Exact Bulk Operators and the Fate of Locality in AdS3/CFT2
Hongbin Chen (KITP/JHU)
We recently used Virasoro symmetry to propose an exact formula for a bulk proto-field φ in AdS3. We computed the correlators of this proto-field with boundary operators and also the propagator <φφ> in the bulk. These results match bulk gravitational perturbation theory for a free scalar field coupled to gravity when expanded at large central charge. The propagator <φφ> develops an imaginary part at a new short-distance scale, as a consequence of computable non-perturbative gravitational effects, signaling the breakdown of bulk locality. I'll also mention some ongoing work on probing the black hole horizon using this proto-field.