The fluid/gravity correspondence: A new perspective on the membrane paradigm

Abstract

This paper gives an overview of the recently-formulated fluid/gravity correspondence, which was developed in the context of gauge/gravity duality. Mathematically, it posits that Einstein's equations (with negative cosmological constant) in d + 1 dimensions capture the (generalized) Navier-Stokes equations in d dimensions. Given an arbitrary fluid dynamical solution, we can systematically construct a corresponding asymptotically AdS black hole spacetime with a regular horizon whose properties mimic that of the fluid flow. Apart from an overview of this construction, we describe some of its applications and implications. © 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd.