Free fermions, KdV charges, generalised Gibbs ensembles, modular transforms and line defects

Abstract

In this paper we return to the question of the modular properties of a generalised Gibbs ensemble of a single free fermion. We extend our previous proposals to a GGE containing an arbitrary number of conserved charges and provide a physical interpretation of the result in terms of a line defect. The defect description perfectly explains the product formula for the modular transformation we found previously. We also give a proposal for a Hamiltonian approach to the line defect.