Long String Dynamics in Pure Gravity on AdS$_3$

TL;DR

This paper investigates the classical dynamics of pure AdS$_3$ gravity with boundary gravitons and long strings, emphasizing the importance of back-reaction effects for understanding finite-energy states and their implications.

Contribution

It introduces a regime where heavy strings dominate pure gravity dynamics, highlighting the role of back-reaction in producing finite-energy states in AdS$_3$.

Findings

Heavy strings induce back-reaction effects.

Finite-energy states are achievable with heavy strings.

The process resembles but differs from bubble nucleation.

Abstract

We study the classical dynamics of a completion of pure AdS gravity in 3D, whose only degrees of freedom are boundary gravitons and long strings. We argue that the best regime for describing pure gravity is that of "heavy" strings, for which back-reaction effects on the metric must be taken into account. We show that once back-reaction is properly accounted for, regular finite-energy states are produced by heavy strings even in the infinite-tension limit. Such a process is similar to, but different from, nucleation of space out of a "bubble of nothing."