Bulk-cone singularities & signatures of horizon formation in AdS/CFT

Abstract

We discuss the relation between singularities of correlation functions and causal properties of the bulk spacetime in the context of the AdS/CFT correspondence. In particular, we argue that the boundary field theory correlation functions are singular when the insertion points are connected causally by a bulk null geodesic. This implies the existence of "bulk-cone singularities" in boundary theory correlation functions which lie inside the boundary light-cone. We exhibit the pattern of singularities in various asymptotically AdS spacetimes and argue that this pattern can be used to probe the bulk geometry. We apply this correspondence to the specific case of shell collapse in AdS/CFT and indicate a sharp feature in the boundary observables corresponding to black hole event horizon formation.