English

Broken global symmetries and defect conformal manifolds

High Energy Physics - Theory 2022-11-23 v2

Abstract

Just as exactly marginal operators allow to deform a conformal field theory along the space of theories known as the conformal manifold, appropriate operators on conformal defects allow for deformations of the defects. When a defect breaks a global symmetry, there is a contact term in the conservation equation with an exactly marginal defect operator. The resulting defect conformal manifold is the symmetry breaking coset and its Zamolodchikov metric is expressed as the 2-point function of the exactly marginal operator. As the Riemann tensor on the conformal manifold can be expressed as an integrated 4-point function of the marginal operators, we find an exact relation to the curvature of the coset space. We confirm this relation against previously obtained 4-point functions for insertions into the 1/2 BPS Wilson loop in N=4{\cal N} = 4 SYM and 3d N=6{\cal N} = 6 theory and the 1/2 BPS surface operator of the 6d N=(2,0){\cal N} = (2, 0) theory.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2203.17157,
  title  = {Broken global symmetries and defect conformal manifolds},
  author = {Nadav Drukker and Ziwen Kong and Georgios Sakkas},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2203.17157},
  year   = {2022}
}

Comments

v1: 19 pages; v2: Scope of paper broadened a bit and title changed to reflect that. Added the case of ABJM and shortened to 7 pages (2-column). Version to appear in PRL