arXiv subjects

Upamanyu Moitra

Publications and source records attributed to Upamanyu Moitra.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Large Quantum Gravity Fluctuations of BTZ Black Holes

We study the quantum fluctuations of the black hole horizon in three-dimensional Anti-de Sitter (AdS) spacetime. We define a precise protocol to calculate the horizon fluctuations and define a corresponding ``quantum width'' of the horizon. We relate the horizon fluctuations to boundary correlation functions via holography. Working in perturbative quantum gravity, we find that the quantum width is typically of order $(G_\mathrm{N} L_{\mathrm{AdS}}^3 )^{1/4}$, which is parametrically larger than the Planck scale. In detail, the quantum width depends on the scale at which it is measured, diverging logarithmically in the UV. Our results give the most rigorous evidence to date of gauge-invariant fluctuations at scales much larger than the Planck scale within perturbative quantum gravity.

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arXiv2026

Duality-Invariant Higher-Derivative Corrections to Charged Stringy Black Holes

We study duality-invariant higher-derivative corrections to the charged black hole geometry in two-dimensional heterotic string theory. We illustrate how the conventional perturbative approach to determine the corrected geometry breaks down. Using a non-perturbative (in $\alpha'$) parametrization of the solution, we find the corrected charge-to-mass ratio for extremal black holes. We remark on the results in relation to the weak gravity conjecture. We also consider the entropy of the extremal black hole within the attractor mechanism and find that the two-derivative entropy is not renormalized to any order. We make comments on interpretations of the results and their extension to near-extremal black holes.

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arXiv2026

Edge Modes on Stringy Horizons

For a quantum field of arbitrary mass and spin in the static patch of de Sitter spacetime, the Euclidean partition function receives contributions from edge modes localized on the horizon, expressible in terms of the Harish-Chandra character of the de Sitter group. Considering the flat limit and summing over all string fields, we obtain the partition function of edge modes in string theory near the Minkowski-Rindler horizon. Application of the Kronecker limit formula naturally yields a modular invariant one-loop partition function. The resulting expression generalizes the edge contribution of a massive vector boson in a spontaneously broken gauge theory to the infinite tower in string theory. It is naturally ultraviolet finite and amenable to a state-counting interpretation.

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arXiv2025

Heterotic Black Holes in Duality-Invariant Formalism

We consider the effective theory of heterotic strings in two spacetime dimensions, in a double field theory-inspired formalism, manifestly consistent with $T$-duality in string theory. Restricting the gauge group to a single $\mathrm{U}(1)$, we study the charged black hole solution and perform a precise analysis of the properties of the dual geometry with the $\mathrm{O}(1,2; \mathbb{R})$-valued generalized metric. We comment on some aspects related to singularities and gauge dependence. We show that the classification program for higher derivative corrections can also be applied to the heterotic case. We further elucidate how a previously proposed solution to the equations of motion, parametrized in a manner fully non-perturbative in $\alpha'$, can be extended to the scenario with $r$ abelian fields and the corresponding $\mathrm{O}(1,1+r; \mathbb{R})$ symmetry. We discuss some novel features of the solution for charged black holes.

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arXiv2025

Quantum Entanglement Index in String Theory

We define a notion of `quantum entanglement index' with the aim to compute it for black hole horizons in string theory at one-loop order using the stringy replica method. We consider the horizon of BTZ black holes to construct the relevant conical orbifolds, labeled by an odd integer $N$, and compute the partition function as a function of $N$, corresponding to the fractional indexed R\'enyi entropy. We show that it is free of tachyons and naturally finite both in the ultraviolet and the infrared, even though it is generically ultraviolet divergent in the field theory limit. Thus, the index provides a useful diagnostic of the entanglement structure of string theory without the need for analytic continuation in $N$.

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arXiv2025

Finite Cut-Off Holography and the DBI Counter-Term

We demonstrate some very special features of the Dirac-Born-Infeld--like (DBI) gravitational counter-term in AdS$_4$ spacetime, in the context of holography with a sharp radial cut-off. We show that the three-sphere partition function is not only independent of a constant radial cut-off, but also remains unchanged under deformations of the cut-off surface. We also consider the renormalized holographic entanglement entropy for an equatorial Ryu-Takayanagi surface with a cut-off with an arbitrary shape and show that it can also be independent of the cut-off under a special condition. We also numerically study the behavior of the renormalized entropy with different counter-terms and relate the results to monotonicity properties under holographic renormalization group flow. The DBI counter-term is always seen to be associated with integrating out fewer degrees of freedom compared to other counter-terms.

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arXiv2025

Lumos Extrema

We consider trajectories of massless particles in the presence of charged black holes in asymptotically AdS spacetimes in arbitrary dimensions. We study the properties of the photon ring in the (near-)extremal limit and show that the photon ring can probe the near-horizon region in two different scenarios: in high enough number of spacetime dimensions or when the massless particle carries an electric charge. We propose a simple $\mathrm{i} ε$-prescription for implementing the JWKB approximation and show its utility in various contexts. We calculate the quasi-normal modes for charged fields in the eikonal limit and show the emergence of a new time-scale of relaxation in the dual field theory side. In the near-extremal limit, we show generally that the time-scale of decay of the perturbations is governed by the chemical potential. We also verify our analytical results numerically. The $\mathrm{i} ε$-prescription allows us to study the superradiant modes and the associated instabilities in the eikonal limit easily. We comment on some related aspects regarding near-extremal black holes.

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arXiv2024

Quantum Entanglement on Black Hole Horizons in String Theory and Holography

We compute the exact one-loop partition function of $\mathbb{Z}_N$ orbifolds of Euclidean BTZ black hole with the aim to compute the entanglement entropy of the black hole horizon in string theory as a function of the mass and spin of the black hole and the $\mathrm{AdS}_3$ radius. We analyze the tachyonic contribution to the modular integrand for the partition function known for odd integers $N>1$ and show that it admits an analytic continuation resulting in a finite answer for the modular integral in the physical region $0< N \leq 1$. We discuss the flat space limit and the relevance of this computation for quantum gravity near black hole horizons and holography in relation to the thermal entropy.

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arXiv2024

Entanglement Entropy in String Compactifications

We consider $\mathbb{Z}_N$ orbifolds of Type-II compactifications to four and six dimensions on several Calabi-Yau manifolds in the orbifold limit with the aim to compute the entanglement entropy. The spectrum can contain tachyons in the doubly-twisted sectors which can lead to new infrared divergences for the partition function that are not present in the orbifolds of the uncompactified ten-dimensional theory. We show that all tachyonic contributions in these models admit a resummation and analytic continuation that yields finite entropy in the physical region $0 < N \leq 1$ just as in ten dimensions.

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arXiv2024

Finite Entanglement Entropy in String Theory

We analyze the one-loop quantum entanglement entropy in ten-dimensional Type-II string theory using the orbifold method by analytically continuing in $N$ the genus-one partition function for string orbifolds on $\mathbb{R}^2/\mathbb{Z}_N$ conical spaces known for all odd integers $N > 1$. We show that the tachyonic contributions to the orbifold partition function can be appropriately summed and analytically continued to an expression that is finite in the physical region $0 < N \leq 1$ resulting in a finite and calculable answer for the entanglement entropy. We discuss the implications of the finiteness of the entanglement entropy for the information paradox, quantum gravity, and holography.

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arXiv2024

Heterotic Strings and Quantum Entanglement

We construct $\mathbb{Z}_N$ orbifolds of the ten-dimensional heterotic string theories appropriate for implementing the stringy replica method for the calculation of quantum entanglement entropy. A novel feature for the heterotic string is that the gauge symmetry must be broken by a Wilson line to ensure modular invariance. We completely classify the patterns of symmetry breaking. We show that the tachyonic contributions in all cases can be analytically continued, with a finite answer in the domain $0<N \leq 1$, relevant for calculating entanglement entropy across the Rindler horizon. We discuss the physical implications of our results.

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arXiv2024

Newton vs. Coulomb in AdS/CFT and the Weak Gravity Conjecture

We study (near-)circular orbits of charged particles in the background of charged black holes in asymptotically Anti-de Sitter (AdS) spacetimes of arbitrary dimensionality. We calculate the energy and angular momentum of such particles in a large-radius limit. This allows us to compute the anomalous dimension of the dual charged double-twist operators in a large-spin expansion, making a prediction for the bootstrap analysis at large charge and spin. We relate our result to the Weak Gravity Conjecture (WGC) for AdS black holes of all sizes. We also discuss the relation of WGC with the existence of the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) in any dimension.

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arXiv2023

Dirac-Born-Infeld Counter-Term and Black Hole Thermodynamics

We revisit the Dirac-Born-Infeld--like boundary counter-term for four dimensional theory of gravity. We show that it correctly executes complete background subtraction for both asymptotically AdS and asymptotically flat geometries. With an appropriate choice of ensemble, we reproduce dyonic black hole thermodynamics with both types of asymptotics by studying local thermodynamics on the cut-off surface.

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arXiv2023

Self-Similar Gravitational Dynamics, Singularities and Criticality in 2D

We initiate a systematic study of continuously self-similar (CSS) gravitational dynamics in two dimensions, motivated by critical phenomena observed in higher dimensional gravitational theories. We consider CSS spacetimes admitting a homothetic Killing vector (HKV) field. For a general two-dimensional gravitational theory coupled to a dilaton field and Maxwell field, we find that the assumption of continuous self-similarity determines the form of the dilaton coupling to the curvature. Certain limits produce two important classes of models, one of which is closely related to two-dimensional target space string theory and the other being Liouville gravity. The gauge field is shown to produce a shift in the dilaton potential strength. We consider static black hole solutions and find spacetimes with uncommon asymptotic behaviour. We show the vacuum self-similar spacetimes to be special limits of the static solutions. We add matter fields consistent with self-similarity (including a certain model of semi-classical gravity) and write down the autonomous ordinary differential equations governing the gravitational dynamics. Based on the phenomenon of finite-time blow-up in ODEs, we argue that spacetime singularities are generic in our models. We present qualitatively diverse results from analytical and numerical investigations regarding matter field collapse and singularities. We find interesting hints of a Choptuik-like scaling law.

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arXiv2022

Aspects of Jackiw-Teitelboim Gravity in Anti-de Sitter and de Sitter spacetime

We discuss JT gravity in AdS and dS space in the second order formalism. For the pure dS JT theory without matter, we show that the path integral gives rise in general to the Hartle-Hawking wave function which describes an arbitrary number of disconnected universes produced by tunnelling "from nothing", or to transition amplitudes which describe the tunnelling of an initial state consisting of several contracting universes to a final state of several expanding universes. These processes can be described by a hologram consisting of Random Matrix Theory (RMT) or, we suggest, after some modification on the gravity side, by a hologram with the RMT being replaced by SYK theory. In the presence of matter, we discuss the double trumpet path integral and argue that with suitable twisted boundary conditions, a divergence in the moduli space integral can be avoided and the system can tunnel from a contracting phase to an expanding one avoiding a potential big bang/big crunch singularity. The resulting spectrum of quantum perturbations which are produced can exhibit interesting departures from scale invariance. We also show that the divergence in moduli space can be avoided for suitable correlators which involve different boundaries in the AdS/dS cases, and suggest that a hologram consisting of the SYK theory with additional matter could get rid of these divergences in general. Finally, we analyse the AdS double trumpet geometry and show that going to the micro-canonical ensemble instead of the canonical one, for the spectral form factor, does not get rid of the divergence in moduli space.

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arXiv2021

Jackiw-Teitelboim Gravity in the Second Order Formalism

We formulate the path integral for Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity in the second order formalism working directly with the metric and the dilaton. We consider the theory both in Anti-de Sitter(AdS) and de Sitter space(dS) and analyze the path integral for the disk topology and the "double trumpet" topology with two boundaries. We also consider its behavior in the presence of conformal matter. In the dS case the path integral evaluates the wavefunction of the universe which arises in the no-boundary proposal. In the asymptotic AdS or dS limit without matter we get agreement with the first order formalism. More generally, away from this limit, the path integral is more complicated due to the presence of modes from the gravity-dilaton sector and also matter sector with short wavelengths along the boundary that are smaller than the AdS or dS scales. In the double trumpet case, for both AdS and dS, we find that bosonic matter gives rise to a diverging contribution in the moduli space integral rendering the path integral ill-defined. The divergence occurs when the size of the wormhole neck vanishes and is related to the Casimir effect. For fermions this divergence can be avoided by imposing suitable boundary conditions. In this case, in dS space the resulting path integral gives a finite contribution for two disconnected universes to be produced by quantum tunneling.

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arXiv2021

Strong Cosmic Censorship in Two Dimensions

We study the behaviour of a free massive scalar wave-packet near the Cauchy horizon of an $\mathrm{AdS}_2$ black hole and find that it becomes infinitely differentiable for smooth initial data, independently of the parameters describing the spacetime or the scalar. This indicates a violation of the strong cosmic censorship conjecture at the classical level. We discuss our result in connection with some recent observations of violation of the conjecture for certain nearly extremal black holes.

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arXiv2021

Near-Extremal Fluid Mechanics

We analyse near-extremal black brane configurations in asymptotically $\mathrm{AdS}_4$ spacetime with the temperature $T$, chemical potential $μ$, and three-velocity $u^ν$, varying slowly. We consider a low-temperature limit where the rate of variation is much slower than $μ$, but much bigger than $T$. This limit is different from the one considered for conventional fluid-mechanics in which the rate of variation is much smaller than both $T$, $μ$. We find that in our limit, as well, the Einstein-Maxwell equations can be solved in a systematic perturbative expansion. At first order, in the rate of variation, the resulting constitutive relations for the stress tensor and charge current are local in the boundary theory and can be easily calculated. At higher orders, we show that these relations become non-local in time but the perturbative expansion is still valid. We find that there are four linearised modes in this limit; these are similar to the hydrodynamic modes found in conventional fluid mechanics with the same dispersion relations. We also study some linearised time independent perturbations exhibiting attractor behaviour at the horizon - these arise in the presence of external driving forces in the boundary theory.

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