Baryons in $SO(N)$ vector models and their duals in higher spin theory

TL;DR

This paper explores the duality between baryon operators in $SO(N)$ vector models and black shell configurations in higher spin gravity, revealing their role in phase transitions and the deconfinement process.

Contribution

It introduces black shells as duals of baryons in higher spin theories and analyzes their thermodynamics and phase transition implications.

Findings

Black shells act as black hole mimickers in higher spin gravity.

Thermal baryons condense before deconfinement, influencing phase transitions.

Deconfinement scale corresponds to the Fermi energy in the baryon gas.

Abstract

Black shells, a kind of black hole mimickers, are identified thermodynamically as bulk duals of baryon operators in vector models, indicating that such objects are essential for the consistency of higher spin gravity theories. Thermal baryons, with a spectrum of a 2+1-dimensional relativistic Fermi gas, are found to be precursors of the deconfinement phase transition in vector models, condensing at a slightly lower temperature. The early condensation means that baryons are statistically important already in the phase with weakly interacting higher spin fields. Furthermore, the mysterious scale of the deconfinement transition in vector models is naturally interpreted as the Fermi energy scale in the gas.