Blackhole/String Transition for the Small Schwarzschild Blackhole of $AdS_5 \times S^5$ and Critical Unitary Matrix Models

TL;DR

This paper explores the blackhole-string transition for small Schwarzschild blackholes in AdS_5 x S^5 using the AdS/CFT correspondence, identifying a third-order phase transition and its resolution via a double scaling limit.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of the blackhole-string transition at finite temperature, employing gauge theory effective actions and a double scaling limit to resolve singularities.

Findings

Identifies the third-order phase transition with the blackhole-string transition.

Shows the transition becomes a smooth crossover at finite N.

Discusses implications for resolving blackhole singularities.

Abstract

In this paper we discuss the blackhole-string transition of the small Schwarzschild blackhole of $AdS_5 \times S^5$ using the AdS/CFT correspondence at finite temperature. The finite temperature gauge theory effective action, at weak {\it and} strong coupling, can be expressed entirely in terms of constant Polyakov lines which are $SU (N)$ matrices. In showing this we have taken into account that there are no Nambu-Goldstone modes associated with the fact that the 10 dimensional blackhole solution sits at a point in $S^5$. We show that the phase of the gauge theory in which the eigenvalue spectrum has a gap corresponds to supergravity saddle points in the bulk theory. We identify the third order $N = \infty$ phase transition with the blackhole-string transition. This singularity can be resolved using a double scaling limit in the transition region where the large N expansion is organized in terms of powers of $N^{-2/3}$. The $N = \infty$ transition now becomes a smooth crossover in terms of a renormalized string coupling constant, reflecting the physics of large but finite N. Multiply wound Polyakov lines condense in the crossover region. We also discuss the implications of our results for the resolution of the singularity of the Lorenztian section of the small Schwarzschild blackhole.