AdS₃ orbifolds, BTZ black holes, and holography

Journal Article · 04 October 2023 · Journal of High Energy Physics (Online)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/jhep10(2023)016 · OSTI ID:2228814

Martinec, Emil J.  ^[1]

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1. University of Chicago, IL (United States)

Conical defects of the form (AdS₃ × S³)/Z_k have an exact orbifold description in worldsheet string theory, which we derive from their known presentation as gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten models. The configuration of strings and fivebranes sourcing this geometry is well-understood, as is the correspondence to states/operators in the dual CFT₂. One can analytically continue the construction to Euclidean AdS₃ (i.e. the hyperbolic ball $$H$$$^{+}_{3}$$) and consider the orbifold by any infinite discrete (Kleinian) group generated by a set of elliptic elements γi ϵ SL(2, C), $$γ$$$^{ki}_{i}$$ = 1, i = 1, . . . , K. The resulting geometry consists of multiple conical defects traveling along geodesics in $$H$$$^{+}_{3}$$, and provides a semiclassical bulk description of correlation functions in the dual CFT involving the corresponding defect operators, which is nonperturbatively exact in α'. The Lorentzian continuation of these geometries describes a collection of defects colliding to make a BTZ black hole. We comment on a recent proposal to use such correlators to prepare a basis of black hole microstates, and elaborate on a picture of black hole formation and evaporation in terms of the underlying brane dynamics in the bulk.

• Research Organization: University of Chicago, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0009924
• OSTI ID: 2228814
• Journal Information: Journal of High Energy Physics (Online), Vol. 2023, Issue 10; ISSN 1029-8479
• Publisher: Springer NatureCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English