Holographic correlators with multi-particle states

Abstract

We derive the connected tree-level part of 4-point holographic correlators in AdS${}_3\times S^3\times \mathcal{M}$ (where $\mathcal{M}$ is $T^4$ or $K3$) involving two multi-trace and two single-trace operators. These connected correlators are obtained by studying a heavy-heavy-light-light correlation function in the formal limit where the heavy operators become light. These results provide a window into higher-point holographic correlators of single-particle operators. We find that the correlators involving multi-trace operators are compactly written in terms of Bloch-Wigner-Ramakrishnan functions -- particular linear combinations of higher-order polylogarithm functions. Several consistency checks of the derived expressions are performed in various OPE channels. We also extract the anomalous dimensions and 3-point couplings of the non-BPS double-trace operators of lowest twist at order $1/c$ and find some positive anomalous dimensions at spin zero and two in the K3 case.

48 pages, 3 figures, v2: clarifications about the multi-trace operators added