Hidden singularities and closed timelike curves in a proposed dual for Lifshitz-Chern-Simons gauge theories

TL;DR

The paper analyzes proposed gravitational duals for Lifshitz Chern-Simons gauge theories, revealing hidden null singularities and closed timelike curves that challenge their physical viability.

Contribution

It identifies problematic features in recent dual models, specifically hidden singularities and causality-violating regions, questioning their consistency in string theory.

Findings

Presence of hidden null singularity in the dual metrics

Existence of accessible closed timelike curves

Singularity persists without stringy corrections

Abstract

We point out that the metrics recently proposed by K. Balasubramanian and J. McGreevy \cite{BalaMcGreevyLifshitz} as gravitational duals to Lifshitz Chern-Simons gauge theories contain both a hidden null singularity and a region of closed timelike curves accessible to asymptotic observers. Like the singularity in the original Liftshitz spacetime given by Kachru, Liu, and Mulligan, this singularity does not include large $\alpha'$ or $g_s$ corrections and hence appears to be singular in string theory as well as classically.