English

Shockwave S-matrix from Schwarzian Quantum Mechanics

High Energy Physics - Theory 2018-12-12 v3 Strongly Correlated Electrons

Abstract

Schwarzian quantum mechanics describes the collective IR mode of the SYK model and captures key features of 2D black hole dynamics. Exact results for its correlation functions were obtained in JHEP {\bf 1708}, 136 (2017) [arXiv:1705.08408]. We compare these results with bulk gravity expectations. We find that the semi-classical limit of the out-of-time-order (OTO) four-point function exactly matches with the scattering amplitude obtained from the Dray-'t Hooft shockwave S\mathcal{S}-matrix. We show that the two point function of heavy operators reduces to the semi-classical saddle-point of the Schwarzian action. We also explain a previously noted match between the OTO four point functions and 2D conformal blocks. Generalizations to higher-point functions, and applications, are discussed.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1804.09834,
  title  = {Shockwave S-matrix from Schwarzian Quantum Mechanics},
  author = {Ho Tat Lam and Thomas G. Mertens and Gustavo J. Turiaci and Herman Verlinde},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1804.09834},
  year   = {2018}
}

Comments

37 pages, 6 figures; v3 typos fixed

R2 v1 2026-06-23T01:36:14.316Z