High Energy Physics

We derive a holographic dual description of free quantum field theory in arbitrary dimensions, by reinterpreting the exact renormalization group, to obtain a higher spin gravity theory of the general type which had been proposed and studied as a dual theory

Higher derivative extensions of the Standard Model are renormalizable but without a quadratic divergent higgs mass. Electroweak presision data constraint the scale of the higher derivatives to at least a few TeV, but then these models have no flavor problem. We skim through these and other interesting results, most remarkably causality as an emergent characteristic at long distances. But we start by explaining the indefinite metric quantization procedure proposed by Lee and Wick which is necessary for unitary.

We will discuss two topics. First we will revisit the asymptotic structure of classical de Sitter space. In particular we will construct charges at future infinity (I^+) and obtain the asymptotic symmetry group drawing parallels with the BMS group of flat space. Secondly, move away from the region I^+ and study the space living near the cosmological horizon by considering large rotating Nariai black holes whose size tends to that of the cosmological horizon. We will examine the resulting near (cosmological) horizon geometry and find an interesting asymptotic structure containing the Virasoro algebra, suggestive of a holographic interpretation.

The Z2 orbifold of N=4 SYM can be connected to N=2 superconformal QCD by a marginal deformation. The spin chains in this marginal family of theories have sufficient symmetry that allows for an all-loop determination of dispersion relation of BMN magnons. The exact two body S matrix is also fixed up to an overall phase. The exact dispersion relation of the magnon can be obtained from the matrix model of lowest modes on S^3, as well. I'll also talk briefly about some progress made towards the string dual of N=2 superconformal QCD, the endpoint of the deformation.