Hidden Conformal Symmetry in Tree-Level Graviton Scattering

TL;DR

This paper reveals a hidden conformal symmetry in tree-level graviton scattering in Einstein gravity across dimensions, inspired by string theory soft theorems and analogous to gluon amplitude symmetries.

Contribution

It introduces a formulation of graviton amplitudes that makes their conformal symmetry manifest, extending concepts from gauge theory to gravity.

Findings

Identifies hidden conformal symmetry in graviton scattering

Relates conformal symmetry to string theory soft theorems

Provides a permutation symmetric formulation of graviton amplitudes

Abstract

We argue that the scattering of gravitons in ordinary Einstein gravity possesses a hidden conformal symmetry at tree level in any number of dimensions. The presence of this conformal symmetry is indicated by the dilaton soft theorem in string theory, and it is reminiscent of the conformal invariance of gluon tree-level amplitudes in four dimensions. To motivate the underlying prescription, we demonstrate that formulating the conformal symmetry of gluon amplitudes in terms of momenta and polarization vectors requires manifest reversal and cyclic symmetry. Similarly, our formulation of the conformal symmetry of graviton amplitudes relies on a manifestly permutation symmetric form of the amplitude function.