On the collinear limit of scattering amplitudes at strong coupling

TL;DR

This paper explores the collinear limit of gluon scattering amplitudes at strong coupling in N=4 SYM theory, revealing their relation to correlators in the O(6) sigma model and highlighting the significance of both minimal string area and fluctuations.

Contribution

It establishes a novel connection between scattering amplitudes and twist field correlators in the O(6) sigma model at strong coupling, supported by string worldsheet and OPE analysis.

Findings

Scattering amplitudes map to O(6) sigma model correlators in the collinear limit.

Both minimal string area and sphere fluctuations significantly contribute at strong coupling.

Evidence from string theory and OPE series supports the proposed correspondence.

Abstract

In this letter we consider the collinear limit of gluon scattering amplitudes in planar N=4 SYM theory at strong coupling. We argue that in this limit scattering amplitudes map into correlators of twist fields in the two dimensional non-linear O(6) sigma model, similar to those appearing in recent studies of entanglement entropy. We provide evidence for this assertion by combining the intuition springing from the string worldsheet picture and the predictions coming from the OPE series. One of the main implications of these considerations is that scattering amplitudes receive equally important contributions at strong coupling from both the minimal string area and its fluctuations in the sphere.