Classifying pole-skipping points

Abstract We clarify general mathematical and physical properties of pole-skipping points. For this purpose, we analyse scalar and vector fields in hyperbolic space. This setup is chosen because it is simple enough to allow us to obtain analytical expressions for the Green’s function and check everything explicitly, while it contains all the essential features of pole-skipping points. We classify pole-skipping points in three types (type-I, II, III). Type-I and Type-II are distinguished by the (limiting) behavior of the Green’s function near the pole-skipping points. Type-III can arise at non-integer iω values, which is due to a specific UV condition, contrary to the types I and II, which are related to a non-unique near horizon boundary condition. We also clarify the relation between the pole-skipping structure of the Green’s function and the near horizon analysis. We point out that there are subtle cases where the near horizon analysis alone may not be able to capture the existence and properties of the pole-skipping points.