Shrif, Esra Mohammed Shrif Mohammed Salih Mohammed2017-12-212017-12-212017Shrif, Esra Mohammed Shrif Mohammed Salih Mohammed (2017) Holographic descriptions of CFT scattering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, <http://hdl.handle.net/10539/23536>http://hdl.handle.net/10539/23536A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 5 June 2017.The holographic computation of extremal correlators is often frustrated by divergences. The interpretation of these divergences is incomplete. The primary goal of this study is to develop a better understanding of these divergences. Towards this end, working within the AdS/CFT correspondence we review the computation of correlators. In the field theory we review well known matrix model techniques useful to study the planar limit, as well as methods exploiting group representation theory that are useful for the computation of correlators in large N but non-planar limits. On the gravity side of the correspondence, we describe in detail the computation of two- and three point functions of a scalar field coupled to gravity on the Euclidian AdSd+1 space, three-point functions of two giant gravitons and one pointlike graviton as well as correlators of Kaluza-Klein gravitons. A key observation of this study is that extremal correlators are mapped to scattering amplitudes of particles with parallel momenta. These are naturally accompanied by involve collinear divergences. Therefore, we suggest that the divergences in the computation of extremal correlators are linked to collinear divergences. A lot more work is needed to establish this connection.Online resource (vi, 98 leaves)enField theory (Physics)Quantum field theoryConformal invariantsHolographyThesis