Note on New Massive Gravity in AdS3AdS_3

In this note we study the properties of linearized gravitational excitations in the new massive gravity theory in asymptotically $AdS_3$ spacetime and find that there is also a critical point for the mass parameter at which massive gravitons become massless as in topological massive gravity in $AdS_3$. However, at this critical point in the new massive gravity the energy of all branches of highest weight gravitons vanish and the central charges also vanish within the Brown-Henneaux boundary conditions. The new massive gravity in asymptotically $AdS_3$ spacetime seems to be trivial at this critical point under the Brown-Henneaux boundary conditions if the Brown-Henneaux boundary conditions can be consistent with this theory. At this point, the boundary conditions of log gravity may be preferred.Comment: v3 typos corrected, refs added, version to appear in JHE

Chiral Gravity in Three Dimensions

Three dimensional Einstein gravity with negative cosmological constant -1/\ell^2 deformed by a gravitational Chern-Simons action with coefficient 1/\mu is studied in an asymptotically AdS_3 spacetime. It is argued to violate unitary or positivity for generic \mu due to negative-energy massive gravitons. However at the critical value \mu\ell=1, the massive gravitons disappear and BTZ black holes all have mass and angular momentum related by \ell M=J. The corresponding chiral quantum theory of gravity is conjectured to exist and be dual to a purely right-moving boundary CFT with central charges (c_L,c_R)=(0,3\ell /G).Comment: 21 pages, published version, typos corrected, more reference adde

The Higher Spin/Vector Model Duality

This paper is mainly a review of the dualities between Vasiliev's higher spin gauge theories in AdS4 and three dimensional large N vector models, with focus on the holographic calculation of correlation functions of higher spin currents. We also present some new results in the computation of parity odd structures in the three point functions in parity violating Vasiliev theories.Comment: 55 pages, 1 figure. Contribution to J. Phys. A special volume on "Higher Spin Theories and AdS/CFT" edited by M. R. Gaberdiel and M. Vasiliev. v2: references adde

Extremal single-charge small black holes: Entropy function analysis

We study stretched horizons of the type AdS_2 x S^8 for certain spherically symmetric extremal small black holes in type IIA carrying only D0-brane charge making use of Sen's entropy function formalism for higher derivative gravity. A scaling argument is given to show that the entropy of this class of black holes for large charge behaves as \sqrt{|q|} where q is the electric charge. The leading order result arises from IIA string loop corrections. We find that for solutions to exist the force on a probe D0-brane has to vanish and we prove that this feature persists to all higher derivative orders. We comment on the nature of the extremum of these solutions and on the sub-leading corrections to the entropy. The entropy of other small black holes related by dualities to our case is also discussed.Comment: 19 pages, v2:typos corrected and references adde

Matrix Model and Time-like Linear Dilaton Matter

We consider a matrix model description of the 2d string theory whose matter part is given by a time-like linear dilaton CFT. This is equivalent to the c=1 matrix model with a deformed, but very simple fermi surface. Indeed, after a Lorentz transformation, the corresponding 2d spacetime is a conventional linear dilaton background with a time-dependent tachyon field. We show that the tree level scattering amplitudes in the matrix model perfectly agree with those computed in the world-sheet theory. The classical trajectories of fermions correspond to the decaying D-branes in the time-like linear dilaton CFT. We also discuss the ground ring structure. Furthermore, we study the properties of the time-like Liouville theory by applying this matrix model description. We find that its ground ring structure is very similar to that of the minimal string.Comment: 30 pages, harvmac, typos corrected, acknowledgements and comments added(v2), published version (v3

Gravity duals for logarithmic conformal field theories

Logarithmic conformal field theories with vanishing central charge describe systems with quenched disorder, percolation or dilute self-avoiding polymers. In these theories the energy momentum tensor acquires a logarithmic partner. In this talk we address the construction of possible gravity duals for these logarithmic conformal field theories and present two viable candidates for such duals, namely theories of massive gravity in three dimensions at a chiral point.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure, invited plenary talk at the First Mediterranean Conference on Classical and Quantum Gravity, v2: published version, corrected typo in left eq. (5

Black Holes as Effective Geometries

Gravitational entropy arises in string theory via coarse graining over an underlying space of microstates. In this review we would like to address the question of how the classical black hole geometry itself arises as an effective or approximate description of a pure state, in a closed string theory, which semiclassical observers are unable to distinguish from the "naive" geometry. In cases with enough supersymmetry it has been possible to explicitly construct these microstates in spacetime, and understand how coarse-graining of non-singular, horizon-free objects can lead to an effective description as an extremal black hole. We discuss how these results arise for examples in Type II string theory on AdS_5 x S^5 and on AdS_3 x S^3 x T^4 that preserve 16 and 8 supercharges respectively. For such a picture of black holes as effective geometries to extend to cases with finite horizon area the scale of quantum effects in gravity would have to extend well beyond the vicinity of the singularities in the effective theory. By studying examples in M-theory on AdS_3 x S^2 x CY that preserve 4 supersymmetries we show how this can happen.Comment: Review based on lectures of JdB at CERN RTN Winter School and of VB at PIMS Summer School. 68 pages. Added reference

Lectures on on Black Holes, Topological Strings and Quantum Attractors (2.0)

In these lecture notes, we review some recent developments on the relation between the macroscopic entropy of four-dimensional BPS black holes and the microscopic counting of states, beyond the thermodynamical, large charge limit. After a brief overview of charged black holes in supergravity and string theory, we give an extensive introduction to special and very special geometry, attractor flows and topological string theory, including holomorphic anomalies. We then expose the Ooguri-Strominger-Vafa (OSV) conjecture which relates microscopic degeneracies to the topological string amplitude, and review precision tests of this formula on ``small'' black holes. Finally, motivated by a holographic interpretation of the OSV conjecture, we give a systematic approach to the radial quantization of BPS black holes (i.e. quantum attractors). This suggests the existence of a one-parameter generalization of the topological string amplitude, and provides a general framework for constructing automorphic partition functions for black hole degeneracies in theories with sufficient degree of symmetry.Comment: 103 pages, 8 figures, 21 exercises, uses JHEP3.cls; v5: important upgrade, prepared for the proceedings of Frascati School on Attractor Mechanism; Sec 7 was largely rewritten to incorporate recent progress; more figures, more refs, and minor changes in abstract and introductio