Comments on Thermalization in 2D CFT

Abstract

We revisit certain aspects of thermalization in 2D CFT. In particular, we consider similarities and differences between the time dependence of correlation functions in various states in rational and non-rational CFTs. We also consider the distinction between global and local thermalization and explain how states obtained by acting with a diffeomorphism on the ground state can appear locally thermal, and we review why the time-dependent expectation value of the energy-momentum tensor is generally a poor diagnostic of global thermalization. Since all 2D CFTs have an infinite set of commuting conserved charges, generic initial states might be expected to give rise to a generalized Gibbs ensemble rather than a pure thermal ensemble at late times. We construct the holographic dual of the generalized Gibbs ensemble and show that, to leading order, it is still described by a BTZ black hole. The extra conserved charges, while rendering $c<1$ theories essentially integrable, therefore seem to have little effect on large-$c$ conformal field theories.

25 pages

References in corpus (8)

• Thermalization and its mechanism for generic isolated quantum systems
• Entanglement and correlation functions following a local quench: a conformal field theory approach
• Quantum quenches in 1+1 dimensional conformal field theories
• Thermalization of Strongly Coupled Field Theories
• Thermalization and Revivals after a Quantum Quench in Conformal Field Theory
• Holographic Relaxation of Finite Size Isolated Quantum Systems
• Collapse and Revival in Holographic Quenches
• Non-Thermal Behavior in Conformal Boundary States

Cited by in corpus (32)

• Universal Dynamics of Heavy Operators in CFT${}_2$
• On thermality of CFT eigenstates
• Heavy Operators and Hydrodynamic Tails
• A Cardy formula for off-diagonal three-point coefficients; or, how the geometry behind the horizon gets disentangled
• Generalized Eigenstate Thermalization in 2d CFTs
• Universality of Quantum Information in Chaotic CFTs
• Subsystem eigenstate thermalization hypothesis for entanglement entropy in CFT
• Subleading Eikonal, AdS/CFT and Double Stress Tensors
• A principle of maximum ignorance for semiclassical gravity
• Boundary conditions for General Relativity in three-dimensional spacetimes, integrable systems and the KdV/mKdV hierarchies
• Generalized Gibbs Ensemble of 2d CFTs at large central charge in the thermodynamic limit
• Thermalization in Large-N CFTs
• Holographic Quantum Scars
• Holographic Renyi Entropy at High Energy Density
• Quantum thermalization and Virasoro symmetry
• Universal Dynamics of Heavy Operators in Boundary CFT${}_2$
• Log corrections to entropy of three dimensional black holes with soft hair
• On KdV characters in large c CFTs
• Integrable systems and the boundary dynamics of higher spin gravity on AdS${}_3$
• Violation of Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis in Quantum Field Theories with Higher-Form Symmetry
• On the entanglement contour of excited states in the holographic CFT
• Zero modes of local operators in 2d CFT on a cylinder
• BTZ black hole with KdV-type boundary conditions: Thermodynamics revisited
• Spectrum of quantum KdV hierarchy in the semiclassical limit
• Vacuum block thermalization in semi-classical 2d CFT
• On some (integrable) structures in low-dimensional holography
• Remarks on effects of projective phase on eigenstate thermalization hypothesis
• Phase space holography with no strings attached
• Notes on entanglement entropy for excites holographic states in 2d
• Generalized Gibbs Ensemble of 2D CFTs with U(1) Charge from the AGT Correspondence
• Universal thermalization dynamics in (1+1)d QFTs
• Subsystem Evolution Speed as Indicator of Relaxation