AdS4 black holes from M-theory

We consider the BPS conditions of eleven dimensional supergravity, restricted to an appropriate ansatz for black holes in four non-compact directions. Assuming the internal directions to be described by a circle fibration over a K\"ahler manifold and considering the case where the complex structure moduli are frozen, we recast the resulting flow equations in terms of polyforms on this manifold. The result is a set of equations that are in direct correspondence with those of gauged supergravity models in four dimensions consistent with our simplifying assumptions. In view of this correspondence even for internal manifolds that do not correspond to known consistent truncations, we comment on the possibility of obtaining gauged supergravities from reductions on K\"ahler manifolds.Comment: 32 pages, v2: references addes, typos correcte

Parameter spaces of massive IIA solutions

We find a new class of N=2 massive IIA solutions whose internal spaces are S^2 fibrations over S^2 x S^2. These solutions appear naturally as massive deformations of the type IIA reduction of Sasaki-Einstein manifolds in M-theory, including Q^{1,1,1} and Y^{p,k}, and play a role in the AdS4/CFT3 correspondence. We use this example to initiate a systematic study of the parameter space of massive solutions with fluxes. We define and study the natural parameter space of the solutions, which is a certain dense subset of R^3, whose boundaries correspond to orbifold or conifold singularities. On a codimension-one subset of the parameter space, where the Romans mass vanishes, it is possible to perform a lift to M-theory; extending earlier work, we produce a family A^{p,q,r} of Sasaki-Einstein manifolds with cohomogeneity one and SU(2) x SU(2) x U(1) isometry. We also propose a Chern-Simons theory describing the duals of the massless and massive solutions.Comment: 35 pages, 5 figures; comments and references adde

Holography for (1,0) theories in six dimensions

M-theory and string theory predict the existence of many six-dimensional SCFTs. In particular, type IIA brane constructions involving NS5-, D6- and D8-branes conjecturally give rise to a very large class of N=(1,0) CFTs in six dimensions. We point out that these theories sit at the end of RG flows which start from six-dimensional theories which admit an M-theory construction as a M5 stack transverse to $R^4/Z_k \times R$. The flows are triggered by Higgs branch expectation values and correspond to D6's opening up into transverse D8-branes via a Nahm pole. We find a precise correspondence between these CFT's and the AdS$_7$ vacua found in a recent classification in type II theories. Such vacua involve massive IIA regions, and the internal manifold is topologically $S^3$. They are characterized by fluxes for the NS three-form and RR two-form, which can be thought of as the near-horizon version of the NS5's and D6's in the brane picture; the D8's, on the other hand, are still present in the AdS$_7$ solution, in the form of an arbitrary number of concentric shells wrapping round $S^2$'s.Comment: 32 pages, 11 figures. v2: extra citations, corrections to figures 2 and 1

Pure spinor equations to lift gauged supergravity

We rewrite the equations for ten-dimensional supersymmetry in a way formally identical to a necessary and sufficient G-structure system in N=2 gauged supergravity, where all four-dimensional quantities are replaced by combinations of pure spinors and fluxes in the internal space. This provides a way to look for lifts of BPS solutions without having to reduce or even rewrite the ten-dimensional action. In particular this avoids the problem of consistent truncation, and the introduction of unphysical gravitino multiplets.Comment: 61 page

Minimal flux Minkowski classification

We classify Minkowski$_4$ solutions in type IIA supergravity, with N=2 supersymmetry and an SU(2) R-symmetry of a certain type. Many subcases can be reduced to relatively simple PDEs, among which we recover various intersecting brane systems, and AdS$_d$ solutions, $d=5,6,7$, and in particular the recently found general massive AdS$_7$ solutions. Imposing compactness of the internal six-manifold we obtain promising solutions with localized D-branes and O-planes.Comment: v2: Result slightly strengthened, typos corrected. v3: Published Versio

Universal consistent truncation for 6d/7d gauge/gravity duals

Recently, AdS_7 solutions of IIA supergravity have been classified; there are infinitely many of them, whose expression is known analytically, and with internal space of S^3 topology. Their field theory duals are six-dimensional (1,0) SCFT's. In this paper we show that for each of these AdS_7 solutions there exists a consistent truncation from massive IIA supergravity to minimal gauged supergravity in seven dimensions. This theory has an SU(2) gauge group, and a single scalar, whose value is related to a certain distortion of the internal S^3. This explains the universality observed in recent work on AdS_5 and AdS_4 solutions dual to compactifications of the (1,0) SCFT_6's. Thanks to previous work on the minimal gauged supergravity, the truncation also implies the existence of holographic RG-flows connecting those solutions to the AdS_7 vacuum, as well as new classes of IIA AdS_3 solutions.Comment: 23 pages; v2: references added, minor changes, additions and correction

Timelike structures of ten-dimensional supersymmetry

In several contexts, supersymmetry can be reformulated in terms of calibrations, namely forms whose integrals measure minimal energies. It has been conjectured that this should be possible in general. For type II supergravity, we present a new system of equations which realizes this expectation. Besides the customary D-brane calibrations, it also includes NS5-brane and KK5-monopole calibrations. It is equivalent to supersymmetry under the assumption that the Killing vector associated to supersymmetry is timelike. No assumption is made on a factorization of spacetime. We also obtain a version of the system which is manifestly S-invariant and we present an application to near-horizon backgrounds. Using calibration, a definition of central charges in purely gravitational terms is given.Comment: 61 pages; v2: matches published version, comments adde