From Gauss Graphs to Giants

Abstract

We identify the operators in $\mathcal{N}=4$ super Yang-Mills theory that correspond to $\frac{1}{8}$-BPS giant gravitons in AdS${}_5\times$S${}^5$. Our evidence for the identification comes from (1) counting these operators and showing agreement with independent counts of the number of giant graviton states, and (2) by demonstrating a correspondence between correlation functions of the super Yang-Mills operators and overlaps of the giant graviton wave functions.

16 pages; v2: matches published version