, we obtain finite three-point functions with the expected dependence of the target space boundary coordinates on the dilatation charge and the spin.Comment: 80 pages, 7 figures, v2: typos and minor errors corrected, a reference added, v3: typos and a reference corrected, published versio

More three-point correlators of giant magnons with finite size

In the framework of the semiclassical approach, we compute the normalized structure constants in three-point correlation functions, when two of the vertex operators correspond to heavy string states, while the third vertex corresponds to a light state. This is done for the case when the heavy string states are finite-size giant magnons with one or two angular momenta, and for two different choices of the light state, corresponding to dilaton operator and primary scalar operator. The relevant operators in the dual gauge theory are Tr(F_{\mu\nu}^2 Z^j+...) and Tr(Z^j). We first consider the case of AdS_5 x S^5 and N = 4 super Yang-Mills. Then we extend the obtained results to the gamma-deformed AdS_5 x S^5_\gamma, dual to N = 1 super Yang-Mills theory, arising as an exactly marginal deformation of N = 4 super Yang-Mills.Comment: 14 pages, no figure

Holographic 3-point function at one loop

We explore the recent weak/strong coupling match of three-point functions in the AdS/CFT correspondence for two semi-classical operators and one light chiral primary operator found by Escobedo et al. This match is between the tree-level three-point function with the two semi-classical operators described by coherent states while on the string side the three-point function is found in the Frolov-Tseytlin limit. We compute the one-loop correction to the three-point function on the gauge theory side and compare this to the corresponding correction on the string theory side. We find that the corrections do not match. Finally, we discuss the possibility of further contributions on the gauge theory side that can alter our results.Comment: 24 pages, 2 figures. v2: Typos fixed, Ref. added, figure improved. v3: Several typos and misprints fixed, Ref. updated, figures improved, new section 2.3 added on correction from spin-flipped coherent state, computations on string theory side improve

Generalized scaling function from light-cone gauge AdS_5 x S^5 superstring

We revisit the computation of the 2-loop correction to the energy of a folded spinning string in AdS_5 with an angular momentum J in S^5 in the scaling limit log S, J >>1 with J / log S fixed. This correction gives the third term in the strong-coupling expansion of the generalized scaling function. The computation, using the AdS light-cone gauge approach developed in our previous paper, is done by expanding the AdS_5 x S^5 superstring partition function near the generalized null cusp world surface associated to the spinning string solution. The result corrects and extends the previous conformal gauge result of arXiv:0712.2479 and is found to be in complete agreement with the corresponding terms in the generalized scaling function as obtained from the asymptotic Bethe ansatz in arXiv:0805.4615 (and also partially from the quantum O(6) model and the Bethe ansatz data in arXiv:0809.4952). This provides a highly nontrivial strong coupling comparison of the Bethe ansatz proposal with the quantum AdS_5 x S^5 superstring theory, which goes beyond the leading semiclassical term effectively controlled by the underlying algebraic curve. The 2-loop computation we perform involves all the structures in the AdS light-cone gauge superstring action of hep-th/0009171 and thus tests its ultraviolet finiteness and, through the agreement with the Bethe ansatz, its quantum integrability. We do most of the computations for a generalized spinning string solution or the corresponding null cusp surface that involves both the orbital momentum and the winding in a large circle of S^5.Comment: 50 pages, late

Holographic three-point functions for short operators

We consider holographic three-point functions for operators dual to short string states at strong coupling in N=4 super Yang-Mills. We treat the states as point-like as they come in from the boundary but as strings in the interaction region in the bulk. The interaction position is determined by saddle point, which is equivalent to conservation of the canonical momentum for the interacting particles, and leads to conservation of their conformal charges. We further show that for large dimensions the rms size of the interaction region is small compared to the radius of curvature of the AdS space, but still large compared to the string Compton wave-length. Hence, one can approximate the string vertex operators as flat-space vertex operators with a definite momentum, which depends on the conformal and R-charges of the operator. We then argue that the string vertex operator dual to a primary operator is chosen by satisfying a twisted version of Q^L=Q^R, up to spurious terms. This leads to a unique choice for a scalar vertex operator with the appropriate charges at the first massive level. We then comment on some features of the corresponding three-point functions, including the application of these results to Konishi operators.Comment: 24 pages; v2: References added, typos fixed, minor change

Holographic three-point functions of giant gravitons

Working within the AdS/CFT correspondence we calculate the three-point function of two giant gravitons and one pointlike graviton using methods of semiclassical string theory and considering both the case where the giant gravitons wrap an S^3 in S^5 and the case where the giant gravitons wrap an S^3 in AdS_5. We likewise calculate the correlation function in N=4 SYM using two Schur polynomials and a single trace chiral primary. We find that the gauge and string theory results have structural similarities but do not match perfectly, and interpret this in terms of the Schur polynomials' inability to interpolate between dual giant and pointlike gravitons.Comment: 21 page

Tailoring Three-Point Functions and Integrability II. Weak/strong coupling match

We compute three-point functions of single trace operators in planar N=4 SYM. We consider the limit where one of the operators is much smaller than the other two. We find a precise match between weak and strong coupling in the Frolov-Tseytlin classical limit for a very general class of classical solutions. To achieve this match we clarify the issue of back-reaction and identify precisely which three-point functions are captured by a classical computation.Comment: 36 pages. v2: figure added, references adde

Three-point correlators for giant magnons

Three-point correlation functions in the strong-coupling regime of the AdS/CFT correspondence can be analyzed within a semiclassical approximation when two of the vertex operators correspond to heavy string states having large quantum numbers while the third vertex corresponds to a light state with fixed charges. We consider the case where the heavy string states are chosen to be giant magnon solitons with either a single or two different angular momenta, for various different choices of light string states.Comment: 15 pages. Latex. v2: Misprints corrected. Published versio