A new covariant c-function is defined from extrinsic curvature of codimension-two bulk slices, unifying prior foliation-based definitions and exhibiting expected monotonic behavior in conformal, confining, and mixed-geometry string backgrounds.
Towards the F-Theorem: N=2 Field Theories on the Three-Sphere
6 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.
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abstract
For 3-dimensional field theories with {\cal N}=2 supersymmetry the Euclidean path integrals on the three-sphere can be calculated using the method of localization; they reduce to certain matrix integrals that depend on the R-charges of the matter fields. We solve a number of such large N matrix models and calculate the free energy F as a function of the trial R-charges consistent with the marginality of the superpotential. In all our {\cal N}=2 superconformal examples, the local maximization of F yields answers that scale as N^{3/2} and agree with the dual M-theory backgrounds AdS_4 x Y, where Y are 7-dimensional Sasaki-Einstein spaces. We also find in toric examples that local F-maximization is equivalent to the minimization of the volume of Y over the space of Sasakian metrics, a procedure also referred to as Z-minimization. Moreover, we find that the functions F and Z are related for any trial R-charges. In the models we study F is positive and decreases along RG flows. We therefore propose the "F-theorem" that we hope applies to all 3-d field theories: the finite part of the free energy on the three-sphere decreases along RG trajectories and is stationary at RG fixed points. We also show that in an infinite class of Chern-Simons-matter gauge theories where the Chern-Simons levels do not sum to zero, the free energy grows as N^{5/3} at large N. This non-trivial scaling matches that of the free energy of the gravity duals in type IIA string theory with Romans mass.
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hep-th 6roles
background 3representative citing papers
Derives Airy representation for S^3 partition functions in M2-brane theories that exactly matches equivariant topological string predictions and proposes a new CY4 to C x CY3 correspondence via quantum curves.
The scheme-independent 3-sphere free energy decreases at O(g^2) under relevant deformations of a 3D CFT but is not monotone along the full RG flow of the free massive scalar on S^3.
Local CFTs lie at the extrema of the sphere free energy tilde F for nonlocal CFT lines, and maximize it when unitary.
A thermal normal-ordering scheme yields systematic epsilon-expansions for thermal observables in PT-symmetric cubic and quintic O(N) models, agreeing with exact 2D results from minimal models M(2,5) and M(3,8)_D and providing higher-d extrapolations.
Resurgent cyclic orbits' algebraic structure plus the leading q-series term determines the asymptotic growth exponent of dual q-series coefficients, which equals an effective central charge c_eff in a related 3d N=2 QFT.
citing papers explorer
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Covariant unification of holographic c-functions
A new covariant c-function is defined from extrinsic curvature of codimension-two bulk slices, unifying prior foliation-based definitions and exhibiting expected monotonic behavior in conformal, confining, and mixed-geometry string backgrounds.
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$S^3$ partition functions and Equivariant CY$_4 $/CY$_3$ correspondence from Quantum curves
Derives Airy representation for S^3 partition functions in M2-brane theories that exactly matches equivariant topological string predictions and proposes a new CY4 to C x CY3 correspondence via quantum curves.
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The scheme independent 3-sphere free energy is not a monotone F-function
The scheme-independent 3-sphere free energy decreases at O(g^2) under relevant deformations of a 3D CFT but is not monotone along the full RG flow of the free massive scalar on S^3.
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Local CFTs extremise $F$
Local CFTs lie at the extrema of the sphere free energy tilde F for nonlocal CFT lines, and maximize it when unitary.
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$\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric Field Theories at Finite Temperature
A thermal normal-ordering scheme yields systematic epsilon-expansions for thermal observables in PT-symmetric cubic and quintic O(N) models, agreeing with exact 2D results from minimal models M(2,5) and M(3,8)_D and providing higher-d extrapolations.
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$c_{\rm eff}$ from Resurgence at the Stokes Line
Resurgent cyclic orbits' algebraic structure plus the leading q-series term determines the asymptotic growth exponent of dual q-series coefficients, which equals an effective central charge c_eff in a related 3d N=2 QFT.