arXiv subjects

Nicolò Petri

Publications and source records attributed to Nicolò Petri.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

N=(0,4) Black String Chains

We construct black string solutions in Type IIA supergravity arising from intersecting D2-D4-D6-NS5 branes in the presence of fractional D4-branes. The fractional D4-branes arise from D6-branes wrapping (collapsing) two-cycles in a Calabi--Yau two-fold. In the near horizon limit these solutions give rise to AdS$_3$ geometries preserving $\mathcal{N}=(0,4)$ supersymmetry and fall within the recent classification of \cite{Lozano:2019emq}. We interpret our solutions as describing chains of black strings stacked on top of each other along an interval. We construct 2d quiver CFTs dual to our solutions that reproduce the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy microscopically.

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arXiv2022

New results in AdS/CFT in low dimensions from massive Type IIA

We review recent developments in the study of the AdS/CFT correspondence in low dimensions, focusing on the construction of AdS$_3$/CFT$_2$ and AdS$_2$/CFT$_1$ dual pairs in massive Type IIA string theory. We start discussing the $\text{AdS}_3\times S^2\times \text{CY}_2\times I$ solutions to massive IIA supergravity with $\mathcal{N}=(0,4)$ supersymmetry constructed in 1908.09851. We review the 2d CFTs dual to these solutions, together with their defect interpretation as surface defects within 5d fixed point theories living in D4-D8 bound states. Next, we discuss the $\text{AdS}_2\times S^3\times \text{CY}_2\times I$ solutions with $\mathcal{N}=4$ supersymmetry constructed in 2011.13932. We discuss the superconformal quantum mechanics dual to these solutions, that we interpret in terms of line defects realised as D0-D4 baryon vertices in 5d Sp(N) fixed point theories. We review a particular example in this class of solutions, constructed through non-Abelian T-duality with respect to a non-compact isometry group, and discuss the possible embedding of a 3d black hole geometry constructed long ago via non-Abelian T-duality within this solution.

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arXiv2021

New AdS$_2$ supergravity duals of 4d SCFTs with defects

We construct new families of $\text{AdS}_2 \times S^2 \times S^2$ solutions with 4 supercharges in Type II supergravities. We show that subclasses of these solutions can be interpreted in terms of defect branes embedded in 4d $\mathcal{N} = 4 $ SYM, or orbifolds thereof. This is explicitly realised by showing that the solutions asymptote locally to $\text{AdS}_5 \times S^5/\mathbb{Z}_n$, in Type IIB, or its T-dual background, in Type IIA. The latter is a Gaiotto-Maldacena geometry realised on an intersection of D4 and NS5 branes. We extend the Type IIA solutions to include D6 branes, and interpret them as describing backreacted baryon vertices within 4d $\mathcal{N} = 2$ CFTs living in D4-NS5-D6 intersections. We propose explicit quiver quantum mechanics in which the defect branes play the role of colour branes, with the D4 branes of the D4-NS5-D6 intersection becoming flavour branes. These quivers are used to compute the degeneracies of the ground states of the dual super conformal quantum mechanics, that are shown to agree with the holographic expressions.

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arXiv2020

New $\mathcal{N}=(0,4)$ AdS$_3$ near-horizons in Type IIB

We construct new families of $\mathcal{N}=(0,4)$ $\mathrm{AdS}_3\times S^2 \times \tilde S^2 \times S^1$ backgrounds fibred over a 2d Riemann surface in Type IIB string theory. These solutions are obtained by extracting the near-horizon limit of D3-brane box configurations, consisting on D3-D5-NS5 branes ending on D5'-NS5' background branes. We relate our families of solutions to previous $\mathrm{AdS}_3\times S^2 \times \text{CY}_2$ and $\mathrm{AdS}_3\times S^3 \times S^2$ solutions to Type IIA recently constructed in the literature. We construct explicit 2d quiver CFTs associated to the D3-brane box configurations, and check that the central charges match the holographic result. We extend our solutions to include D7-branes, and show that a subclass of these solutions can be interpreted in terms of D3-D5-NS5 defect branes embedded in a 5d fixed point theory. This is explicitly realised by linking our solutions to a 6d domain wall that asymptotes locally the $\mathrm{AdS}_6\times S^2 \times Σ_2$ solution T-dual to the Brandhuber-Oz vacuum.

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arXiv2020

AdS$_3$ from M-branes at conical singularities

M-theory is known to possess supersymmetric solutions where the geometry is $\mathrm{AdS}_3\times S^3\times S^3$ warped over a Riemann surface $Σ_{2}$. The simplest examples in this class can be engineered by placing M2 and M5 branes as defects inside of a stack of background M5 branes. In this paper we show that a generalization of this construction yields more general solutions in the aforementioned class. The background branes are now M5's carrying M2 brane charge, while the defect branes are now placed at the origin of a flat hyperplane with a conical defect. The equations of motion imply a relation between the deficit angle produced by the conical defect and the M2 charge carried by the background branes.

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arXiv2020

Supersymmetric Dyonic Strings in 6-Dimensions from 3-Dimensions

It was shown in arXiv:1410.7168 that compactifying $D=6$, $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ ungauged supergravity coupled to a single tensor multiplet on S$^3$ one gets a particular $D=3$, $\mathcal{N}=4$ gauged supergravity which is a consistent reduction. We construct two supersymmetric black string solutions in this 3-dimensional model with one and two active scalars respectively. Uplifting the first, one gets a dyonic string solution in $D=6$ that has been known for a long time. Whereas, uplifting the second solution, one finds a very interesting configuration where magnetic strings are located uniformly on a circle in a plane within the 4-dimensional flat transverse space and electric strings are distributed homogeneously inside this circle. Both solutions have $\mathrm{AdS}_3 \times$ S$^3$ limits.

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arXiv2020

Nothing really matters

We study non-perturbative instabilities of AdS spacetime in General Relativity with a cosmological constant in arbitrary dimensions. In this simple setup we explicitly construct a class of gravitational instantons generalizing Witten's bubble of nothing. We calculate the corresponding Euclidean action and show that its change is finite. The expansion of these bubbles is described by a lower-dimensional de Sitter geometry within a non-compact foliation of the background spacetime. Moreover we discuss the existence of covariantly constant spinors as a possible topological obstruction for such decays to occur. This mechanism is further connected to the stability of supersymmetric vacua in string theory.

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arXiv2020

Holographic Description of M-branes via AdS$_2$

We study $\textrm{AdS}_2\times S^4 \times S^2 \times Σ_2$ solutions in type IIB string theory arising from D1 -- D3 -- NS5 brane intersections. These backgrounds enjoy sixteen supercharges and the corresponding internal geometry is non-compact due to the specific form of the warping w.r.t. the Riemann surface $Σ_2$. Even though a direct computation of the holographic free energy of the would-be dual CFT$_1$ yields a divergent behaviour, it reveals the typical $N^3$ scaling of a 6d theory upon introducing a hard cut-off. We claim that such geometries may be interpreted as the gravity duals of M(atrix) models describing an IR phase of the $(2,0)$ theory of M5 branes, in presence of momentum and NUT charges. We discuss parallel $\textrm{AdS}_2$ geometries describing longitudinal M2 branes in the UV, where the counting of the number of degrees of freedom correctly reproduces the expected $N^{3/2}$ behaviour of the dual field theory. These geometries provide explicit examples where deconstructed extra dimensions yield well-defined UV descriptions in terms of higher-dimensional CFTs.

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arXiv2019

AdS$_3$ solutions with exceptional supersymmetry

Among the possible superalgebras that contain the AdS$_3$ isometries, two interesting possibilities are the exceptional $F(4)$ and $G(3)$. Their R-symmetry is respectively SO(7) and $G_2$, and the amount of supersymmetry ${\cal N}=8$ and ${\cal N}=7$. We find that there exist two (locally) unique solutions in type IIA supergravity that realize these superalgebras, and we provide their analytic expressions. In both cases, the internal space is obtained by a round six-sphere fibred over an interval, with an O8-plane at one end. The R-symmetry is the symmetry group of the sphere; in the $G(3)$ case, it is broken to $G_2$ by fluxes. We also find several numerical ${\cal N}=1$ solutions with $G_2$ flavor symmetry, with various localized sources, including O2-planes and O8-planes.

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arXiv2019

$\textbf{AdS}_3$ vacua and surface defects in massive IIA

We summarize the results and the ideas in 1707.06152, 1707.06154, 1807.07768 where new warped $\mathrm{AdS}_3$ backgrounds are derived in massive IIA string theory by uplifting exact solutions in $\mathcal N=1$, $d=7$ and $\mathcal N=(1,1)$, $d=6$ gauged supergravities. These solutions are respectively asymptotically $\mathrm{AdS}_7$ and $\mathrm{AdS}_6$ and they are related to the D2-D4-NS5-D6-D8 brane intersection. We provide a particular supergravity solution in 10d describing this bound state and we discuss the relations between its near-horizon geometry and the uplifts from 6d and 7d. Then we give the holographic interpretation of these $\mathrm{AdS}_3$ warped backgrounds in terms of $\mathcal N=(0,4)$ defect $\mathrm{SCFT}_2$ within the $\mathcal N=(1,0)$ $\mathrm{SCFT}_6$ and the $\mathcal N=2$ $\mathrm{SCFT}_5$.

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arXiv2018

AdS$_{\textbf{2}}$ solutions and their massive IIA origin

We consider warped $\mathrm{AdS}_2\times \mathcal M_4$ backgrounds within $F(4)$ gauged supergravity in six dimensions. In particular, we are able to find supersymmetric solutions of the aforementioned type characterized by $\textrm{AdS}_{6}$ asymptotics and an $\mathcal M_4$ given by a three-sphere warped over a segment. Subsequently, we provide the 10D uplift of the solutions to massive type IIA supergravity, where the geometry is $\mathrm{AdS}_2\times S^{3}\times\tilde{S}^3$ warped over a strip. Finally we construct the brane intersection underlying one of these supergravity backgrounds. The explicit setup involves a D0-F1-D4 bound state intersecting a D4-D8 system.

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arXiv2018

6d surface defects from massive type IIA

We present a new BPS flow within minimal $\mathcal{N}=1$ supergravity in seven dimensions describing a warped $\textrm{AdS}_{3}$ background supported by a "dyonic" profile of the three-form. Furthermore, we discuss the holographic interpretation of the above solution in terms of a defect $\textrm{SCFT}_{2}$ inside the 6d $(1,0)$ theory dual to the AdS in the asymptotic region. Finally we provide the brane picture of the aforementioned defect CFT as D2- and wrapped D4-branes ending on a D6 - NS5 - D8 funnel in massive type IIA string theory.

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arXiv2018

Surface defects in the D4 $-$ D8 brane system

A new class of exact supersymmetric solutions is derived within minimal $d = 6$ $F(4)$ gauged supergravity. These flows are all characterized by a non-trivial radial profile for the 2-form gauge potential included into the supergravity multiplet. In particular three solutions within this class are featured by an $\mathrm{AdS}_3$ foliation of the 6d background and by an $\mathrm{AdS}_6$ asymptotic geometry. Secondly, considering the simplest example of these, we give its massive IIA uplift describing a warped solution of the type $\mathrm{AdS}_3\times S^2\times S^3$ fibered over two intervals $I_r \times I_ξ$ . We interpret this background as the near-horizon of a D4 $-$ D8 system on which a bound state D2 $-$ NS5 $-$ D6 ends producing a surface defect. Finally we discuss its holographic dual interpretation in terms of a $\mathcal{N} = (0, 4)$ SCFT$_2$ defect theory within the $\mathcal{N} = 2$ SCFT$_5$ dual to the $\mathrm{AdS}_6\times S^4$ massive IIA warped vacuum.

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arXiv2018

Supersymmetric objects in gauged supergravities

This thesis is focused on supersymmetric objects in gauged supergravities and their interpretation in string theory. Three particular theories are considered and analyzed: matter-coupled $d=4, 5$ abelian gauged supergravities with 8 supercharges and minimal $d=7$ gauged supergravity with 16 supercharges. Respectively in the $d=4$ and $d=5$ cases, the BPS first-order flows of static extremal black holes and black strings are studied using the Hamilton-Jacobi formalism. The attractor mechanism is formulated for the case of couplings to hypermultiplets and two exact BPS black hole solutions are derived in $d=4$ from the first-order equations obtained with the Hamilton-Jacobi approach. One of these black holes manifests an $\mathrm{AdS}_4$ asymptotics which has not yet a clear explanation in string theory. Within the minimal $d=7$ theory, a class of asymptotically $\mathrm{AdS}_7$ BPS solutions involving a non-trivial profile for a 3-form gauge potential is derived and analyzed in relation to the embedding in M-theory and massive IIA string theory. The holographic interpretation of a particular asymptotically $\mathrm{AdS}_7$ solution characterized by an $\mathrm{AdS}_3$ slicing of the 7-dimensional background is formulated in terms of a conformal defect $\mathcal{N}=(4,0)$ $\mathrm{SCFT}_2$ within the $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ $\mathrm{SCFT}_6$ dual to the $\mathrm{AdS}_7$.

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arXiv2017

BPS objects in D=7 supergravity and their M-theory origin

We study several different types of BPS flows within minimal $\mathcal{N}=1$, $D=7$ supergravity with $\textrm{SU}(2)$ gauge group and non-vanishing topological mass. After reviewing some known domain wall solutions involving only the metric and the $\mathbb{R}^{+}$ scalar field, we move to considering more general flows involving a "dyonic" profile for the 3-form gauge potential. In this context, we consider flows featuring a $\textrm{Mkw}_{3}$ as well as an $\textrm{AdS}_{3}$ slicing, write down the corresponding flow equations, and integrate them analytically to obtain many examples of asymptotically $\mathrm{AdS}_7$ solutions in presence of a running 3-form. Furthermore, we move to adding the possibility of non-vanishing vector fields, find the new corresponding flows and integrate them numerically. Finally, we discuss the eleven-dimensional interpretation of the aforementioned solutions as effective descriptions of $\mathrm{M2}-\mathrm{M5}$ bound states.

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arXiv2017

Nonlinear symmetries of black hole entropy in gauged supergravity

Freudenthal duality in N=2, D=4 ungauged supergravity is generated by an anti-involutive operator that acts on the electromagnetic fluxes, and results to be a symmetry of the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy. We show that, with a suitable extension, this duality can be generalized to the abelian gauged case as well, even in presence of hypermultiplets. By defining Freudenthal duality along the scalar flow, one can prove that two configurations of charges and gaugings linked by the Freudenthal operator share the same set of values of the scalar fields at the black hole horizon. Consequently, Freudenthal duality is promoted to a nonlinear symmetry of the black hole entropy. We explicitly show this invariance for the model with prepotential $F=-i X^0 X^1$ and Fayet-Iliopoulos gauging.

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arXiv2017

Black string first order flow in N=2, d=5 abelian gauged supergravity

We derive both BPS and non-BPS first-order flow equations for magnetically charged black strings in five-dimensional N=2 abelian gauged supergravity, using the Hamilton-Jacobi formalism. This is first done for the coupling to vector multiplets only and U(1) Fayet-Iliopoulos (FI) gauging, and then generalized to the case where also hypermultiplets are present, and abelian symmetries of the quaternionic hyperscalar target space are gauged. We then use these results to derive the attractor equations for near-horizon geometries of extremal black strings, and solve them explicitely for the case where the constants appearing in the Chern-Simons term of the supergravity action satisfy an adjoint identity. This allows to compute in generality the central charge of the two-dimensional conformal field theory that describes the black strings in the infrared, in terms of the magnetic charges, the CY intersection numbers and the FI constants. Finally, we extend the r-map to gauged supergravity and use it to relate our flow equations to those in four dimensions.

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arXiv2016

Symplectically invariant flow equations for N=2, D=4 gauged supergravity with hypermultiplets

We consider N=2 supergravity in four dimensions, coupled to an arbitrary number of vector- and hypermultiplets, where abelian isometries of the quaternionic hyperscalar target manifold are gauged. Using a static and spherically or hyperbolically symmetric ansatz for the fields, a one-dimensional effective action is derived whose variation yields all the equations of motion. By imposing a sort of Dirac charge quantization condition, one can express the complete scalar potential in terms of a superpotential and write the action as a sum of squares. This leads to first-order flow equations, that imply the second-order equations of motion. The first-order flow turns out to be driven by Hamilton's characteristic function in the Hamilton-Jacobi formalism, and contains among other contributions the superpotential of the scalars. We then include also magnetic gaugings and generalize the flow equations to a symplectically covariant form. Moreover, by rotating the charges in an appropriate way, an alternative set of non-BPS first-order equations is obtained that corresponds to a different squaring of the action. Finally, we use our results to derive the attractor equations for near-horizon geometries of extremal black holes.

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