English

Three-dimensional quantum geometry and black holes

High Energy Physics - Theory 2009-10-31 v3 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology

Abstract

We review some aspects of three-dimensional quantum gravity with emphasis in the `CFT -> Geometry' map that follows from the Brown-Henneaux conformal algebra. The general solution to the classical equations of motion with anti-de Sitter boundary conditions is displayed. This solution is parametrized by two functions which become Virasoro operators after quantisation. A map from the space of states to the space of classical solutions is exhibited. Some recent proposals to understand the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy are reviewed in this context. The origin of the boundary degrees of freedom arising in 2+1 gravity is analysed in detail using a Hamiltonian Chern-Simons formalism.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.hep-th/9901148,
  title  = {Three-dimensional quantum geometry and black holes},
  author = {Maximo Banados},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/9901148},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

39 pages, Latex, no figures. Invited talk at the Second Meeting "Trends in Theoretical Physics", held in Buenos Aires, December, 1998. v2: References added and minor corrections. v3: An incorrect statement about the sign of the Chern-Simons level erased. Extended (and in some cases modified) discussions in most sections. References added