From AdS/CFT correspondence to hydrodynamics

G. Policastro, D. T. Son, A. O. Starinets

Published 2002-05-07, updated 2002-09-29Version 2

We compute the correlation functions of R-charge currents and components of the stress-energy tensor in the strongly coupled large-N finite-temperature N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory, following a recently formulated Minkowskian AdS/CFT prescription. We observe that in the long-distance, low-frequency limit, such correlators have the form dictated by hydrodynamics. We deduce from the calculations the R-charge diffusion constant and the shear viscosity. The value for the latter is in agreement with an earlier calculation based on the Kubo formula and absorption by black branes.