Fate of Bouncing Singularities at Finite $G_N$

Abstract: The gravity approximation to a thermal two-point function can develop a complex-time singularity associated with a trajectory that reaches the black-hole singularity. We show that the corresponding singularity is absent at finite $G_N$. This is done by extending Conformal Field Theory analyticity properties to the second sheet (and to the universal cover). We also put two different upper bounds on the amplitude of the correlator at the would-be singularity, by certain finite partial sums, and by a certain partition function on a manifold with nontrivial topology, where two thermal geometries are glued. We discuss the possible implications for the black hole singularity.