A bstract We analyze pole skipping of stress tensor two-point functions in two-dimensional quantum field theories perturbed away from conformality by a relevant deformation. The retarded two-point Green’s function can be formally computed in conformal perturbation theory, though it results in singular expressions. We propose a natural interpretation of these expressions and compute the resulting Green’s function to leading nontrivial order in the deformation. As a check of our results, we compare the Lyapunov exponents and butterfly velocities we find from our computed skipped poles to those obtained from both a leading-order conformal field theory analysis using Ward identities, as well as to a holographic gravitational dual perturbed by a massive scalar field; we find precise agreement. We comment on extensions to sub-leading order, where agreement with holographic expectations would no longer be expected.
A bstract We analyze pole skipping of stress tensor two-point functions in two-dimensional quantum field theories perturbed away from conformality by a relevant deformation. The retarded two-point Green’s function can be formally computed in conformal perturbation theory, though it results in singular expressions. We propose a natural interpretation of these expressions and compute the resulting Green’s function to leading nontrivial order in the deformation. As a check of our results, we compare the Lyapunov exponents and butterfly velocities we find from our computed skipped poles to those obtained from both a leading-order conformal field theory analysis using Ward identities, as well as to a holographic gravitational dual perturbed by a massive scalar field; we find precise agreement. We comment on extensions to sub-leading order, where agreement with holographic expectations would no longer be expected.
Abstract Pole skipping is a recently discovered subtle effect in the thermal energy density retarded two point function at a special point in the complex (ω, p) planes. We propose that pole skipping is determined by the stress tensor contribution to many-body chaos, and the special point is at (ω, p)p.s.= iλ(T)(1,1/uB(T)) iλT11/uBT , whereλ(T)= 2π/βand uB(T) uBT are the stress tensor contributions to the Lyapunov exponent and the butterfly velocity respectively. While this proposal is consistent with previous studies conducted for maximally chaotic theories, where the stress tensor dominates chaos, it clarifies that one cannot use pole skipping to extract the Lyapunov exponent of a theory, which obeysλ≤λ(T). On the other hand, in a large class of strongly coupled but non-maximally chaotic theories uB(T) uBT is the true butterfly velocity and we conjecture thatuB≤ uB(T) uBT is a universal bound. While it remains a challenge to explain pole skipping in a general framework, we provide a stringent test of our proposal in the large-qlimit of the SYK chain, where we determineλ, uB, and the energy density two point function in closed form for all values of the coupling, interpolating between the free and maximally chaotic limits. Since such an explicit expression for a thermal correlator is one of a kind, we take the opportunity to analyze many of its properties: the coupling dependence of the diffusion constant, the dispersion relations of poles, and the convergence properties of all order hydrodynamics.
A bstract Motivated by the recent connection between pole-skipping phenomena of two point functions and four point out-of-time-order correlators (OTOCs), we study the pole structure of thermal two-point functions in d -dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs) in hyperbolic space. We derive the pole-skipping points of two-point functions of scalar and vector fields by three methods (one field theoretic and two holographic methods) and confirm that they agree. We show that the leading pole-skipping point of two point functions is related with the late time behavior of conformal blocks and shadow conformal blocks in four-point OTOCs.
A bstract The holographic system described by Einstein-Maxwell-Chern-Simons dynamics in the bulk of AdS exhibits a chiral magnetic effect and a quantum critical point. Through numerical calculations, we find that the butterfly velocity can serve as a new identifier for the quantum critical point in this system. We show that the critical point is the point at which the butterfly velocity is equal to the speed of light in the direction of the magnetic field, while in the opposite direction the butterfly propagation vanishes. Furthermore, by studying the pole-skipping points of the response function of the operator dual to the tensor part of the metric perturbation in the bulk, we discover a set of order parameters that distinguish the two states of the system near the quantum critical point. Each of these order parameters is the sum of the absolute values of the real parts of momentum at all pole-skipping points associated with a particular frequency. This quantity vanishes in the disordered state while taking a positive value in the ordered state. In addition, our results confirm the idea that the chiral magnetic effect can manifest macroscopically through quantum chaos.
In this article, we demonstrate how a 3-point correlation function can capture the out-of-time-ordered features of a higher point correlation function, in the context of a conformal field theory (CFT) with a boundary, in two dimensions. Our general analyses of the analytic structures are independent of the details of the CFT and the operators, however, to demonstrate a Lyapunov growth we focus on the Virasoro identity block. Motivated by this, we also show that the phenomenon of pole-skipping is present in a 2-point correlation function in a two-dimensional CFT with a boundary. This pole-skipping is related, by an analytic continuation, to the maximal Lyapunov exponent for maximally chaotic systems. Our results hint that, the dynamical content of higher point correlation functions, in certain cases, may be encrypted within low-point correlation functions, and analytic properties thereof.
Abstract In this article, we demonstrate how a 3-point correlation function can capture the out-of-time-ordered features of a higher point correlation function, in the context of a conformal field theory (CFT) with a boundary, in two dimensions. Our general analyses of the analytic structures are independent of the details of the CFT and the operators, however, to demonstrate a Lyapunov growth we focus on the Virasoro identity block in large-c CFT’s. Motivated by this, we also show that the phenomenon of pole-skipping is present in a 2-point correlation function in a two-dimensional CFT with a boundary. This pole-skipping is related, by an analytic continuation, to the maximal Lyapunov exponent for maximally chaotic systems. Our results hint that, the dynamical content of higher point correlation functions, in certain cases, may be encrypted within low-point correlation functions, and analytic properties thereof.
Abstract We study the butterfly effect and pole-skipping phenomenon for the 1RCBH model which enjoys a critical point in its phase diagram. Using the holographic idea, we compute the butterfly velocity and interestingly find that this velocity can probe the critical behavior of this model. We calculate the dynamical exponent of this quantity near the critical point and find a perfect agreement with the value of the other quantity’s dynamical exponent near this critical point. We also find that at special points, namely the (ω⋆=iλL,k⋆=iλL/vB), (ω⋆=iλL,k⋆=iλL/vB), where λL λL and vB vB are Lyapunov exponent and butterfly velocity respectively, the phenomenon of pole-skipping appears which is a sign of a multivalued retarded Green’s function. Furthermore, we observe that vB2≥cs2 vB2≥cs2 at each point of parameter space of the 1RCBH model where cs cs is the speed of sound wave propagation.