We develop a class of matrix models that implement and formalize the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH) and point out that, in general, these models must contain non-Gaussian corrections in order to correctly capture thermal mean-field theory or to capture nontrivial out-of-time-order correlation functions (OTOCs) as well as their higher-order generalizations. We develop the framework of these ETH matrix models and put it in the context of recent studies in statistical physics incorporating higher statistical moments into the ETH ansatz. We then use the ETH matrix model in order to develop a matrix-integral description of Jackiw-Teitelboim (JT) gravity coupled to a single scalar field in the bulk. This particular example takes the form of a double-scaled ETH matrix model with non-Gaussian couplings matching disk correlators and the density of states of the gravitational theory. Having defined the model from the disk data, we present evidence that the model correctly captures the JT+matter theory with multiple boundaries and, conjecturally, at higher genus. This is a shorter companion paper to the work [D. L. Jafferis et al., companion paper, Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity with matter, generalized eigenstate thermalization hypothesis, and random matrices, Phys. Rev. D 108, 066015 (2023).PRVDAQ2470-001010.1103/PhysRevD.108.066015], serving as a guide to the much more extensive material presented there, as well as developing its underpinning in statistical physics.
Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.