Open quantum systems and Schwinger-Keldysh holograms

Understand

We initiate the study of open quantum field theories using holographic methods.

• Specifically, we consider a quantum field theory (the system) coupled to a holographic field theory at finite temperature (the environment).
• We investigate the effects of integrating out the holographic environment with an aim of obtaining an effective dynamics for the resulting open quantum field theory.
• The influence functionals which enter this open effective action are determined by the real-time (Schwinger-Keldysh) correlation functions of the holographic thermal environment.