Trace Anomalies and the Graviton-Dilaton Amplitude

Abstract

We consider 3+1 dimensional Quantum Field Theories (QFTs) coupled to the dilaton and the graviton. We show that the graviton-dilaton scattering amplitude receives a universal contribution which is helicity flipping and is proportional to $\Delta c-\Delta a$ along any RG flow, where $\Delta c$ and $\Delta a$ are the differences of the UV and IR $c$- and $a$-trace anomalies respectively. This allows us to relate $\Delta c-\Delta a$ to spinning massive states in the spectrum of the QFT. We test our predictions in two simple examples: in the theory of a massive free scalar and in the theory of a massive Dirac fermion (a more complicated example is provided in a companion paper [1]). We discuss possible applications.