Holographic thermalization patterns

TL;DR

This paper studies how the thermalization process in N=4 super Yang Mills theory changes with finite coupling, showing a shift from a top-down pattern as the coupling decreases, using holographic models and correlator analysis.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of thermalization patterns at finite coupling, highlighting the transition from top-down to a different thermalization behavior in holographic plasma.

Findings

Thermalization pattern weakens from top-down at finite coupling.

Spectral densities deviate from thermal limit during out-of-equilibrium.

Quasinormal modes evolve with coupling, affecting thermalization dynamics.

Abstract

We investigate the behaviour of various correlators in N=4 super Yang Mills theory, taking finite coupling corrections into account. In the thermal limit we investigate the flow of the quasinormal modes as a function of the 't Hooft coupling. Then by using a specific model of holographic thermalization we investigate the deviation of the spectral densities from their thermal limit in an out-of-equilibrium situation. The main focus lies on the thermalization pattern with which the various plasma constituents of different energies approach their final thermal distribution as the coupling constant decreases from the infinite coupling limit. All results point towards the weakening of the usual top down thermalization pattern.