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Towards the classification of conformal field theories in arbitrary even dimension

High Energy Physics - Theory 2009-10-31 v2 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology High Energy Physics - Phenomenology

Abstract

I identify the class of even-dimensional conformal field theories that is most similar to two-dimensional conformal field theory. In this class the formula, elaborated recently, for the irreversibility of the renormalization-group flow applies also to massive flows. This implies a prediction for the ratio between the coefficient of the Euler density in the trace anomaly (charge a) and the stress-tensor two-point function (charge c). More precisely, the trace anomaly in external gravity is quadratic in the Ricci tensor and the Ricci scalar and contains a unique central charge. I check the prediction in detail in four, six and eight dimensions, and then in arbitrary even dimension.

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Cite

@article{arxiv.hep-th/9908014,
  title  = {Towards the classification of conformal field theories in arbitrary even dimension},
  author = {D. Anselmi},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/9908014},
  year   = {2009}
}

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9 pages