A note on twist two operators in N=4 SYM and Wilson loops in Minkowski signature

Abstract

Recently the anomalous dimension of twist two operators in N=4 SYM theory was computed by Gubser, Klebanov and Polyakov in the limit of large 't Hooft coupling using semi-classical rotating strings in AdS_5. Here we reproduce their results for large angular momentum by using the cusp anomaly of Wilson loops in Minkowski signature also computed within the AdS/CFT correspondence. In this case the anomalous dimension is related to an Euclidean worldsheet whose properties are completely determined by the symmetries of the problem. This gives support to the proposed identification of rotating strings and twist two operators.