Generalized Supersymmetries and Composite Structure in M-Theory

We describe generalized D=11 Poincar\'{e} and conformal supersymmetries. The corresponding generalization of twistor and supertwistor framework is outlined with $OSp(1|64)$ superspinors describing BPS preons. The $\frac{k}{32}$ BPS states as composed out of $n=32 - k$ preons are introduced, and basic ideas concerning BPS preon dynamics is presented. The lecture is based on results obtained by J.A. de Azcarraga, I. Bandos, J.M. Izquierdo and the author$^1$.Comment: LaTeX, 7pages. Talk presented at the XVI-th Max Born Symposium ,,Supersymmetries and Quantum Symmetries `01" (21-25.09.2001, Karpacz, Poland) and International Nankai Symposium (8-11.10.2001, Tianjin, China). To be published in the Proceedings of Nankai Symposium, Ed. Ge Mo-Lin and J. Park, Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Two-Component Dust in Spherically Symmetric Motion

Two components of spherically symmetric, inhomogeneous dust penetrating each other are introduced as a generalization of the well-known Tolman-Bondi dust solution. The field equations of this model are formulated and general properties are discussed. inhomogeneous Special solutions with additional symmetries - an extra Killing- or homothetic vector - and their matching to the corresponding Tolman-Bondi solution are investigated.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Class. Quantum Gra

Stringy Probe Particle and Force Balance

We directly derive the classical equation of motion, which governs the centre of mass of a test string, from the string action. In a certain case, the equation is basically same as one derived by Papapetrou, Dixon and Wald for a test extended body. We also discuss the force balance using a stringy probe particle for an exact spinning multi-soliton solution of Einstein-Maxwell-Dilaton-Axion theory. It is well known that the force balance condition yields the saturation of the Bogomol'nyi type bound in the lowest order. In the present formulation the gyromagnetic ratio of the stringy probe particle is automatically determined to be $g=2$ which is the same value as the background soliton. As a result we can confirm the force balance via the gravitational spin-spin interaction.Comment: 8 pages, references added, comments added, Phys. Rev. D accepte

3D heterotic string theory: new approach and extremal solutions

We develop a new formalism for the bosonic sector of low-energy heterotic string theory toroidally compactified to three dimensions. This formalism is based on the use of some single non-quadratic real matrix potential which transforms linearly under the action of subgroup of the three-dimensional charging symmetries. We formulate a new charging symmetry invariant approach for the symmetry generation and straightforward construction of asymptotically flat solutions. Finally, using the developed approach and the established formal analogy between the heterotic and Einstein-Maxwell theories, we construct a general class of the heterotic string theory extremal solutions of the Israel-Wilson-Perjes type. This class is asymptotically flat and charging symmetry complete; it includes the extremal solutions constructed before and possesses the non-trivial bosonic string theory limit.Comment: 20 pages in Late

Rotating Black Holes which Saturate a Bogomol'nyi Bound

We construct and study the electrically charged, rotating black hole solution in heterotic string theory compactified on a $(10-D)$ dimensional torus. This black hole is characterized by its mass, angular momentum, and a $(36-2D)$ dimensional electric charge vector. One of the novel features of this solution is that for $D >5$, its extremal limit saturates the Bogomol'nyi bound. This is in contrast with the $D=4$ case where the rotating black hole solution develops a naked singularity before the Bogomol'nyi bound is reached. The extremal black holes can be superposed, and by taking a periodic array in $D>5$, one obtains effectively four dimensional solutions without naked singularities.Comment: 13 pages, no figure

Balanced electric-magnetic dihole in Kaluza-Klein theory

We present a four-dimensional double-black-hole (or dihole) solution in Kaluza-Klein theory, describing a superposition of an electrically charged and a magnetically charged black hole. This system can be balanced for appropriately chosen parameters, and the resulting space-time is completely regular on and outside the event horizons. This solution was constructed using the inverse-scattering method in five-dimensional vacuum gravity, in which it describes a rotating black ring surrounding a static black hole on a Taub-NUT background space. Various properties of this solution are studied, from both a four- and five-dimensional perspective.Comment: 33 pages, 6 figures; v2: expanded discussion of phase space, published versio

All the timelike supersymmetric solutions of all ungauged d=4 supergravities

We determine the form of all timelike supersymmetric solutions of all N greater or equal than 2, d=4 ungauged supergravities, for N less or equal than 4 coupled to vector supermultiplets, using the $Usp(n+1,n+1)-symmetric formulation of Andrianopoli, D'Auria and Ferrara and the spinor-bilinears method, while preserving the global symmetries of the theories all the way. As previously conjectured in the literature, the supersymmetric solutions are always associated to a truncation to an N=2 theory that may include hypermultiplets, although fields which are eliminated in the truncations can have non-trivial values, as is required by the preservation of the global symmetry of the theories. The solutions are determined by a number of independent functions, harmonic in transverse space, which is twice the number of vector fields of the theory (n+1). The transverse space is flat if an only if the would-be hyperscalars of the associated N=2 truncation are trivial.Comment: v3: Some changes in the introduction. Version to be published in JHE

Stationary Black Holes: Uniqueness and Beyond

The spectrum of known black-hole solutions to the stationary Einstein equations has been steadily increasing, sometimes in unexpected ways. In particular, it has turned out that not all black-hole-equilibrium configurations are characterized by their mass, angular momentum and global charges. Moreover, the high degree of symmetry displayed by vacuum and electro-vacuum black-hole spacetimes ceases to exist in self-gravitating non-linear field theories. This text aims to review some developments in the subject and to discuss them in light of the uniqueness theorem for the Einstein-Maxwell system.Comment: Major update of the original version by Markus Heusler from 1998. Piotr T. Chru\'sciel and Jo\~ao Lopes Costa succeeded to this review's authorship. Significantly restructured and updated all sections; changes are too numerous to be usefully described here. The number of references increased from 186 to 32