Research Outputs (School of Physics)

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Anomalous dimensions of heavy operators from magnon energies
(Springer Verlag, 2016-03) de Mello Koch, R.; Tahiridimbisoa, N.H.; Mathwin, C.
We study spin chains with boundaries that are dual to open strings suspended between systems of giant gravitons and dual giant gravitons. Motivated by a geometrical interpretation of the central charges of su(2|2), we propose a simple and minimal all loop expression that interpolates between the anomalous dimensions computed in the gauge theory and energies computed in the dual string theory. The discussion makes use of a description in terms of magnons, generalizing results for a single maximal giant graviton. The symmetries of the problem determine the structure of the magnon boundary reflection/scattering matrix up to a phase. We compute a reflection/scattering matrix element at weak coupling and verify that it is consistent with the answer determined by symmetry. We find the reflection/scattering matrix does not satisfy the boundary Yang-Baxter equation so that the boundary condition on the open spin chain spoils integrability. We also explain the interpretation of the double coset ansatz in the magnon language.
Attractive holographic c -functions
(Springer, 2014-11-24) Bhattacharyya, Arpan; Haque, S. Shajidul; Jejjala, Vishnu; Nampuri, Suresh; Véliz-Osorio, Álvaro
Using the attractor mechanism for extremal solutions in N = 2 gauged supergravity, we construct a c-function that interpolates between the central charges of theories at ultraviolet and infrared conformal fixed points corresponding to anti-de Sitter geometries. The c-function we obtain is couched purely in terms of bulk quantities and connects two different dimensional CFTs at the stable conformal fixed points under the RG flow.
Characterizing the gamma-ray long-term variability of PKS2155 304 with HESS and Fermi-LAT
(EDP Sciences, 2017-02) Chen, A.; Colafrancesco, S.; Jingo, M.; Collaboration, H.E.S.S.; Abdalla, H.; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; Ait Benkhali, F.; Akhperjanian, A.G.; Andersson, T.; Angüner, E.O.; Arrieta, M.; Aubert, P.; Backes, M.; Balzer, A.; Barnard, M.; Becherini, Y.; Becker Tjus, J.; Berge, D.; Bernhard, S.; Komin, Nu.
Studying the temporal variability of BL Lac objects at the highest energies provides unique insights into the extreme physical processes occurring in relativistic jets and in the vicinity of super-massive black holes. To this end, the long-term variability of the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304 is analyzed in the high (HE, 100 MeV < E < 300 GeV) and very high energy (VHE, E > 200 GeV) γ-ray domain. Over the course of ∼9 yr of H.E.S.S. observations the VHE light curve in the quiescent state is consistent with a log-normal behavior. The VHE variability in this state is well described by flicker noise (power-spectral-density index βVHE = 1.10-0.13 +0.10) on timescales larger than one day. An analysis of ∼5.5 yr of HE Fermi-LAT data gives consistent results (βHE = 1.20-0.23 +0.21), on timescales larger than 10 days) compatible with the VHE findings. The HE and VHE power spectral densities show a scale invariance across the probed time ranges. A direct linear correlation between the VHE and HE fluxes could neither be excluded nor firmly established. These long-term-variability properties are discussed and compared to the red noise behavior (β ∼ 2) seen on shorter timescales during VHE-flaring states. The difference in power spectral noise behavior at VHE energies during quiescent and flaring states provides evidence that these states are influenced by different physical processes, while the compatibility of the HE and VHE long-term results is suggestive of a common physical link as it might be introduced by an underlying jet-disk connection.
Confinement and diffusion time-scales of CR hadrons in AGN-inflated.
(Oxford University Press (OUP), 2017-09) Prokhorov, D.A.; Churazov, E.M.
While rich clusters are powerful sources of X-rays, γ -ray emission from these large cosmic structures has not been detected yet. X-ray radiative energy losses in the central regions of relaxed galaxy clusters are so strong that one needs to consider special sources of energy, likely active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback, to suppress catastrophic cooling of the gas. We consider a model of AGN feedback that postulates that the AGN supplies the energy to the gas by inflating bubbles of relativistic plasma, whose energy content is dominated by cosmic-ray (CR) hadrons. If most of these hadrons can quickly escape the bubbles, then collisions of CRs with thermal protons in the intracluster medium (ICM) should lead to strong γ -ray emission, unless fast diffusion of CRs removes them from the cluster. Therefore, the lack of detections with modern γ -ray telescopes sets limits on the confinement time of CR hadrons in bubbles and CR diffusive propagation in the ICM.
Effect of the non-thermal Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect on the temperature determination of galaxy clusters
(Oxford University Press (OUP), 2017-08) Marchegiani, P.; Colafrancesco, S.
A recent stacking analysis of Planck HFI data of galaxy clusters led to the derivation of the cluster temperatures using the relativistic corrections to the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect (SZE). However, the temperatures of high-temperature clusters, as derived from this analysis, were basically higher than the temperatures derived from X-ray measurements, at a moderate statistical significance of 1.5 sigma. This discrepancy has been attributed by Hurier to calibration issues. In this paper, we discuss an alternative explanation for this discrepancy in terms of a non-thermal SZE astrophysical component. We find that this explanation can work if non-thermal electrons in galaxy clusters have a low minimum momentum (p(1) similar to 0.5-1), and if their pressure is of the order of 20-30 per cent of the thermal gas pressure. Both these conditions are hard to obtain if the non-thermal electrons are mixed with the hot gas in the intracluster medium, but can be possibly obtained if the non-thermal electrons are mainly confined in bubbles with a high amount of non-thermal plasma and a low amount of thermal plasma, or are in giant radio lobes/relics in the outskirts of the clusters. To derive more precise results on the properties of the non-thermal electrons in clusters, and in view of more solid detections of a discrepancy between X-ray- and SZE-derived cluster temperatures that cannot be explained in other ways, it would be necessary to reproduce the full analysis done by Hurier by systematically adding the non-thermal component of the SZE.
Effects of spatial fluctuations in the extragalactic background light on hard gamma-ray spectra
(Oxford University Press (OUP), 2017-06) Kudoda, A.M.; Faltenbacher, A.
This study investigates the impact of the fluctuations in the extragalactic background light (EBL) on the attenuation of the hard gamma-ray spectra of distant blazars. EBL fluctuations occur on the scales up to 100 Mpc and are caused by the clustering of galaxies. The EBL photons interact with high-energy gamma-rays via the electron-positron pair production mechanism: gamma + gamma '-> e(+) + e(-). The attenuation of gamma-rays depends on their energy and the density of the intervening EBL photon field. Using a simple model for the evolution of the mean EBL photon density, we implement an analytical description of the EBL fluctuations. We find that the amplitudes of the EBL energy density can vary by +/- 1 per cent as a function of environment. The EBL fluctuations lead to mild alterations of the optical depth or equivalently the transmissivity for gamma-rays from distant blazars. Our model predicts maximum changes of +/- 10 per cent in the gamma-ray transmissivity. However, this translates into marginal differences in the power-law slopes of currently observed gamma-ray spectra. The slopes of deabsorbed gamma-ray spectra differ by not more than +/- 1 per cent if EBL fluctuations are included.
First limits on the very-high energy gamma-ray afterglow emission of a fast radio burst HESS observations of FRB 150418
(EDP Sciences, 2017-01-01) Colafrancesco, S.; Jingo, M.; Shafi, N.; Abdalla, H.; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; Ait Benkhali, F.; Akhperjanian, A. G.; Andersson, T.; Angüner, E. O.; Arakawa, M.; Arrieta, M.; Aubert, P.; Backes, M.; Balzer, A.; Barnard, M.; Chen, A.; Jingo, M.; Komin, N.; Shafi, N.
Aims. Following the detection of the fast radio burst FRB150418 by the SUPERB project at the Parkes radio telescope, we aim to search for very-high energy gamma-ray afterglow emission. Methods. Follow-up observations in the very-high energy gamma-ray domain were obtained with the H.E.S.S. imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope system within 14.5 h of the radio burst. Results. The obtained 1.4 h of gamma-ray observations are presented and discussed. At the 99% C.L. we obtained an integral upper limit on the gamma-ray flux of Φγ(E > 350 GeV) < 1.33 × 10-8 m-2 s-1. Differential flux upper limits as function of the photon energy were derived and used to constrain the intrinsic high-energy afterglow emission of FRB 150418. Conclusions. No hints for high-energy afterglow emission of FRB 150418 were found. Taking absorption on the extragalactic background light into account and assuming a distance of z = 0.492 based on radio and optical counterpart studies and consistent with the FRB dispersion, we constrain the gamma-ray luminosity at 1 TeV to L < 5.1 × 1047 erg/s at 99% C.L.
Gamma-ray blazar spectra with H.E.S.S. II mono analysis: The case of PKS2155-304 and PG1553+113
(EDP Sciences, 2017-04) Chen, A.; Colafrancesco, S.; Jingo, M.; Komin, Nu.; Shafi, N.; Abdalla, H.; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; Ait Benkhali, F.; Akhperjanian, A. G.; Andersson, T.; Angüner, E. O.; Arrieta, M.; Aubert, P.; Backes, M.; Balzer, A.; Barnard, M.; Becherini, Y.; Becker Tjus, J.; Berge, D.; Bernhard, S.
Context. The addition of a 28 m Cherenkov telescope (CT5) to the H.E.S.S. array extended the experiment's sensitivity to lower energies. The lowest energy threshold is obtained using monoscopic analysis of data taken with CT5, providing access to gamma-ray energies below 100 GeV for small zenith angle observations. Such an extension of the instrument's energy range is particularly beneficial for studies of active galactic nuclei with soft spectra, as expected for those at a redshift ≥0.5. The high-frequency peaked BL Lac objects PKS 2155-304 (z = 0:116) and PG 1553+113 (0:43 < z < 0:58) are among the brightest objects in the gamma-ray sky, both showing clear signatures of gamma-ray absorption at E > 100 GeV interpreted as being due to interactions with the extragalactic background light (EBL). Aims. The aims of this work are twofold: to demonstrate the monoscopic analysis of CT5 data with a low energy threshold, and to obtain accurate measurements of the spectral energy distributions (SED) of PKS 2155-304 and PG 1553+113 near their SED peaks at energies 100 GeV. Methods. Multiple observational campaigns of PKS 2155-304 and PG 1553+113 were conducted during 2013 and 2014 using the full H.E.S.S. II instrument (CT1'5). A monoscopic analysis of the data taken with the new CT5 telescope was developed along with an investigation into the systematic uncertainties on the spectral parameters which are derived from this analysis. Results. Using the data from CT5, the energy spectra of PKS 2155-304 and PG 1553+113 were reconstructed down to conservative threshold energies of 80 GeV for PKS 2155-304, which transits near zenith, and 110 GeV for the more northern PG 1553+113. The measured spectra, well fitted in both cases by a log-parabola spectral model (with a 5.0φ statistical preference for non-zero curvature for PKS 2155-304 and 4.5φ for PG 1553+113), were found consistent with spectra derived from contemporaneous Fermi-LAT data, indicating a sharp break in the observed spectra of both sources at E 100 GeV. When corrected for EBL absorption, the intrinsic H.E.S.S. II mono and Fermi-LAT spectrum of PKS 2155-304 was found to show significant curvature. For PG 1553+113, however, no significant detection of curvature in the intrinsic spectrum could be found within statistical and systematic uncertainties.
Generation of radical species in CVD grown pristine and N-doped solid carbon spheres using H2 and Ar as carrier gases
(Royal Society of Chemistry, 2017) Mutuma, B.K.; Matsoso, B.J.; Ranganathan, K.; Wamwangi, D.; Coville, N.J; Keartland, J.
Solid carbon spheres (CSs, d ≈ 200 nm) were synthesized (yield, <40%) in a vertically oriented chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor using acetylene as a carbon source and Ar or H2 as the carrier gas. The CSs synthesized in the presence of H2 exhibited a broader thermal gravimetric derivative curve and a narrower paramagnetic signal than the CSs synthesized in Ar. Post synthesis doping of both types of CSs with nitrogen was achieved by passing acetonitrile at 800 °C for 1 h over the CSs in a CVD reactor. The N-doped CSs (NCSs) synthesized under both H2 and Ar displayed an increase in ID/IG ratios as obtained from Raman spectroscopy and showed an increase in the paramagnetic signal due to the presence of nitrogen induced defects compared to the undoped CSs. The NCSs synthesized in H2 had less graphitic-N (22%) than those produced in Ar (50%). The presence of a higher percentage of pyridinic-N and pyrrolic-N for the NCSs prepared with H2 as carrier gas suggested H2 etching effects on the CSs. Further, the N-doped carbon spheres obtained in the presence of H2 gave a higher N/C ratio (5.0) than in the presence of Ar (3.7). The introduction of edge defects and paramagnetic centers in CSs in the presence of H2 gas without the aid of a metal catalyst opens up a platform for regulating surface and catalytic reactions of CSs
Heating up branes in gauged supergravity
(Springer, 2014-08-26) Goldstein, Kevin; Nampuri, Suresh; V´eliz-Osorio, Alvaro
In this note, we explore the solution space of non-extremal black objects in 4D and 5D N = 2 gauged supergravity in the presence of fluxes. We present first order rewritings of the 4D action for a classes of non-extremal dyonic and electric solutions with electric flux backgrounds. Additionally, we obtain the non-extremal version of the Nernst brane in AdS 5 using a simple deformation. Finally, we develop a new technique to deform extremal black solutions in 4D to non-extremal solutions by an analysis of the symmetries of the equations of motion.
Heavy quark diffusion in strongly coupled anisotropic plasmas
(Springer, 2014-06-09) Giataganasa, Dimitrios; Soltanpanahib, Hesam
We study the Langevin diffusion of a relativistic heavy quark in anisotropic strongly coupled theories in the local limit. Firstly, we use the axion space-dependent deformed anisotropic N = 4 sYM, where the geometry anisotropy is always prolate, while the pressure anisotropy may be prolate or oblate. For motion along the anisotropic direction we find that the effective temperature for the quark can be larger than the heat bath temperature, in contrast to what happens in the isotropic theory. The longitudinal and transverse Langevin diffusion coefficients depend strongly on the anisotropy, the direction of motion and the transverse direction considered. We analyze the anisotropy effects to the coefficients and compare them to each other and to them of the isotropic theory. To examine the dependence of the coefficients on the type of the geometry, we consider another bottom-up anisotropic model. Changing the geometry from prolate to oblate, certain diffusion coefficients interchange their behaviors. In both anisotropic backgrounds we find cases that the transverse diffusion coefficient is larger than the longitudinal, but we find no negative excess noise.
Higher loop nonplanar anomalous dimensions from symmetry
(Springer, 2014-02-28) Koch, Robert de Mello; Graham, Stuart; Messamah, Ilies
In this article we study the action of the one loop dilatation operator on operators with a classical dimension of order N. These operators belong to the su(2) sector and are constructed using two complex fields Y and Z. For these operators non-planar diagrams contribute already at the leading order in N and the planar and large N limits are distinct. The action of the one loop and the two loop dilatation operator reduces to a set of decoupled oscillators and factorizes into an action on the Z fields and an action on the Y fields. Direct computation has shown that the action on the Y fields is the same at one and two loops. In this article, using the su(2) symmetry algebra as well as structural features of field theory, we give compelling evidence that the factor in the dilatation operator that acts on the Y s is given by the one loop expression, at any loop order.
The hot attractor mechanism: decoupling without deep throats
(Springer Verlag, 2016-04) Goldstein, K.; Jejjala, V.; Nampuri, S.
Non-extremal black holes in (Formula presented.) supergravity have two horizons, the geometric mean of whose areas recovers the horizon area of the extremal black hole obtained from taking a smooth zero temperature limit. In prior work [1] using the attractor mechanism, we deduced the existence of several moduli independent invariant quantities obtained from averaging over a decoupled inter-horizon region. We establish that non-extremal geometries at the Reissner-Nordström point, where the scalar moduli are held fixed, can be lifted to solutions in supergravity with a near-horizon AdS3×S2. These solutions have the same entropy and temperature as the original black hole and therefore allow an interpretation of the underlying gravitational degrees of freedom in terms of CFT2. Symmetries of the moduli space enable us to explicate the origin of entropy in the extremal limit.
Indefinite theta functions for counting attractor backgrounds
(Springer, 2014-10-03) Cardoso, Gabriel Lopes; Ciraficia, Michele; Nampurib, Suresh
In this note, we employ indefinite theta functions to regularize canonical partition functions for single-center dyonic BPS black holes. These partition functions count dyonic degeneracies in the Hilbert space of four-dimensional toroidally compactified heterotic string theory, graded by electric and magnetic charges. The regularization is achieved by viewing the weighted sums of degeneracies as sums over charge excitations in the near-horizon attractor geometry of an arbitrarily chosen black hole background, and eliminating the unstable modes. This enables us to rewrite these sums in terms of indefinite theta functions. Background independence is then implemented by using the transformation property of indefinite theta functions under elliptic transformations, while modular transformations are used to make contact with semi-classical results in supergravity.
Inelastic magnon scattering
(Elsevier, 2017-05) De Mello Koch, R.; Van Zyl, H.J.R.
We study the worldsheet S-matrix of a string attached to a D-brane in AdS5×S5. The D-brane is either a giant graviton or a dual giant graviton. In the gauge theory, the operators we consider belong to the su(2|3)sector of the theory. Magnon excitations of open strings can exhibit both elastic (when magnons in the bulk of the string scatter) and inelastic (when magnons at the endpoint of an open string participate) scattering. Both of these S-matrices are determined (up to an overall phase) by the su(2|2)2global symmetry of the theory. In this note we study the S-matrix for inelastic scattering. We show that it exhibits poles correspondingto boundstates of bulk and boundary magnons. A crossing equation is derived for the overall phase. It reproduces the crossing equation for maximal giant gravitons, in the appropriate limit. Finally, scattering in the su(2)sector is computed to two loops. This two loop result, which determines the overall phase to two loops, will be useful when a unique solution to the crossing equation is to be selected.
Interactions as intertwiners in 4D QFT
(Springer Verlag, 2016-03) de Mello Koch, R.; Ramgoolam, S.
In a recent paper we showed that the correlators of free scalar field theory in four dimensions can be constructed from a two dimensional topological field theory based on so(4, 2) equivariant maps (intertwiners). The free field result, along with recent results of Frenkel and Libine on equivariance properties of Feynman integrals, are developed further in this paper. We show that the coefficient of the log term in the 1-loop 4-point conformal integral is a projector in the tensor product of so(4, 2) representations. We also show that the 1-loop 4-point integral can be written as a sum of four terms, each associated with the quantum equation of motion for one of the four external legs. The quantum equation of motion is shown to be related to equivariant maps involving indecomposable representations of so(4, 2), a phenomenon which illuminates multiplet recombination. The harmonic expansion method for Feynman integrals is a powerful tool for arriving at these results. The generalization to other interactions and higher loops is discussed.
Large A without the desert
(Springer, 2014-07-31) Abdalgabar, Ammar; Cornell, Alan S.; Deandrea, Aldo; McGarrie, Moritz
Even if the unification and supersymmetry breaking scales are around 106 to 109 TeV, a large A t coupling may be entirely generated at low energies through RGE evolution in the 5D MSSM. Independent of the precise details of supersymmetry breaking, we take advantage of power law running in five dimensions and a compactification scale in the 10 − 103 TeV range to show how the gluino mass may drive a large enough A t to achieve the required 125.5 GeV Higgs mass. This also allows for sub-TeV stops, possibly observable at the LHC, and preserving GUT unification, thereby resulting in improved naturalness properties with respect to the four dimensional MSSM. The results apply also to models of “split families” in which the first and second generation matter fields are in the bulk and the third is on the boundary, which may assist in the generation of light stops whilst satisfying collider constraints on the first two generations of squarks.
Large mass hierarchies from strongly-coupled dynamics
(Springer Verlag, 2016-06) Athenodorou, A.; Bennett, E.; Bergner, G.; Elander, D.; Lin, C.-J.D.; Lucini, B.; Piai, M.
Besides the Higgs particle discovered in 2012, with mass 125 GeV, recent LHC data show tentative signals for new resonances in diboson as well as diphoton searches at high center-of-mass energies (2 TeV and 750 GeV, respectively). If these signals are confirmed (or other new resonances are discovered at the TeV scale), the large hierarchies between masses of new bosons require a dynamical explanation. Motivated by these tentative signals of new physics, we investigate the theoretical possibility that large hierarchies in the masses of glueballs could arise dynamically in new strongly-coupled gauge theories extending the standard model of particle physics. We study lattice data on non-Abelian gauge theories in the (near-)conformal regime as well as a simple toy model in the context of gauge/gravity dualities. We focus our attention on the ratio R between the mass of the lightest spin-2 and spin-0 resonances, that for technical reasons is a particularly convenient and clean observable to study. For models in which (non-perturbative) large anomalous dimensions arise dynamically, we show indications that this mass ratio can be large, with R>5. Moreover,our results suggest that R might be related to universal properties of the IR fixed point. Our findings provide an interesting step towards understanding large mass ratios in the non-perturbative regime of quantum field theories with (near) IR conformal behaviour.
Light third-generation squarks from flavour gauge messengers
(Springer, 2014-04-10) Brummer, Felix; McGarrie, Moritz; Weiler, Andreas
We study models of gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking with a gauged horizontal SU(3)F symmetry acting on the quark superfields. If SU(3)F is broken nonsupersymmetrically by F -term vacuum expectation values, the massive gauge bosons and gauginos become messengers for SUSY breaking mediation. These gauge messenger fields induce a flavour-dependent, negative contribution to the soft masses of the squarks at one loop. In combination with the soft terms from standard gauge mediation, one obtains large and degenerate first- and second-generation squark masses, while the stops and sbottoms are light. We discuss the implications of this mechanism for the superparticle spectrum and for flavour precision observables. We also provide an explicit realization in a model with simultaneous SUSY and SU(3)F breaking.
LLM magnons
(Springer Verlag, 2016-03) de Mello Koch, R.; Mathwin, C.; Van Zyl, H.J.R.
We consider excitations of LLM geometries described by coloring the LLM plane with concentric black rings. Certain closed string excitations are localized at the edges of these rings. The string theory predictions for the energies of magnon excitations of these strings depends on the radii of the edges of the rings. In this article we construct the operators dual to these closed string excitations and show how to reproduce the string theory predictions for magnon energies by computing one loop anomalous dimensions. These operators are linear combinations of restricted Schur polynomials. The distinction between what is the background and what is the excitation is accomplished in the choice of the subgroup and the representations used to construct the operator.

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