AdS one-loop partition functions from bulk and edge characters

Abstract

Abstract We show that the one-loop partition function of any higher spin field in (d + 1)-dimensional Anti-de Sitter spacetime can be expressed as an integral transform of an SO(2, d) bulk character and an SO(2, d − 2) edge character. We apply this character integral formula to various higher-spin Vasiliev gravities and find miraculous (almost) cancellations between bulk and edge characters that lead to agreement with the predictions of HS/CFT holography. We also discuss the relation between the character integral representation and the Rindler-AdS thermal partition function.