Title: Generalized global symmetries in states with dynamical defects: The case of the transverse sound in field theory and holography

Abstract

In this work, we show how states with conserved numbers of dynamical defects (strings, domain walls, etc.) can be understood as possessing generalized global symmetries even when the microscopic origins of these symmetries are unknown. Using this philosophy, we build an effective theory of a 2 + 1 -dimensional fluid state with two perpendicular sets of immersed elastic line defects. When the number of defects is independently conserved in each set, then the state possesses two one-form symmetries. Normally, such viscoelastic states are described as fluids coupled to Goldstone bosons associated with spontaneous breaking of translational symmetry caused by the underlying microscopic structure—the principle feature of which is a transverse sound mode. At the linear, nondissipative level, we verify that our theory, based entirely on symmetry principles, is equivalent to a viscoelastic theory. We then build a simple holographic dual of such a state containing dynamical gravity and two two-form gauge fields, and use it to study its hydrodynamic and higher-energy spectral properties characterized by nonhydrodynamic, gapped modes. Based on the holographic analysis of transverse two-point functions, we study consistency between low-energy predictions of the bulk theory and the effective boundary theory. Various new features of the holographic dictionary aremore » explained in theories with higher-form symmetries, such as the mixed-boundary-condition modification of the quasinormal mode prescription that depends on the running coupling of the boundary double-trace deformations. Furthermore, we examine details of low- and high-energy parts of the spectrum that depend on temperature, line defect densities and the renormalization group scale.« less

Authors:

Grozdanov, Sašo; Poovuttikul, Napat

Publication Date:

2018-05-11

Research Org.:

Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1436898

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1498825

Grant/Contract Number:  

SC0011090; sc0011090

Resource Type:

Published Article

Journal Name:

Physical Review D

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Name: Physical Review D Journal Volume: 97 Journal Issue: 10; Journal ID: ISSN 2470-0010

Publisher:

American Physical Society

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS