On $AdS_2/CFT_1$ transfer matrices, Bethe ansatz and scale invariance

Abstract: We explicitly calculate the $AdS_2 \times S^2 \times T^6$ transfer-matrix eigenvalues in the massless sector using the exact integrable S-matrix, for up to 5 particles. This enables us to conjecture the general pattern. We use the conjectured form of the eigenvalues to write down a set of massless Bethe ansatz equations. The same procedure applies to the relativistic as well as to the non-relativistic situation. In the relativistic case, the right and left modes decouple. We speculate that the relativistic massless Bethe ansatz we obtain in that case might capture the integrable structure of an underlying 2D critical theory. We finally take advantage of some remarkable simplifications to make progress in the massive case as well.