IAS Quantum Aspects of Black Holes Group Meeting
Baby Universe Microscopics in Coupled SYK
Abstract: We analyze the structure of the baby universe which arises in the coupled SYK realization of the AS^2 geometry using combinatorial arguments about Majorana traces. We find that there is a first order phase transition between the thermal AdS and AS^2 phases parameterized by the mass of the heavy particle insertion and the ratio between the SYK and MQ coupling constants. We then explore Lorentzian time evolution in the baby universe and find a cosine scale factor confirming the big bang / big crunch nature of the bulk cosmology.
Date & Time
November 05, 2026 | 11:00am – 12:00pm
Add to calendar
11/05/2026 11:00
11/05/2026 12:00
IAS Quantum Aspects of Black Holes Group Meeting
use-title
Topic: Baby Universe Microscopics in Coupled SYK
Speakers: Andrew Sontag, Princeton University
More: https://www.ias.edu/sns/events/ias-quantum-aspects-black-holes-group-meeting-82
ABSTRACT: We analyze the structure of the baby universe which arises
in the coupled SYK realization of the AS^2 geometry using
combinatorial arguments about Majorana traces. We find that there is
a first order phase transition between the thermal AdS and AS^2 phases
parameterized by the mass of the heavy particle insertion and the
ratio between the SYK and MQ coupling constants. We then explore
Lorentzian time evolution in the baby universe and find a cosine scale
factor confirming the big bang / big crunch nature of the bulk
cosmology.
Bloomberg Hall Physics Library (IAS)
a7a99c3d46944b65a08073518d638c23
Location
Bloomberg Hall Physics Library (IAS)Speakers
Andrew Sontag, Princeton University
Additional Info
Notes
30 minutes of discussion of recent papers followed by 30 minute talk