An algebraic approach to the analytic bootstrap

Abstract

We develop an algebraic approach to the analytic bootstrap in CFTs. By acting with the Casimir operator on the crossing equation we map the problem of doing large spin sums to any desired order to the problem of solving a set of recursion relations. We compute corrections to the anomalous dimension of large spin operators due to the exchange of a primary and its descendants in the crossed channel and show that this leads to a Borel-summable expansion. We analyse higher order corrections to the microscopic CFT data in the direct channel and its matching to infinite towers of operators in the crossed channel. We apply this method to the critical O(N) model. At large N we reproduce the first few terms in the large spin expansion of the known two-loop anomalous dimensions of higher spin currents in the traceless symmetric representation of O(N) and make further predictions. At small N we present the results for the truncated large spin expansion series of anomalous dimensions of higher spin currents.