Celestial Matrix Model

Phys Rev Lett. 2022 Nov 11;129(20):201601. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.129.201601.

Abstract

We construct a Hermitian random matrix model that provides a stable nonperturbative completion of Cangemi-Jackiw (CJ) gravity, a two-dimensional theory of flat spacetimes. The matrix model reproduces, to all orders in the topological expansion, the Euclidean partition function of CJ gravity with an arbitrary number of boundaries. The nonperturbative completion enables the exact computation of observables in flat space quantum gravity which we use to explicitly characterize the Bondi Hamiltonian spectrum. We discuss the implications of our results for the flat space S-matrix and black holes.