High Energy Theory Seminar

Infinite-dimensional conformal symmetry in two dimensions equips 2d CFTs with an integrable structure - an infinite tower of quantum KdV charges in involution. I will discuss the role of this integrable structure in constraining thermalization and will show that 2d CFTs satisfy generalized eigenstate thermalization with the set of quantum KdV charges forming a complete set of thermodynamically relevant quantities. I will also review recent progress calculating the spectrum of qKdV charges and generalized partition function of 2d theories in the limit of large central charge.