Families of Conformal Fixed Points of N=2 Chern-Simons-Matter Theories

We argue that a large class of N=2 Chern-Simons-matter theories in three dimensions have a continuous family of exact IR fixed points described by suitable quartic superpotentials, based on holomorphy. The entire family exists in the perturbative regime. A nontrivial check is performed by computing the 4-loop beta function of the quartic couplings, in the 't Hooft limit, with a large number of flavors. We find that the 4-loop beta function can only deform the family of 2-loop fixed points, and does not change the dimension of this family. We further present an explicit computation of a perturbative correction to the Zamolodchikov metric on this space of three-dimensional superconformal field theories.Comment: 27 pages, 108 figure

Bootstrapping 2D CFTs in the Semiclassical Limit

We study two dimensional conformal field theories in the semiclassical limit. In this limit, the four-point function is dominated by intermediate primaries of particular weights along with their descendants, and the crossing equations simplify drastically. For a four-point function receiving sufficiently small contributions from the light primaries, the structure constants involving heavy primaries follow a universal formula. Applying our results to the four-point function of the $\mathbb Z_2$ twist field in the symmetric product orbifold, we produce the Hellerman bound and the logarithmically corrected Cardy formula that is valid for $h \geq c/12$.Comment: 32 pages, 7 figures. v2, v3: references added, minor clarification

Spanning forests on the Sierpinski gasket

We present the numbers of spanning forests on the Sierpinski gasket $SG_d(n)$ at stage $n$ with dimension $d$ equal to two, three and four, and determine the asymptotic behaviors. The corresponding results on the generalized Sierpinski gasket $SG_{d,b}(n)$ with $d=2$ and $b=3,4$ are obtained. We also derive the upper bounds of the asymptotic growth constants for both $SG_d$ and $SG_{2,b}$.Comment: 31 pages, 9 figures, 7 table

Carving Out the End of the World or (Superconformal Bootstrap in Six Dimensions)

We bootstrap ${\cal N}=(1,0)$ superconformal field theories in six dimensions, by analyzing the four-point function of flavor current multiplets. Assuming $E_8$ flavor group, we present universal bounds on the central charge $C_T$ and the flavor central charge $C_J$. Based on the numerical data, we conjecture that the rank-one E-string theory saturates the universal lower bound on $C_J$, and numerically determine the spectrum of long multiplets in the rank-one E-string theory. We comment on the possibility of solving the higher-rank E-string theories by bootstrap and thereby probing M-theory on AdS${}_7\times{\rm S}^4$/$\mathbb{Z}_2$.Comment: 59 pages, 10 figures, 4 tables; v2-v5: typos corrected, references adde

Regulatory Change and Micro Structure Effects in SPI Futures

In this article we investigate and test for structural change in conditional volatility and micro structure effects in the Australian Share Price Index futures contract. The modelling is conducted around the periods following the introduction of an automated screen-based trading system and alterations to the trading day. Multiple point Switching GARCH models are employed following a detailed examination of conditional volatility, volume and maturity features. The data is sampled at 5, 15 and 30-minute intervals from transaction records supplied by the Sydney Futures Exchange. Micro-structure features that are found to be important in the preliminary analysis are incorporated in the formal models. Failure to test for and then account for any of these market features would imply that tests for structural changes are mis-specified. There is significant evidence of structural changes in both the persistence of volatility shocks and simultaneous volume effects following the change to screen trading in this futures market.Regulatory intervention, Structural Breaks, Micro Structure Effects.