When left and right disagree: entropy and von Neumann algebras in quantum gravity with general AlAdS boundary conditions

Feb 14, 2024
35 pages
Published in:
  • JHEP 08 (2024) 010
  • Published: Aug 2, 2024
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Abstract: (Springer)
Euclidean path integrals for UV-completions of d-dimensional bulk quantum gravity were recently studied in [1] by assuming that they satisfy axioms of finiteness, reality, continuity, reflection-positivity, and factorization. Sectors HB {\mathcal{H}}_{\mathcal{B}} of the resulting Hilbert space were then defined for any (d − 2)-dimensional surface B \mathcal{B} , where B \mathcal{B} may be thought of as the boundary ∂Σ of a bulk Cauchy surface in a corresponding Lorentzian description, and where B \mathcal{B} includes the specification of appropriate boundary conditions for bulk fields. Cases where B \mathcal{B} was the disjoint union B ⊔ B of two identical (d − 2)-dimensional surfaces B were studied in detail and, after the inclusion of finite-dimensional ‘hidden sectors,’ were shown to provide a Hilbert space interpretation of the associated Ryu-Takayanagi entropy. The analysis was performed by constructing type-I von Neumann algebras ALB {\mathcal{A}}_L^B , ARB {\mathcal{A}}_R^B that act respectively at the left and right copy of B in B ⊔ B.Below, we consider the case of general B \mathcal{B} , and in particular for B \mathcal{B} = BL_{L} ⊔ BR_{R} with BL_{L}, BR_{R} distinct. For any BR_{R}, we find that the von Neumann algebra at BL_{L} acting on the off-diagonal Hilbert space sector HBLBR {\mathcal{H}}_{B_L\bigsqcup {B}_R} is a central projection of the corresponding type-I von Neumann algebra on the ‘diagonal’ Hilbert space HBLBL {\mathcal{H}}_{B_L\bigsqcup {B}_L} . As a result, the von Neumann algebras ALBL {\mathcal{A}}_L^{B_L} , ARBL {\mathcal{A}}_R^{B_L} defined in [1] using the diagonal Hilbert space HBLBL {\mathcal{H}}_{B_L\bigsqcup {B}_L} turn out to coincide precisely with the analogous algebras defined using the full Hilbert space of the theory (including all sectors HB {\mathcal{H}}_{\mathcal{B}} ). A second implication is that, for any HBLBR {\mathcal{H}}_{B_L\bigsqcup {B}_R} , including the same hidden sectors as in the diagonal case again provides a Hilbert space interpretation of the Ryu-Takayanagi entropy. We also show the above central projections to satisfy consistency conditions that lead to a universal central algebra relevant to all choices of BL_{L} and BR_{R}.
Note:
  • 35 pages, 4 figures; typos corrected, reference added, comments added in section 1, section 5 and Discussion
  • AdS-CFT Correspondence
  • Models of Quantum Gravity
  • algebra: von Neumann
  • path integral: Euclidean
  • Hilbert space
  • surface
  • entropy
  • quantum gravity
  • boundary condition
  • hidden sector