Cubic Twistorial String Field Theory

Witten has recently proposed a string theory in twistor space whose D-instanton contributions are conjectured to compute N=4 super-Yang-Mills scattering amplitudes. An alternative string theory in twistor space was then proposed whose open string tree amplitudes reproduce the D-instanton computations of maximal degree in Witten's model. In this paper, a cubic open string field theory action is constructed for this alternative string in twistor space, and is shown to be invariant under parity transformations which exchange MHV and googly amplitudes. Since the string field theory action is gauge-invariant and reproduces the correct cubic super-Yang-Mills interactions, it provides strong support for the conjecture that the string theory correctly computes N-point super-Yang-Mills tree amplitudes.Comment: 19+1 pages, 4+1 EPS figures, JHEP3 LaTeX; v2: minor corrections, references added; v3: the final version published in JHEP with a new footnote on the d=0 on-shell contributio

Beauty and the Twist: The Bethe Ansatz for Twisted N=4 SYM

It was recently shown that the string theory duals of certain deformations of the N=4 gauge theory can be obtained by a combination of T-duality transformations and coordinate shifts. Here we work out the corresponding procedure of twisting the dual integrable spin chain and its Bethe ansatz. We derive the Bethe equations for the complete twisted N=4 gauge theory at one and higher loops. These have a natural generalization which we identify as twists involving the Cartan generators of the conformal algebra. The underlying model appears to be a form of noncommutative deformation of N=4 SYM.Comment: 28 pages, v2: reference flip corrected, v3: some typos in (4.10,4.20,5.5) correcte

Three-point correlators for giant magnons

Three-point correlation functions in the strong-coupling regime of the AdS/CFT correspondence can be analyzed within a semiclassical approximation when two of the vertex operators correspond to heavy string states having large quantum numbers while the third vertex corresponds to a light state with fixed charges. We consider the case where the heavy string states are chosen to be giant magnon solitons with either a single or two different angular momenta, for various different choices of light string states.Comment: 15 pages. Latex. v2: Misprints corrected. Published versio

Two-Loop Iteration of Five-Point N=4 Super-Yang-Mills Amplitudes

We confirm by explicit computation the conjectured all-orders iteration of planar maximally supersymmetric N=4 Yang-Mills theory in the nontrivial case of five-point two-loop amplitudes. We compute the required unitarity cuts of the integrand and evaluate the resulting integrals numerically using a Mellin--Barnes representation and the automated package of ref.~[1]. This confirmation of the iteration relation provides further evidence suggesting that N=4 gauge theory is solvable.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Generalized scaling function from light-cone gauge AdS_5 x S^5 superstring

We revisit the computation of the 2-loop correction to the energy of a folded spinning string in AdS_5 with an angular momentum J in S^5 in the scaling limit log S, J >>1 with J / log S fixed. This correction gives the third term in the strong-coupling expansion of the generalized scaling function. The computation, using the AdS light-cone gauge approach developed in our previous paper, is done by expanding the AdS_5 x S^5 superstring partition function near the generalized null cusp world surface associated to the spinning string solution. The result corrects and extends the previous conformal gauge result of arXiv:0712.2479 and is found to be in complete agreement with the corresponding terms in the generalized scaling function as obtained from the asymptotic Bethe ansatz in arXiv:0805.4615 (and also partially from the quantum O(6) model and the Bethe ansatz data in arXiv:0809.4952). This provides a highly nontrivial strong coupling comparison of the Bethe ansatz proposal with the quantum AdS_5 x S^5 superstring theory, which goes beyond the leading semiclassical term effectively controlled by the underlying algebraic curve. The 2-loop computation we perform involves all the structures in the AdS light-cone gauge superstring action of hep-th/0009171 and thus tests its ultraviolet finiteness and, through the agreement with the Bethe ansatz, its quantum integrability. We do most of the computations for a generalized spinning string solution or the corresponding null cusp surface that involves both the orbital momentum and the winding in a large circle of S^5.Comment: 50 pages, late

Topological B-Model on Weighted Projective Spaces and Self-Dual Models in Four Dimensions

It was recently shown by Witten on the basis of several examples that the topological B-model whose target space is a Calabi-Yau (CY) supermanifold is equivalent to holomorphic Chern-Simons (hCS) theory on the same supermanifold. Moreover, for the supertwistor space CP^{3|4} as target space, it has been demonstrated that hCS theory on CP^{3|4} is equivalent to self-dual N=4 super Yang-Mills (SYM) theory in four dimensions. We consider as target spaces for the B-model the weighted projective spaces WCP^{3|2}(1,1,1,1|p,q) with two fermionic coordinates of weight p and q, respectively - which are CY supermanifolds for p+q=4 - and discuss hCS theory on them. By using twistor techniques, we obtain certain field theories in four dimensions which are equivalent to hCS theory. These theories turn out to be self-dual truncations of N=4 SYM theory or of its twisted (topological) version.Comment: 12 pages; v2: minor clarification, 3 references added, published versio

Towards A Topological G_2 String

We define new topological theories related to sigma models whose target space is a 7 dimensional manifold of G_2 holonomy. We show how to define the topological twist and identify the BRST operator and the physical states. Correlation functions at genus zero are computed and related to Hitchin's topological action for three-forms. We conjecture that one can extend this definition to all genus and construct a seven-dimensional topological string theory. In contrast to the four-dimensional case, it does not seem to compute terms in the low-energy effective action in three dimensions.Comment: 15 pages, To appear in the proceedings of Cargese 2004 summer schoo

The Bethe Ansatz for Z_S Orbifolds of N=4 Super Yang-Mills Theory

Worldsheet techniques can be used to argue for the integrability of string theory on AdS_5xS^5/Z_S, which is dual to the strongly coupled Z_S-orbifold of N=4 SYM. We analyze the integrability of these field theories in the perturbative regime and construct the relevant Bethe equations.Comment: 16 page

The Dressing Factor and Crossing Equations

We utilize the DHM integral representation for the BES dressing factor of the world-sheet S-matrix of the AdS_5xS^5 light-cone string theory, and the crossing equations to fix the principal branch of the dressing factor on the rapidity torus. The results obtained are further used, in conjunction with the fusion procedure, to determine the bound state dressing factor of the mirror theory. We convincingly demonstrate that the mirror bound state S-matrix found in this way does not depend on the internal structure of a bound state solution employed in the fusion procedure. This welcome feature is in perfect parallel to string theory, where the corresponding bound state S-matrix has no bearing on bound state constituent particles as well. The mirror bound state S-matrix we found provides the final missing piece in setting up the TBA equations for the AdS_5xS^5 mirror theory.Comment: LaTex, 48 pages, 10 figures; v2: a new section added where the dressing factor of the mirror theory is found; v3: formula (6.12) is corrected, a new figure is added, accepted for publication in J.Phys.

Holographic three-point functions for short operators

We consider holographic three-point functions for operators dual to short string states at strong coupling in N=4 super Yang-Mills. We treat the states as point-like as they come in from the boundary but as strings in the interaction region in the bulk. The interaction position is determined by saddle point, which is equivalent to conservation of the canonical momentum for the interacting particles, and leads to conservation of their conformal charges. We further show that for large dimensions the rms size of the interaction region is small compared to the radius of curvature of the AdS space, but still large compared to the string Compton wave-length. Hence, one can approximate the string vertex operators as flat-space vertex operators with a definite momentum, which depends on the conformal and R-charges of the operator. We then argue that the string vertex operator dual to a primary operator is chosen by satisfying a twisted version of Q^L=Q^R, up to spurious terms. This leads to a unique choice for a scalar vertex operator with the appropriate charges at the first massive level. We then comment on some features of the corresponding three-point functions, including the application of these results to Konishi operators.Comment: 24 pages; v2: References added, typos fixed, minor change