Extremal vs. Non-Extremal Correlators with Giant Gravitons

Abstract: We consider extremal and non-extremal three-point functions of two giant gravitons and one point-like graviton using Schur polynomials in N=4 super Yang-Mills theory and holographically, using a semiclassical Born-Infeld analysis as well as bubbling geometries. For non-extremal three-point functions our computations using all three approaches are in perfect agreement. For extremal correlators we find that our results from the bubbling geometry analysis agree with existing results from the gauge theory. The semiclassical Born-Infeld computation for the extremal case is known to give a different answer, which we interpret as a manifestation of the known subtlety of holography for extremal correlators.