Journal of High Energy Physics (Jul 2024)

Algebraic ER=EPR and complexity transfer

  • Netta Engelhardt,
  • Hong Liu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP07(2024)013
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2024, no. 7
pp. 1 – 39

Abstract

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Abstract We propose an algebraic definition of ER=EPR in the G N → 0 limit, which associates bulk spacetime connectivity/disconnectivity to the operator algebraic structure of a quantum gravity system. The new formulation not only includes information on the amount of entanglement, but also more importantly the structure of entanglement. We give an independent definition of a quantum wormhole as part of the proposal. This algebraic version of ER=EPR sheds light on a recent puzzle regarding spacetime disconnectivity in holographic systems with O $$ \mathcal{O} $$ (1/G N ) entanglement. We discuss the emergence of quantum connectivity in the context of black hole evaporation and further argue that at the Page time, the black hole-radiation system undergoes a transition involving the transfer of an emergent type III1 subalgebra of high complexity operators from the black hole to radiation. We argue this is a general phenomenon that occurs whenever there is an exchange of dominance between two competing quantum extremal surfaces.

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