We carry out in full generality and without fixing specific boundary conditions, the symmetry and charge analysis near a generic null surface for two and three dimensional (2d and 3d) gravity theories. In 2d and 3d there are respectively two and three charges which are generic functions over the codimension one null surface. The integrability of charges and their algebra depend on the state-dependence of symmetry generators which is a priori not specified. We establish the existence of infinitely many choices that render the surface charges integrable. We show that there is a choice, the “fundamental basis”, where the null boundary symmetry algebra is the Heisenberg⊕Diff(d − 2) algebra. We expect this result to be true for d > 3 when there is no Bondi news through the null surface.

We explore the spacetime structure near non-extremal horizons in any spacetime dimension greater than two and discover a wealth of novel results: 1. Different boundary conditions are specified by a functional of the dynamical variables, describing inequivalent interactions at the horizon with a thermal bath. 2. The near horizon algebra of a set of boundary conditions, labeled by a parameter s, is given by the semi-direct sum of diffeomorphisms at the horizon with "spin-s supertranslations". For s = 1 we obtain the first explicit near horizon realization of the Bondi-Metzner-Sachs algebra. 3. For another choice, we find a non-linear extension of the Heisenberg algebra, generalizing recent results in three spacetime dimensions. This algebra allows to recover the aforementioned (linear) ones as composites. 4. These examples allow to equip not only black holes, but also cosmological horizons with soft hair. We also discuss implications of soft hair for black hole thermodynamics and entropy.

We address the questions of conservation and integrability of the charges in two and three-dimensional gravity theories at infinity. The analysis is performed in a framework that allows us to treat simultaneously asymptotically locally AdS and asymptotically locally flat spacetimes. In two dimensions, we start from a general class of models that includes JT and CGHS dilaton gravity theories, while in three dimensions, we work in Einstein gravity. In both cases, we construct the phase space and renormalize the divergences arising in the symplectic structure through a holographic renormalization procedure. We show that the charge expressions are generically finite, not conserved but can be made integrable by a field-dependent redefinition of the asymptotic symmetry parameters.

Expanding around null hypersurfaces, such as generic Kerr black hole horizons, using co-rotating Kruskal-Israel-like coordinates we study the associated surface charges, their symmetries and the corresponding phase space within Einstein gravity. Our surface charges are not integrable in general. Their integrable part generates an algebra including superrotations and a BMS 3 -type algebra that we dub "T-Witt algebra". The non-integrable part accounts for the flux passing through the null hypersurface. We put our results in the context of earlier constructions of near horizon symmetries, soft hair and of the program to semi-classically identify Kerr black hole microstates.

We construct the boundary phase space in D-dimensional Einstein gravity with a generic given co-dimension one null surface $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N as the boundary. The associated boundary symmetry algebra is a semi-direct sum of diffeomorphisms of $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N and Weyl rescalings. It is generated by D towers of surface charges that are generic functions over $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N . These surface charges can be rendered integrable for appropriate slicings of the phase space, provided there is no graviton flux through $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N . In one particular slicing of this type, the charge algebra is the direct sum of the Heisenberg algebra and diffeomorphisms of the transverse space, $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N v for any fixed value of the advanced time v. Finally, we introduce null surface expansion- and spin-memories, and discuss associated memory effects that encode the passage of gravitational waves through $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N , imprinted in a change of the surface charges.