Generalized Eigenstate Thermalization in 2d CFTs

Understand

Infinite-dimensional conformal symmetry in two dimensions leads to integrability of 2d conformal field theories through an infinite tower of local conserved qKdV charges in involution.

• We discuss the role this integrable structure plays in equilibration of 2d CFTs.
• We show that in the thermodynamic limit large central charge 2d CFTs satisfy generalized eigenstate thermalization, with the values of qKdV charges forming a complete set of thermodynamically relevant quantities, which unambiguously determine expectation values of all local observables from the vacuum family.
• Our work settles the question if non-local or quasi-local charges are necessary to describe equilibrium of large central charge 2d CFTs by showing that upon equilibration local physics can be described by the Generalized Gibbs Ensemble that only includes qKdV charges.