TY - JOUR

T1 - Bootstrapping an NMHV amplitude through three loops

AU - Dixon, Lance J.

AU - von Hippel, Matt

PY - 2014/10/1

Y1 - 2014/10/1

N2 - We extend the hexagon function bootstrap to the next-to-maximally-helicity-violating (NMHV) configuration for six-point scattering in planar = 4 super-Yang-Mills theory at three loops. Constraints from the differential equation, from the operator product expansion (OPE) for Wilson loops with operator insertions, and from multi-Regge factorization, lead to a unique answer for the three-loop ratio function. The three-loop result also predicts additional terms in the OPE expansion, as well as the behavior of NMHV amplitudes in the multi-Regge limit at one higher logarithmic accuracy (NNLL) than was used as input. Both predictions are in agreement with recent results from the flux-tube approach. We also study the multi-particle factorization of multi-loop amplitudes for the first time. We find that the function controlling this factorization is purely logarithmic through three loops. We show that a function U , which is closely related to the parity-even part of the ratio function V , is remarkably simple; only five of the nine possible final entries in its symbol are non-vanishing. We study the analytic and numerical behavior of both the parity-even and parity-odd parts of the ratio function on simple lines traversing the space of cross ratios ( u, v, w), as well as on a few two-dimensional planes. Finally, we present an empirical formula for V in terms of elements of the coproduct of the six-gluon MHV remainder function R 6 at one higher loop, which works through three loops for V (four loops for R 6).

AB - We extend the hexagon function bootstrap to the next-to-maximally-helicity-violating (NMHV) configuration for six-point scattering in planar = 4 super-Yang-Mills theory at three loops. Constraints from the differential equation, from the operator product expansion (OPE) for Wilson loops with operator insertions, and from multi-Regge factorization, lead to a unique answer for the three-loop ratio function. The three-loop result also predicts additional terms in the OPE expansion, as well as the behavior of NMHV amplitudes in the multi-Regge limit at one higher logarithmic accuracy (NNLL) than was used as input. Both predictions are in agreement with recent results from the flux-tube approach. We also study the multi-particle factorization of multi-loop amplitudes for the first time. We find that the function controlling this factorization is purely logarithmic through three loops. We show that a function U , which is closely related to the parity-even part of the ratio function V , is remarkably simple; only five of the nine possible final entries in its symbol are non-vanishing. We study the analytic and numerical behavior of both the parity-even and parity-odd parts of the ratio function on simple lines traversing the space of cross ratios ( u, v, w), as well as on a few two-dimensional planes. Finally, we present an empirical formula for V in terms of elements of the coproduct of the six-gluon MHV remainder function R 6 at one higher loop, which works through three loops for V (four loops for R 6).

KW - Scattering Amplitudes

KW - Wilson

KW - 't Hooft and Polyakov loops

KW - Extended Supersymmetry

U2 - 10.1007/JHEP10(2014)065

DO - 10.1007/JHEP10(2014)065

M3 - Journal article

VL - 2014

JO - Journal of High Energy Physics (Online)

JF - Journal of High Energy Physics (Online)

SN - 1126-6708

IS - 10

M1 - 065

ER -