Andrei Starinets

Abstract:

We use the gauge-gravity duality conjecture to compute spectral functions of the stress-energy tensor in finite-temperature N = 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in the limit of large N(c) and large 't Hooft coupling. The spectral functions exhibit peaks characteristic of hydrodynamic modes at small frequency, and oscillations at intermediate frequency. The nonperturbative spectral functions differ qualitatively from those obtained in perturbation theory. The results may prove useful for lattice studies of transport processes in thermal gauge theories.

Abstract:

We consider hydrodynamics of = 4 supersymmetric SU(Nc) Yang-Mills plasma at a nonzero density of R-charge. In the regime of large Nc and large 't Hooft coupling the gravity dual description involves an asymptotically Anti- de Sitter five-dimensional charged black hole solution of Behrnd, Cvetic and Sabra. We compute the shear viscosity as a function of chemical potentials conjugated to the three U(1)SO(6) R charges. The ratio of the shear viscosity to entropy density is independent of the chemical potentials and is equal to 1/4π. For a single charge black hole we also compute the thermal conductivity, and investigate the critical behavior of the transport coefficients near the boundary of thermodynamic stability. © SISSA 2006.

Abstract:

Using gauge theory/gravity duality we study sound wave propagation in strongly coupled non-conformal gauge theory plasma. We compute the speed of sound and the bulk viscosity of N = 2* supersymmetric SU(Nc) Yang-Mills plasma at a temperature much larger than the mass scale of the theory in the limit of large Nc and large 't Hooft coupling. The speed of sound is computed both from the equation of state and the hydrodynamic pole in the stress-energy tensor two-point correlation function. Both computations lead to the same result. Bulk viscosity is determined by computing the attenuation constant of the sound wave mode. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.