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A<sc>bstract</sc> We study thermal two-point functions and four-point functions involving two heavy twisted operators and two light probes in symmetric product orbifolds. We identify cases where they are universal at largeN, that is, they are only sensitive to the orbifold structure. Surprisingly, such observables mimic correlators obtained from the BTZ background, even though symmetric product orbifolds are not dual to semi-classical gravity. We discuss the interpretation of these results in light of the criteria for emergence of spacetime via Von Neumann algebras. Our analysis implies that a condition on the infiniteNthermal two-point functions cannot be stringent enough to define an emergent spacetime and the concept of a sharp horizon. 

A<sc>bstract</sc> We study various aspects of codimension one defects in free scalar field theory, with particular emphasis on line defects in two-dimensions. These defects are generically non-conformal, but include conformal and topological defects as special cases. Our analysis is based on the interplay between two complementary descriptions, the first involving matching conditions imposed on fields and their derivatives across the defect, and the second on the resummation of perturbation theory in terms of renormalized defect couplings. Using either description as appropriate we compute a variety of observables: correlators of fields in the presence of such defects; the defect anomalous dimension; multiple defects and their fusion; canonical quantization and instabilities; ring shaped defects with application to the g-theorem and the entanglement entropy of accelerating defects; defects on the torus and Cardy formulas for the asymptotic density of states of the defect Hilbert space; and quenches produced by spacelike defects. The simplicity of the model allows for explicit computation of all these quantities, and provides a starting point for more complicated theories involving interactions. 

A<sc>bstract</sc> The formulation of the S-matrix as a path integral with specified asymptotic boundary conditions naturally leads to the realization of a Carrollian partition function defined on the boundary of Minkowski space. This partition function, specified at past and future null infinity in the case of massless particles, generates Carrollian correlation functions that encode the S-matrix. We explore this connection, including the realization of symmetries, soft theorems arising from large gauge transformations, and the correspondence with standard momentum space amplitudes. This framework is also well-suited for embedding the Minkowski space S-matrix into the AdS/CFT duality in the large radius limit. In particular, we identify the AdS and Carrollian partition functions through a simple map between their respective asymptotic data, establishing a direct correspondence between the actions of symmetries on both sides. Our approach thus provides a coherent framework that ties together various topics extensively studied in recent and past literature. 

A<sc>bstract</sc> In this brief note we calculate the entanglement entropy inM^⊗N/S_Nsymmetric orbifold CFTs in the presence of topological defects, which were recently constructed in [1, 2]. We consider both universal defects which realizeRep(S_N) non-invertible symmetry and non-universal defects. We calculate the sub-leading defect entropy/g-factor for defects at the boundary of the entangling surface as well as inside it. 

A<sc>bstract</sc> We consider the uplift of co-dimension two defect solutions of seven dimensional gauged supergravity to eleven dimensions, previously found by two of the authors. The uplifted solutions are expressed as Lin-Lunin-Maldacena solutions and an infinite family of regular solutions describing holographic defects is found using the electrostatic formulation of LLM solutions. 

A<sc>bstract</sc> The Seiberg-Witten solution to four-dimensional$$ \mathcal{N} $$ $N$= 2 super-Yang-Mills theory with gauge group SU(N) and without hypermultiplets is used to investigate the neighborhood of the maximal Argyres-Douglas points of type$$ \left({\mathfrak{a}}_1,{\mathfrak{a}}_{N-1}\right) $$ $\left(a_1,a_{N-1}\right)$. A convergent series expansion for the Seiberg-Witten periods near the Argyres-Douglas points is obtained by analytic continuation of the series expansion around theℤ_2Nsymmetric point derived in arXiv:2208.11502. Along with direct integration of the Picard-Fuchs equations for the periods, the expansion is used to determine the location of the walls of marginal stability for SU(3). The intrinsic periods and Kähler potential of the$$ \left({\mathfrak{a}}_1,{\mathfrak{a}}_{N-1}\right) $$ $\left(a_1,a_{N-1}\right)$superconformal fixed point are computed by letting the strong coupling scale tend to infinity. We conjecture that the resulting intrinsic Kähler potential is positive definite and convex, with a unique minimum at the Argyres-Douglas point, provided only intrinsic Coulomb branch operators with unitary scaling dimensions ∆>1 acquire a vacuum expectation value, and provide both analytical and numerical evidence in support of this conjecture. In all the low rank examples considered here, it is found that turning on moduli dual to ∆ ≤ 1 operators spoils the positivity and convexity of the intrinsic Kähler potential. 

A<sc>bstract</sc> We explore a formulation of the S-matrix in terms of the path integral with specified asymptotic data, as originally proposed by Arefeva, Faddeev, and Slavnov. In the tree approximation the S-matrix is equal to the exponential of the classical action evaluated on-shell. This formulation is well-suited to questions involving asymptotic symmetries, as it avoids reference to non-gauge/diffeomorphism invariant bulk correlators or sources at intermediate stages. We show that the soft photon theorem, originally derived by Weinberg and more recently connected to asymptotic symmetries by Strominger and collaborators, follows rather simply from invariance of the action under large gauge transformations applied to the asymptotic data. We also show that this formalism allows for efficient computation of the S-matrix in curved spacetime, including particle production due to a time dependent metric. 

A<sc>bstract</sc> The summation over spin structures, which is required to implement the GSO projection in the RNS formulation of superstring theories, often presents a significant impediment to the explicit evaluation of superstring amplitudes. In this paper we discover that, for Riemann surfaces of genus two and even spin structures, a collection of novel identities leads to a dramatic simplification of the spin structure sum. Explicit formulas for an arbitrary number of vertex points are obtained in two steps. First, we show that the spin structure dependence of a cyclic product of Szegö kernels (i.e. Dirac propagators for worldsheet fermions) may be reduced to the spin structure dependence of the four-point function. Of particular importance are certaintrilinear relationsthat we shall define and prove. In a second step, the known expressions for the genus-two even spin structure measure are used to perform the remaining spin structure sums. The dependence of the spin summand on the vertex points is reduced to simple building blocks that can already be identified from the two-point function. The hyper-elliptic formulation of genus-two Riemann surfaces is used to derive these results, and its SL(2,ℂ) covariance is employed to organize the calculations and the structure of the final formulas. The translation of these results into the language of Riemannϑ-functions, and applications to the evaluation of higher-point string amplitudes, are relegated to subsequent companion papers. 

In this paper, we find solutions of minimal [Formula: see text] gauged supergravity corresponding to Janus and RG-flow interfaces. We use holography to calculate symmetric and interface entanglement entropy as well as reflection coefficients and confirm that a recently proposed¹inequality involving these quantities is satisfied for the solutions found here.