Einstein gravity from ANEC correlators

Abstract

We study correlation functions with multiple averaged null energy (ANEC) operators in conformal field theories. For large $N$ CFTs with a large gap to higher spin operators, we show that the OPE between a local operator and the ANEC can be recast as a particularly simple differential operator acting on the local operator. This operator is simple enough that we can resum it and obtain the finite distance OPE. Under the large $N$ - large gap assumptions, the vanishing of the commutator of ANEC operators tightly constrains the OPE coefficients of the theory. An important example of this phenomenon is the conclusion that $a=c$ in $d=4$. This implies that the bulk dual of such a CFT is semi-classical Einstein-gravity with minimally coupled matter.