Asymptotic flatness, little string theory, and holography

Abstract

We argue that any non-gravitational holographic dual to asymptotically flat string theory in $d$-dimensions naturally resides at spacelike infinity. Since spacelike infinity can be resovled as a $(d-1)$-dimensional timelike hyperboloid (i.e., as a copy of de Sitter space in $(d-1)$ dimensions), the dual theory is defined on a Lorentz signature spacetime. Conceptual issues regarding such a duality are clarified by comparison with linear dilaton boundary conditions, such as those dual to little string theory. We compute both time-ordered and Wightman boundary 2-point functions of operators dual to massive scalar fields in the asymptotically flat bulk.