Einstein gravity from ANEC correlators

Abstract We study correlation functions with multiple averaged null energy (ANEC) operators in conformal field theories. For large N CFTs with a large gap to higher spin operators, we show that the OPE between a local operator and the ANEC can be recast as a particularly simple differential operator...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alexandre Belin, Diego M. Hofman, Grégoire Mathys
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2019-08-01
Series:Journal of High Energy Physics
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/JHEP08(2019)032
Description
Summary:Abstract We study correlation functions with multiple averaged null energy (ANEC) operators in conformal field theories. For large N CFTs with a large gap to higher spin operators, we show that the OPE between a local operator and the ANEC can be recast as a particularly simple differential operator acting on the local operator. This operator is simple enough that we can resum it and obtain the finite distance OPE. Under the large N - large gap assumptions, the vanishing of the commutator of ANEC operators tightly constrains the OPE coefficients of the theory. An important example of this phenomenon is the conclusion that a = c in d = 4. This implies that the bulk dual of such a CFT is semi-classical Einstein-gravity with minimally coupled matter.
ISSN:1029-8479