I completed my MS thesis under the supervision of Prof. Chethan Krishnan (Centre for High Energy Physics, Indian Institute of Science). My project involved understanding aspects of the black hole information loss problem in AdS/CFT.
Specifically, I focussed on studying Virasoro blocks - a mathematical structure that arises for a partial wave decomposition of 2D CFT amplitudes. Previous research implies that periodic singularities present in these Virasoro blocks are a sharp manifestation of information loss and loss of unitarity, and give us a signature of where the exact theory breaks down - at least on the boundary. However, the bulk implications of this were still unclear; an more importantly, the role of the black hole horizon - the main ingredient of most information paradox statements - was obscure.
In this project, we were able to reproduce the (semi-classical) Virasoro block by using a bulk prescription that is naturally adapted to a three-dimensional BTZ black hole. This prescription also has the advantage of clarifying the role of the (Euclidean) horizon; the departures between the exact and the semi-classical theory can be geometrized by relating them to the behaviour of the geodesics of a light mass probing the black hole near the horizon.
A paper which elaborates on some results obtained as part of this project is now out in Physical Review D, and is linked below for reference. Some related material are the CFT notes that I compiled, as also my mid-year and final defense presentations.
Specifically, I focussed on studying Virasoro blocks - a mathematical structure that arises for a partial wave decomposition of 2D CFT amplitudes. Previous research implies that periodic singularities present in these Virasoro blocks are a sharp manifestation of information loss and loss of unitarity, and give us a signature of where the exact theory breaks down - at least on the boundary. However, the bulk implications of this were still unclear; an more importantly, the role of the black hole horizon - the main ingredient of most information paradox statements - was obscure.
In this project, we were able to reproduce the (semi-classical) Virasoro block by using a bulk prescription that is naturally adapted to a three-dimensional BTZ black hole. This prescription also has the advantage of clarifying the role of the (Euclidean) horizon; the departures between the exact and the semi-classical theory can be geometrized by relating them to the behaviour of the geodesics of a light mass probing the black hole near the horizon.
A paper which elaborates on some results obtained as part of this project is now out in Physical Review D, and is linked below for reference. Some related material are the CFT notes that I compiled, as also my mid-year and final defense presentations.