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Finite Gauss-Sum Modular Kernels: Scalar Gap and a Pure AdS$_3$ Gravity No-Go Theorem

High Energy Physics - Theory 2025-12-02 v1 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology Mathematical Physics math.MP

Abstract

We obtain closed-form expressions for the STnSST^nS modular kernels of non-rational Virasoro CFTs and use them to construct fully analytic modular-bootstrap functionals. At rational width τ\tau, the Mordell integrals in these kernels reduce to finite quadratic Gauss sums of sech/sec\operatorname{sech}/\sec profiles with explicit Weil phases, furnishing a canonical finite-dimensional real basis for spectral kernels. From this basis we build finite-support "window" functionals with Φ(0)=1\Phi(0)=1 and Φ(p)>0\Phi(p)>0 on a prescribed low-momentum interval. Applied to the scalar channel of the ST1SST^1S kernel, these functionals yield a rigorous analytic bound on the spinless gap. As a second application we prove an analytic no-go theorem for pure AdS3_3 gravity: no compact, unitary, Virasoro-only CFT2_2 can have a primary gap above ΔBTZ=(c1)/12\Delta_{\rm BTZ}=(c-1)/12, because a strictly positive "Mordell surplus" in the odd-spin STST kernel forces an odd-spin primary below ΔBTZ\Delta_{\rm BTZ}.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2512.00361,
  title  = {Finite Gauss-Sum Modular Kernels: Scalar Gap and a Pure AdS$_3$ Gravity No-Go Theorem},
  author = {Miguel Tierz},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2512.00361},
  year   = {2025}
}

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31 pages