2008/05/31 by Kostas Skenderis, Balt C. van Rees · 10 citations
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Algorithm #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Computation #Computer science #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Duality (order theory) #Gauge (firearms) #Gauge theory #Geometry #Holography #Mathematical analysis #Mathematical physics #Mathematics #Methods of contour integration #Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories #Operator (biology) #Physics #Point (geometry) #Pure mathematics #Quantum #Quantum gravity #Quantum mechanics #Scalar (mathematics) #Scalar field #Theoretical physics #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.101.081601
published as Phys.Rev.Lett.101:081601,2008 · 5 pages, 3 figures; v2: typos corrected, PRL version
arxiv created 2008/07/23 · openalex publication_date 2008/08/21 · arxiv updated 2010/05/12 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We present a general prescription for the holographic computation of real-time n-point functions in nontrivial states. In quantum field theory such real-time computations involve a choice of a time contour in the complex time plane. The holographic prescription amounts to "filling in" this contour with bulk solutions: real segments of the contour are filled in with Lorentzian solutions while imaginary segments are filled in with Riemannian solutions and appropriate matching conditions are imposed at the corners of the contour. We illustrate the general discussion by computing the 2-point function of a scalar operator using this prescription and by showing that this leads to an unambiguous answer with the correct iE insertions.