Schwarzian transformations at null infinity

Abstract

I describe the Schwarzian behavior of the gravitational field at null infinity under superrotations, to be understood as an \textit{unobservable} gauge artifact. To this end I review the induced geometry of null infinity and the construction of the gauge-invariant News tensor that characterizes gravitational radiation. I discuss potentially important implications for the celestial holography program, suggesting in particular that the uplift of the AdS${}_3$/CFT${}_2$ correspondence directly relates to the unobservable gauge sector.

arXiv comment17 pages + appendix