Probing Stringy Horizons with Pole-Skipping in Non-Maximal Chaotic Systems

TL;DR

This paper investigates pole-skipping phenomena in non-maximally chaotic quantum systems, revealing that these points form trajectories linked to stringy excitations and horizons, thus deepening understanding of chaos and holography.

Contribution

It introduces a novel interpretation of pole-skipping trajectories as Regge trajectories of stringy excitations in dual black hole geometries, extending the understanding of chaos in quantum systems.

Findings

Pole-skipping points form trajectories in the complex frequency-momentum plane.

Leading trajectories encode the quantum Lyapunov exponent.

Pole-skipping relates to stringy horizon structures in dual geometries.

Abstract

In this paper, we study pole-skipping in non-maximally quantum chaotic systems. Using Rindler conformal field theories and the large-$q$ SYK chain as illustrative examples, we argue that the pole-skipping points of few-body operators organize into trajectories in the complex frequency-momentum plane, with the leading trajectory encoding the quantum Lyapunov exponent. We further propose that these trajectories admit a natural interpretation as Regge trajectories of stringy excitations in a dual stringy black hole geometry. From this perspective, pole-skipping for an individual operator can be viewed as tracking the stringy horizon through the response of a single excitation. Our results suggest that pole-skipping reflects intrinsic properties of quantum chaotic systems and may be deeply connected to the structure of horizons in the stringy regime.