A precise link is derived between scalar-graviton S-matrix elements and expectation values of operators in a worldline quantum field theory (WQFT), both used to describe classical scattering of black holes. The link is formally provided by a worldline path integral representation of the graviton-dressed scalar propagator, which may be inserted into a traditional definition of the S-matrix in terms of time-ordered correlators. To calculate expectation values in the WQFT a new set of Feynman rules is introduced which treats the gravitational field hμν(x) and position $$ {x}_i^{\mu}\left({\tau}_i\right) $$ x i μ τ i of each black hole on equal footing. Using these both the 3PM three-body gravitational radiation 〈hμv(k)〉 and 2PM two-body deflection $$ \Delta {p}_i^{\mu } $$ Δ p i μ from classical black hole scattering events are obtained. The latter can also be obtained from the eikonal phase of a 2 → 2 scalar S-matrix, which we show corresponds to the free energy of the WQFT.

Abstract:We compute the integrand of the full-colour, two-loop, five-gluon scattering amplitude in pure Yang-Mills theory with all helicities positive, using generalized unitarity cuts. Tree-level BCJ relations, satisfied by amplitudes appearing in the cuts, allow us to deduce all the necessary non-planar information for the full-colour amplitude from known planar data. We present our result in terms of irreducible numerators, with colour factors derived from the multi-peripheral colour decomposition. Finally, the leading soft divergences are checked to reproduce the expected infrared behaviour.

Using the duality between color and kinematics, we construct two-loop fourpoint scattering amplitudes in N = 2 super-Yang-Mills (SYM) theory coupled to N f fundamental hypermultiplets. Our results are valid in D ≤ 6 dimensions, where the upper bound corresponds to six-dimensional chiral N = (1, 0) SYM theory. By exploiting a close connection with N = 4 SYM theory -and, equivalently, six-dimensional N = (1, 1) SYM theory -we find compact integrands with four-dimensional external vectors in both the maximally-helicity-violating (MHV) and all-chiral-vector sectors. Via the double-copy construction corresponding D-dimensional half-maximal supergravity amplitudes with external graviton multiplets are obtained in the MHV and all-chiral sectors. Appropriately tuning N f enables us to consider both pure and matter-coupled supergravity, with arbitrary numbers of vector multiplets in D = 4. As a bonus, we obtain the integrands of the genuinely six-dimensional supergravities with N = (1, 1) and N = (2, 0) supersymmetry. Finally, we extract the potential ultraviolet divergence of half-maximal supergravity in D = 5 − 2 and show that it non-trivially cancels out as expected.

Conformal supergravity amplitudes are obtained from the double-copy construction using gauge-theory amplitudes, and compared to direct calculations starting from conformal supergravity Lagrangians. We consider several different theories: minimal N = 4 conformal supergravity, non-minimal N = 4 Berkovits-Witten conformal supergravity, mass-deformed versions of these theories, as well as supersymmetry truncations thereof. Coupling the theories to a Yang-Mills sector is also considered. For all cases we give the gravity Lagrangians that the double copy implicitly generates. The two main results are: we determine a Lagrangian for the non-minimal Berkovits-Witten theory, and we uncover the double-copy prescription for the minimal N = 4 conformal supergravity.

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Picture yourself in the wave zone of a gravitational scattering event of two massive, spinning compact bodies (black holes, neutron stars or stars). We show that this system of genuine astrophysical interest enjoys a hidden $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 supersymmetry, at least to the order of spin-squared (quadrupole) interactions in arbitrary D spacetime dimensions. Using the $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 supersymmetric worldline action, augmented by finite-size corrections for the non-Kerr black hole case, we build a quadratic-in-spin extension to the worldline quantum field theory (WQFT) formalism introduced in our previous work, and calculate the two bodies’ deflection and spin kick to sub-leading order in the post-Minkowskian expansion in Newton’s constant G. For spins aligned to the normal vector of the scattering plane we also obtain the scattering angle. All D-dimensional observables are derived from an eikonal phase given as the free energy of the WQFT that is invariant under the $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 2 supersymmetry transformations.

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Abstract:We express the planar five-and six-gluon two-loop Yang-Mills amplitudes with all positive helicities in compact analytic form using D-dimensional local integrands that are free of spurious singularities. The integrand is fixed from on-shell tree amplitudes in six dimensions using D-dimensional generalised unitarity cuts. The resulting expressions are shown to have manifest infrared behaviour at the integrand level. We also find simple representations of the rational terms obtained after integration in 4 − 2 dimensions.