Scattering Amplitude Constraints on Effective Field Theories

 

Dr Congkao Wen
Queen Mary University of London
 

9 November 2015 (Monday)
2:00 pm
IAS4042, 4/F, Lo Ka Chung Building, Lee Shau Kee Campus, HKUST

Abstract:

In this talk, the speaker will discuss how the requirement of having consistent scattering amplitudes, combined with supersymmetry, can constrain higher-dimensional operators in effective field theories. The approach is based on studying the properties of on-shell S-matrix associated with local operators of interest. The theories he will consider include maximally supersymmetric theory in four and three dimensions, as well as six-dimensional theories with (1,1), (2,0) and (1,0) supersymmetry. Supersymmetric non-renormalization theorems for certain higher-dimensional operators will be derived. For the case of 6D (2,0) and (1,0) theories, the non-renormalization theorems lead to the a-theorem.