The CP-odd sector and $\theta$ dynamics in holographic QCD

Abstract

The holographic model of V-QCD is used to analyze the physics of QCD in the Veneziano large-N limit. An unprecedented analysis of the CP-odd physics is performed going beyond the level of effective field theories. The structure of holographic saddle-points at finite $\theta$ is determined, as well as its interplay with chiral symmetry breaking. Many observables (vacuum energy and higher-order susceptibilities, singlet and non-singlet masses and mixings) are computed as functions of $\theta$ and the quark mass $m$. Wherever applicable the results are compared to those of chiral Lagrangians, finding agreement. In particular, we recover the Witten-Veneziano formula in the small $x\to 0$ limit, we compute the $\theta$-dependence of the pion mass and we derive the hyperscaling relation for the topological susceptibility in the conformal window in terms of the quark mass.Comment: 58 pages plus appendices, 19 figures. V2: section 3.1 improved, typos corrected, published versio