We compute various averages over bulk geometries of quantum states prepared by the Chern-Simons path integral, for any level <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>k</mi></math> and compact simple gauge group <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>G</mi></math>. We do so by carefully summing over all topologically distinct bulk geometries which have <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>n</mi></math> disjoint boundary tori and a decomposition into <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>space</mi><mo>×</mo><mi>time</mi></mrow></math> of fixed spatial topology. We find that to leading order in the complexity of the state, the typical state contains many types of multiparty entanglement, proving a conjecture of Balasubramanian et al. Combined with the fact that periodic link states are Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ)-like, this result implies that a generic fibered link state contains non-GHZ entanglement if and only if its link complement is hyperbolic. Additionally, we compute an averaged wave function which captures the leading order statistics of boundary observables in the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>n</mi></math> torus Chern-Simons Hilbert space.

United States

Charlie Cummings

Entanglement in typical states of Chern-Simons theory

We discuss the dynamics of the quantum fluctuation around the nonlinear massive wave solution in the Higgs potential. In particular, we analyze the stability and instability of the mode function. Using the stability condition for Hill’s equation, we obtain the instability region of the mode function in the quantum fluctuation as the function of the parameters in the mode equation. We show that the two types of the instabilities of the system in the particle number can be understood by the Floquet’s exponents in the instability parameter region. The analysis will be useful to understand the dynamics of the quantum field theory around the nonlinear massive wave solution when the classical background slightly deviates from the constant background during the middle stage of the phase transition.

Taiwan

Yoshio Kitadono

Japan

Tomohiro Inagaki

Instability of quantum fluctuation around classical nonlinear massive wave solution in Higgs potential and particle creations

We introduce a novel parametrization of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>B</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>π</mi><mi>π</mi><mo>ℓ</mo><mi>ν</mi></math> form factors relying on partial-wave decompositions and series expansions in suitable variables. We bound the expansion coefficients through unitarity and include left-hand cut contributions using established dispersive methods. The two-hadron line shapes are treated in a model-independent manner using Omnès functions, thus allowing for a data-driven determination of the expansion parameters. We study the underlying composition of the di-pion system in <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>B</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>π</mi><mi>π</mi><mo>ℓ</mo><mi>ν</mi></math> decays through fits to differential spectra of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>B</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><msup><mi>π</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>π</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><msup><mo>ℓ</mo><mo>+</mo></msup><mi>ν</mi></math> measured by the Belle experiment. In contrast to previous works, we are able to study the full phase space and are not limited to certain kinematic regions. As a consequence, we extract branching fractions for the different partial waves of the di-pion system. We find <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="script">B</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mi>B</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mi>π</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>π</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mi>S</mi></msub><msup><mo>ℓ</mo><mo>+</mo></msup><mi>ν</mi><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>=</mo><msubsup><mn>2.2</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1.0</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo><mn>1.4</mn></mrow></msubsup><mo>×</mo><msup><mn>10</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>5</mn></mrow></msup></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="script">B</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mi>B</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mi>π</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>π</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mi>P</mi></msub><msup><mo>ℓ</mo><mo>+</mo></msup><mi>ν</mi><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>=</mo><mspace linebreak="goodbreak"></mspace><msubsup><mn>19.6</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2.7</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo><mn>2.8</mn></mrow></msubsup><mo>×</mo><msup><mn>10</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>5</mn></mrow></msup></math>, and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="script">B</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mi>B</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mi>π</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>π</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mi>D</mi></msub><msup><mo>ℓ</mo><mo>+</mo></msup><mi>ν</mi><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>=</mo><msubsup><mn>3.5</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1.1</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo><mn>1.3</mn></mrow></msubsup><mo>×</mo><msup><mn>10</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>5</mn></mrow></msup></math>. In addition, we derive predictions for the thus far unobserved <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>B</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><msup><mi>π</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><msup><mi>π</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><msup><mo>ℓ</mo><mo>+</mo></msup><mi>ν</mi></math> decay and obtain a sizable branching fraction of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="script">B</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mi>B</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><msup><mi>π</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><msup><mi>π</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><msup><mo>ℓ</mo><mo>+</mo></msup><mi>ν</mi><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>=</mo><msubsup><mn>2.9</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>0.7</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo><mn>0.9</mn></mrow></msubsup><mo>×</mo><msup><mn>10</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>5</mn></mrow></msup></math>.

Switzerland

Florian Herren

Germany

Bastian Kubis

Raynette van Tonder

Model-independent parametrization of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>B</mi><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>π</mi><mi>π</mi><mo>ℓ</mo><mi>ν</mi></math> decays

The pseudorapidity density distributions of charged particles and the transverse-momentum spectra of identified particles in proton-proton (<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mrow><mi>p</mi><mi>p</mi></mrow></math>) collisions at the center-of-mass energies ranging from <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mrow><msqrt><mi>s</mi></msqrt><mo>=</mo><mn>200</mn></mrow></math> GeV to 13 TeV have been systematically studied using the newly released parton and cascade model paciae 4.0 based on pythia 8.3. The available experimental data are well reproduced across all analyzed aspects. This theoretical method can be easily extended to anywhere the experimental data for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mrow><mi>p</mi><mi>p</mi></mrow></math> collisions are currently unavailable. Furthermore, since <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mrow><mi>p</mi><mi>p</mi></mrow></math> collisions serve as the baseline for heavy-ion collisions, our results can provide a valuable resource for both experimentalists and theorists.

China

Zhen Xie

An-Ke Lei

Hua Zheng

Wenchao Zhang

Dai-Mei Zhou

Zhi-Lei She

Yu-Liang Yan

Ben-Hao Sa

Pseudorapidity density distributions of charged particles and transverse-momentum spectra of identified particles in <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mrow><mi>p</mi><mi>p</mi></mrow></math> collisions in the PACIAE 4.0 model

We revisit birefringence effects associated with the evolution of the polarization of light as it propagates through axion dark matter or the background of a passing gravitational wave (GW). We demonstrate that this can be described by a unified formalism, highlighting a synergy between searches for axions and high-frequency GWs. We show that by exploiting this framework, the optical cavities used by the ALPS II experiment can potentially probe axion masses in the range <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>m</mi><mi>a</mi></msub><mo>∼</mo><mrow><msup><mrow><mn>10</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>9</mn></mrow></msup><mi>–</mi><mrow><msup><mrow><mn>10</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>6</mn></mrow></msup><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>eV</mi></mrow></mrow></math>, offering competitive sensitivity with existing laboratory and astrophysical searches. Also building on this approach, we propose using these optical cavities to search for high-frequency GWs by measuring changes in the polarization of their circulating laser fields. This makes it a promising method for exploring, in the near future, GWs with frequencies above 100 MHz and strain sensitivities on the order of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msup><mrow><mn>10</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>14</mn></mrow></msup><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><msup><mrow><mi>Hz</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>/</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math>. Such sensitivity allows the exploration of currently unconstrained parameter space, complementing other high-frequency GW experiments. This work contributes to the growing community investigating novel approaches for high-frequency GW detection.

Spain

Camilo García-Cely

Luca Marsili

Andreas Ringwald

Aaron D. Spector

Polarimetric searches for axion dark matter and high-frequency gravitational waves using optical cavities

Since the LHCb collaboration successively reported the hidden-charm exotic states <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>c</mi></msub></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>P</mi><mrow><mi>c</mi><mi>s</mi></mrow></msub></math>, these exotic states have rightfully attracted significant attention from theoretical perspectives. Motivated by these exotic states, this study systematically investigates the hidden-charm double-strange pentaquark system with the quark configuration <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>n</mi><mi>s</mi><mi>s</mi><mi>c</mi><mover accent="true"><mi>c</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover></math> using the resonating group method within the framework of the quark delocalization color screening model. The dynamical estimations, incorporating channel coupling, identify five resonance states in the hidden-charm double-strange systems, denoted as <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>′</mo></msubsup><msubsup><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><msubsup><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></math> with <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>J</mi><mi>P</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>/</mo><msup><mn>2</mn><mo>−</mo></msup></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><msub><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi></msub></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><msubsup><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></math>, and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ω</mi><mo>*</mo></msup><msup><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mo>*</mo></msup></math> with <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>J</mi><mi>P</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><mn>3</mn><mo>/</mo><msup><mn>2</mn><mo>−</mo></msup></math>, through scattering phase shifts processes of various channels. <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>′</mo></msubsup><msubsup><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><msubsup><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></math> with <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>J</mi><mi>P</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>/</mo><msup><mn>2</mn><mo>−</mo></msup></math>, with mass range and decay widths of (4684 MeV–4688 MeV, 6.4 MeV–24.2 MeV) and (4751 MeV–4756 MeV, 3.2 MeV–18.7 MeV), can be derived from the scattering processes of channels <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><msub><mi>η</mi><mi>c</mi></msub></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi></math>, and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi></msub><msub><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi></msub></math>, it should be noted that resonance state <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>′</mo></msubsup><msubsup><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></math>, in addition to the channels mentioned above, can also be observed in <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mo>*</mo></msup><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi></msub><msubsup><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></math>. For the quantum number <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>J</mi><mi>P</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><mn>3</mn><mo>/</mo><msup><mn>2</mn><mo>−</mo></msup></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><msubsup><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ω</mi><mo>*</mo></msup><msup><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mo>*</mo></msup></math> can be identified in channels <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mo>*</mo></msup><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi></msub><msubsup><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></math>, and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mo>*</mo></msup><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>′</mo></msubsup><msubsup><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></math>, respectively, the estimated masses and decay widths of these resonance states range from approximately (4749 MeV–4755 MeV, 16.4 MeV) and (4771 MeV-4772 MeV, 18.8 MeV). However, the residual resonance state <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><msub><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi></msub></math>, for which the estimated mass and decay width are about 4600 MeV and 21.7 MeV, is expected to be found only in channel <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi></msub><msubsup><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></math>. Given the current theoretical estimations, experiments are anticipated to further explore hidden-charm double-strange pentaquark states through the possible decay channels, thereby offering a strong theoretical foundation for their experimental investigation.

Xuejie Liu

Yue Tan

Xiaoyun Chen

Dianyong Chen

Hongxia Huang

Jialun Ping

Study on the properties of hidden-charm pentaquarks with double strangeness

We holographically study the far-from-equilibrium isotropization dynamics of the strongly coupled $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills plasma. The dual gravitational background is driven to be out of equilibrium and anisotropic by a time-dependent change in boundary conditions. At late times, the system relaxes and asymptotically approaches a static configuration. The large initial energy densities accelerate the isotropization significantly compared to the initial geometry corresponding to the supersymmetric Yang-Mills vacuum. We analyze shear transport during isotropization by directly computing the time-dependent stress tensor, which is now a nonlinear function of the shear rate. The shear viscosity far from equilibrium displays much richer dynamics than its near-equilibrium counterpart. Moreover, we uncover that the equilibrium viscosity-to-entropy ratio at late times depends on the details of the quench function and the initial data, which could be due to a resummation of the hydrodynamic description. In particular, this ratio can be parametrically smaller than the Kovtun-Son-Starinets bound calculated from linear response theory.

Shoucheng Wang

Song He

Li Li

Shear transport in far-from-equilibrium isotropization of supersymmetric Yang-Mills plasma

This study investigates quantum gravity effects within the framework of an effective loop quantum gravity black hole (LQG-BH) model parameterized by $$\zeta $$ , utilizing precision measurements from solar system experiments and astrophysical observations. We analyze three classical tests of general relativity (GR): (1) Light deflection constrained by very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of quasar radio signals, (2) Shapiro time delay measurements from the Cassini mission, and (3) Mercury’s perihelion precession determined by MESSENGER mission data. Additionally, we extend our analysis to Earth-orbiting LAGEOS satellites and the relativistic trajectory of the S2 star orbiting the Galactic Center supermassive BH Sagittarius $$\textrm{A}^*$$ (Sgr $$\textrm{A}^{*}$$ ). Our multi-probe approach reveals that the tightest constraint on the LQG parameter comes from Mercury’s perihelion precession, yielding an upper bound $$\zeta \lesssim 10^{-2}$$ . These results establish new observational benchmarks for probing quantum gravity effects.

Wen-Juan Ai

Ruo-Ting Chen

Li-Gang Zhu

Jian-Pin Wu

Probing loop quantum effects through solar system experiments: observational signatures and parameter constraints

Coulomb branches of vacua are the most universal moduli spaces that arise in local unitary interacting 4d $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 superconformal field theories (SCFTs). In these theories, 1/2-BPS primaries parameterize the Coulomb branches and form (anti-)chiral rings. We define the notion of a Coulomb branch operator algebra, $$ {\mathcal{A}}_{\mathcal{C}} $$ , that contains these chiral and anti-chiral rings along with infinitely many more operators and products that are less protected by supersymmetry. Using a universal symmetry, $$ \mathcal{I}\cong {\mathbb{Z}}_2 $$ , that arises from studying the superconformal group, we give $$ \mathcal{I} $$ selection rules for $$ {\mathcal{A}}_{\mathcal{C}} $$ and, more generally, for arbitrary products in the local operator algebra of any 4d $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 SCFT. Defining the notion of a “Coulombic” SCFT, we propose explanations for certain phenomena in a 4d/2d correspondence involving 4d $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 theories and 2d vertex operator algebras. Finally, by considering deformations of $$ \mathcal{I} $$ , we explore the case of $$ \mathcal{N} $$ > 2 SCFTs.

United Kingdom

Matthew Buican

Coulomb branch operator algebras and universal selection rules for $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 SCFTs

We explore dilaton gravity with general dilaton potentials in the semi-classical limit viewed both as a gas of blunt defects and also as a semi-classical theory in its own right. We compare the exact defect gas picture with that obtained by naively canonically quantizing the theory in geodesic gauge. We find a subtlety in the canonical approach due to a non-perturbative ambiguity in geodesic gauge. Unlike in JT gravity, this ambiguity arises already at the disk level. This leads to a distinct mechanism from that in JT gravity by which the semi-classical approximation breaks down at low temperatures. Along the way, we propose that new, previously un-studied saddles contribute to the density of states of dilaton gravity. This in particular leads to a re-interpretation of the disk-level density of states in JT gravity in terms of two saddles with fixed energy boundary conditions: the disk, which caps off on the outer horizon, and another, sub-leading complex saddle which caps off on the inner horizon. When the theory is studied using a defect expansion, we show how the smooth classical geometries of dilaton gravity arise from a dense gas of very blunt defects in the $\textit{G}$ → 0 limit. The classical saddle points arise from a balance between the attractive force on the defects toward negative dilaton and a statistical pressure from the entropy of the configuration. We end with speculations on the nature of the space-like singularity present inside black holes described by certain dilaton potentials.

Jorrit Kruthoff

Adam Levine

Semi-classical dilaton gravity and the very blunt defect expansion