Gluon scattering in AdS from CFT

We present a systematic study of holographic correlators in a vast array of SCFTs with non-maximal superconformal symmetry. These theories include 4d N = 2 SCFTs from D3-branes near F-theory singularities, 5d Seiberg exceptional theories and 6d E-string theory, as well as 3d and 4d phenomenological models with probe flavor branes. We consider current multiplets and their generalizations with higher weights, dual to massless and massive super gluons in the bulk. At leading order in the inverse central charge expansion, connected four-point functions of these operators correspond to tree-level gluon scattering amplitudes in AdS. We show that all such tree-level four-point amplitudes in all these theories are fully fixed by symmetries and consistency conditions and explicitly construct them. Our results encode a wealth of SCFT data and exhibit various interesting emergent structures. These include Parisi-Sourlas-like dimensional reductions, hidden conformal symmetry and an AdS version of the color-kinematic duality.

Automated summary

This study systematically investigates holographic correlators in a variety of SCFTs with non-maximal superconformal symmetry. By considering current multiplets and their generalizations with higher weights, the correspondence between massless and massive super gluons in the bulk is explored. At leading order, tree-level gluon scattering amplitudes in AdS are found to be fixed by symmetries and consistency conditions in all the theories studied, revealing interesting emergent structures such as dimensional reductions, hidden conformal symmetry, and an AdS version of the color-kinematic duality.