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Fragile Black Holes and an Angular Momentum Cutoff in Peripheral Heavy Ion Collisions
High Energy Physics - Theory · Submitted 31 Jan 2012
abstract compiled · 2026-09-23 · no language-model review
The authors' main claim The result may be holographic prediction of a cutoff for the observable angular momenta of the QGP, or perhaps of an analogous phenomenon in condensed matter physics.
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The abstract, sentence by sentence
In collisions of heavy ions at extremely high energies, it is possible for a significant quantity of angular momentum to be deposited into the Quark-Gluon Plasma which is thought to be produced. We develop a simple geometric model of such a system, and show that it is dual, in the AdS/CFT sense, to a rotating AdS black hole with a topologically planar event horizon. However, when this black hole is embedded in string theory, it proves to be unstable, for all non-zero angular momenta, to a certain non-perturbative effect: the familiar planar black hole, as used in most AdS/CFT analyses of QGP physics, is "fragile". The upshot is that the AdS/CFT duality apparently predicts that the QGP should always become unstable when it is produced in peripheral collisions. However, we argue that holography indicates that relatively low angular momenta delay the development of the instability, so that in practice it may be observable only for peripheral collisions involving favourable impact parameters, generating extremely large angular momenta. The result may be holographic prediction of a cutoff for the observable angular momenta of the QGP, or perhaps of an analogous phenomenon in condensed matter physics.
background contribution method result interpretation main claim
| # | sentence | role | the authors' own work | states the main conclusion | strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| s0 | In collisions of heavy ions at extremely high energies, it is possible for a significant quantity of angular momentum to be deposited into the Quark-Gluon Plasma which is thought to be produced. | background 1.00 | 0.06 | 0.02 | hedged possibility 0.99 |
| s1 | We develop a simple geometric model of such a system, and show that it is dual, in the AdS/CFT sense, to a rotating AdS black hole with a topologically planar event horizon. | method 0.63 | 0.94 | 0.04 | asserted 1.00 |
| s2 | However, when this black hole is embedded in string theory, it proves to be unstable, for all non-zero angular momenta, to a certain non-perturbative effect: the familiar planar black hole, as used in most AdS/CFT analyses of QGP physics, is "fragile". | result 0.98 | 0.71 | 0.17 | asserted 1.00 |
| s3 | The upshot is that the AdS/CFT duality apparently predicts that the QGP should always become unstable when it is produced in peripheral collisions. | interpretation 0.79 | 0.50 | 0.58 | hedged possibility 0.53 |
| s4 | However, we argue that holography indicates that relatively low angular momenta delay the development of the instability, so that in practice it may be observable only for peripheral collisions involving favourable impact parameters, generating extremely large angular momenta. | interpretation 0.83 | 0.78 | 0.27 | hedged possibility 0.99 |
| s5 | The result may be holographic prediction of a cutoff for the observable angular momenta of the QGP, or perhaps of an analogous phenomenon in condensed matter physics. | interpretation 1.00 | 0.60 | 0.28 | hedged possibility 0.95 |
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The paper
Original abstract
In collisions of heavy ions at extremely high energies, it is possible for a significant quantity of angular momentum to be deposited into the Quark-Gluon Plasma which is thought to be produced. We develop a simple geometric model of such a system, and show that it is dual, in the AdS/CFT sense, to a rotating AdS black hole with a topologically planar event horizon. However, when this black hole is embedded in string theory, it proves to be unstable, for all non-zero angular momenta, to a certain non-perturbative effect: the familiar planar black hole, as used in most AdS/CFT analyses of QGP physics, is "fragile". The upshot is that the AdS/CFT duality apparently predicts that the QGP should always become unstable when it is produced in peripheral collisions. However, we argue that holography indicates that relatively low angular momenta delay the development of the instability, so that in practice it may be observable only for peripheral collisions involving favourable impact parameters, generating extremely large angular momenta. The result may be holographic prediction of a cutoff for the observable angular momenta of the QGP, or perhaps of an analogous phenomenon in condensed matter physics.
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How the literature uses it
8 arXiv papers cite this in 40 sentences
Papers citing it · 31 sentences without a confident label
Uses its method or tool 1 paper
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Then the equations for the orbit are, as in [ref] , [equation] where a dot denotes a derivative with respect to proper time, and where $c$ is a constant, and [equation] Combining these with the fact that the geodesic tangent is of unit length and with the initial conditions, one finds that the time required, which we denote by $τ(a, T, μ, L)$, is given by [equation] Given the field theory parameters $a, T, L,$ and $μ$, we can compute, as we have discussed, $r_h$, $M^*$, and $Q^*$, so $r_neg$ can be computed by finding the larger positive real root of the expression in equation ([ref]).
Shearing Black Holes and Scans of the Quark Matter Phase Diagram · Section · 0.81
Uses its data or values 3 papers
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The maximum angular momentum density in the RHIC experiments has been estimated [ref] at around 360 fm$^-3$, which leads to an estimate of $a_max$ $≈$ 24 fm, so we can assume that typical collisions will have values of $a$ around 20 fm.
Angular Momentum in QGP Holography · Section · 1.00
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In [ref] , we used data from the RHIC experiment [ref] to estimate a maximal possible value of the angular momentum density in the relevant collisions of $≈$ 360/fm$^3$; maximal in the sense that the impact parameter was chosen so that the angular momentum transfer to the plasma should be as large as possible (see [ref] ).
Generalised Planar Black Holes and the Holography of Hydrodynamic Shear · Section · 0.96
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In [ref] we computed a rough estimate for the parameter $a$, in collisions with optimal impact parameter, attained in previous runs at the RHIC experiment: it is of the order 20 fm.
Shearing Black Holes and Scans of the Quark Matter Phase Diagram · Section · 0.87
Compares with it 1 paper
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Now in fact it turns out that the KMV$_0$ velocity profile is very much like the profile used in [ref] [see the diagrams there and in [ref] ].
Universality of the Holographic Angular Momentum Cutoff · Section · 0.99
Cites it as support 2 papers
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It arises holographically from the KMV$_0$ black hole, which has been shown [ref] to be unstable to the effect discovered by Seiberg and Witten in [ref] .
Universality of the Holographic Angular Momentum Cutoff · Section · 0.96
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This system is stable in the absence of shearing [even if there is rotational motion at infinity] but becomes unstable [ref] [ref] when shearing is present: the brane action becomes unbounded below.
Shearing Black Holes and Scans of the Quark Matter Phase Diagram · Section · 0.96
Cites it as background 1 paper
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A holographic study of the local rotation/magnetism analogy, if it is valid in this application, would therefore involve the study of one of the (several) asymptotically AdS black holes which are counterparts of the (dyonic) asymptotically flat Kerr-Newman [ref] geometry[Asymptotically AdS black holes endowed with angular momentum have been studied with a view to holographic applications in [ref] .
A Rotation/Magnetism Analogy for the Quark-Gluon Plasma · Section · 0.86
What it cites · 49 sentences without a confident label
Contests 1 paper
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The black hole is “rotating" in the $ζ$ direction, which however does not have a circular topology[In [ref] , both planar coordinates are compactified to circles, but this will give rise to a discontinuity [see the erratum to that work] in the metric unless the time coordinate is also involved in the compactification, which would lead to closed timelike worldlines.
Rotating Topological Black Holes · Section · contest 0.74
Builds on 1 paper
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The fact that J$^*$ computes the ADM angular momentum of the KMV black hole discussed below follows from the calculations in [ref] , suitably adapted from the compactified case studied there to the planar case we need here.].
Rotating Topological Black Holes · Section · 0.95
Uses the method or tool of 1 paper
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Note that the individual densities are not constant in time, but we shall assume that their ratio is constant.] On the other hand, the form of $Υ(x ,α)$ as a function of x is in principle determined by the “thickness function" [ref] , the integral of the nucleon density with respect to z; it provides a description of the transverse distribution of nucleons in the colliding nuclei.
Angular momentum conservation in heavy ion collisions at very high energy · Section · 0.81
Uses data or values from 3 papers
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The extent of this effect depends on the impact parameter; we are mainly interested in the case in which the impact parameter is such that the proportion of angular momentum deposited into the QGP is maximal [about 29$%$ in the situation discussed in [ref] ].
Angular momentum conservation in heavy ion collisions at very high energy · Section · 1.00
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[That is, there is a crossover rather than an abrupt phase change, at the low values of the chemical potential relevant to this discussion.] Current estimates of this temperature are T$_c$ $≈$ 175 MeV; see for example [ref] and [ref] .
Scale for the Phase Diagram of Quantum Chromodynamics · Section · 0.92
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[That is, there is a crossover rather than an abrupt phase change, at the low values of the chemical potential relevant to this discussion.] Current estimates of this temperature are T$_c$ $≈$ 175 MeV; see for example [ref] and [ref] .
Phase diagram and heavy-ion collisions: Overview · Section · 0.92
Compares with 1 paper
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This is very different from the case of branes nucleating in the spacetime around an AdS-Kerr-Newman black hole with a topologically spherical event horizon: in that case, the action is always positive and monotonically increasing outside the event horizon, and so branes always tend to contract [ref] , as in the a = 0 planar case discussed above.
Kerr Black Holes Are Not Fragile · Section · 0.95
Cites as background 8 papers
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In the central case, collisions at the highest energies are generally agreed to produce a quark-gluon plasma [QGP], with properties which can be studied in a variety of ways, including the use of the AdS/CFT correspondence [see for example [ref] [ref] ].
Holographic Lessons for Quark Dynamics · Section · 0.97
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In the central case, collisions at the highest energies are generally agreed to produce a quark-gluon plasma [QGP], with properties which can be studied in a variety of ways, including the use of the AdS/CFT correspondence [see for example [ref] [ref] ].
Gauge/String Duality, Hot QCD and Heavy Ion Collisions · Section · 0.97
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For the details of the structure inside the event horizon, and for the Penrose diagram, we again refer the reader to [ref] .
Rotating Topological Black Holes · Section · 0.94
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