The Schwarzian theory — a Wilson line perspective

Abstract

We provide a holographic perspective on correlation functions in Schwarzian quantum mechanics, as boundary-anchored Wilson line correlators in Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity. We first study compact groups and identify the diagrammatic representation of bilocal correlators of the particle-on-a-group model as Wilson line correlators in its 2d holographic BF description. We generalize to the Hamiltonian reduction of SL+(2, ℝ) and derive the Schwarzian correlation functions. Out-of-time ordered correlators are determined by crossing Wilson lines, giving a 6j-symbol, in agreement with 2d CFT results.