Four point functions in momentum space and topological terms in gravity

TL;DR

This paper develops methods for analyzing conformal field theories in momentum space, deriving conformal Ward identities for 4-point functions, and explores topological terms in gravitational renormalization.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive framework for conformal correlators in momentum space, including the derivation of CWIs and analysis of topological terms in gravity.

Findings

Derived conformal Ward identities for tensorial 4-point functions.

Analyzed the structure of the conformal anomaly effective action up to 4th order.

Discussed the role of topological terms in gravitational renormalization.

Abstract

In the first part, we concentrate on CFTs in coordinate space. We lay the foundations of Conformal Field Theory and we also demonstrate a method where by using the embedding formalism we can derive up to n-point scalar conformal correlators. We proceed with our analysis in momentum space and we illustrate the theory of the conformal anomalies. We move on to analyse the renormalization of the correlators through counterterms followed by a discussion of the anomaly action. In the second part of the thesis. we derive and analyze the conformal Ward identities (CWIs) of a tensorial 4-point function of a generic CFT in momentum space. The correlator involves the stress-energy tensor $T$ and three scalar operators $O$ ($TOOO$). We derive the structure of the corresponding CWIs in two different sets of variables, relevant for the analysis of the 1-to-3 (1 graviton $\to$ 3 scalars) and 2-to-2 (graviton + scalar $\to$ two scalars) scattering processes. Then, we move on to another conformal correlator, the one made of four stress-energy tensors. We elaborate on the structure of the conformal anomaly effective action up to 4-th order, in an expansion in the gravitational fluctuations $(h)$ of the background metric, in the flat spacetime limit. We discuss the renormalization of 4-point functions containing insertions of stress-energy tensors (4T), in conformal field theories in four spacetime dimensions. Finally, we include an analysis on the topological terms that are involved in the renormalization and consequently corrections of gravitational theories.