Large rotating AdS black holes from fluid mechanics

We use the AdS/CFT correspondence to argue that large rotating black holes in global AdS(D) spaces are dual to stationary solutions of the relativistic Navier-Stokes equations on S**(D-2). Reading off the equation of state of this fluid from the thermodynamics of non-rotating black holes, we proceed to construct the nonlinear spinning solutions of fluid mechanics that are dual to rotating black holes. In all known examples, the thermodynamics and the local stress tensor of our solutions are in precise agreement with the thermodynamics and boundary stress tensor of the spinning black holes. Our fluid dynamical description applies to large non-extremal black holes as well as a class of large non-supersymmetric extremal black holes, but is never valid for supersymmetric black holes. Our results yield predictions for the thermodynamics of all large black holes in all theories of gravity on AdS spaces, for example, string theory on AdS(5) x S**5 and M theory on AdS(4) x S**7 and AdS(7) x S**4.Comment: 62 pages, 1 figure. v2: references, typo

Supersymmetric states of N = 4 Yang-Mills from giant gravitons

Mikhailov has constructed an infinite family of (1/8) BPS D3-branes in AdS5 × S5. We regulate Mikhailov's solution space by focussing on finite dimensional submanifolds. Our submanifolds are topologically complex projective spaces with symplectic form cohomologically equal to 2π N times the Fubini-Study Kahler class. Upon quantization and removing the regulator we find the Hilbert Space of N noninteracting Bose particles in a 3d Harmonic oscillator, a result previously conjectured by Beasley. This Hilbert Space is isomorphic to the classical chiral ring of (1/8) BPS states in N = 4 Yang-Mills theory. We view our result as evidence that the spectrum of (1/8) BPS states in N = 4 Yang Mills theory, which is known to jump discontinuously from zero to infinitesimal coupling, receives no further renormalization at finite values of the 't Hooft coupling

Two Alternating Motor Programs Drive Navigation in Drosophila Larva

When placed on a temperature gradient, a Drosophila larva navigates away from excessive cold or heat by regulating the size, frequency, and direction of reorientation maneuvers between successive periods of forward movement. Forward movement is driven by peristalsis waves that travel from tail to head. During each reorientation maneuver, the larva pauses and sweeps its head from side to side until it picks a new direction for forward movement. Here, we characterized the motor programs that underlie the initiation, execution, and completion of reorientation maneuvers by measuring body segment dynamics of freely moving larvae with fluorescent muscle fibers as they were exposed to temporal changes in temperature. We find that reorientation maneuvers are characterized by highly stereotyped spatiotemporal patterns of segment dynamics. Reorientation maneuvers are initiated with head sweeping movement driven by asymmetric contraction of a portion of anterior body segments. The larva attains a new direction for forward movement after head sweeping movement by using peristalsis waves that gradually push posterior body segments out of alignment with the tail (i.e., the previous direction of forward movement) into alignment with the head. Thus, reorientation maneuvers during thermotaxis are carried out by two alternating motor programs: (1) peristalsis for driving forward movement and (2) asymmetric contraction of anterior body segments for driving head sweeping movement

Plasmarings as dual black rings

We construct solutions to the relativistic Navier-Stokes equations that describe the long wavelength collective dynamics of the deconfined plasma phase of N=4 Yang Mills theory compactified down to d=3 on a Scherk-Schwarz circle and higher dimensional generalisations. Our solutions are stationary, axially symmetric spinning balls and rings of plasma. These solutions, which are dual to (yet to be constructed) rotating black holes and black rings in Scherk-Schwarz compactified AdS(5) and AdS(6), and have properties that are qualitatively similar to those of black holes and black rings in flat five dimensional supergravity.Comment: 40 pages, 40 figures. (v2) Correction to black brane equation of state, additional reference

Lumps of plasma in arbitrary dimensions

We use the AdS/CFT correspondence in a regime in which the field theory reduces to fluid dynamics to construct an infinite class of new black objects in Scherk-Schwarz compactified AdS(d+2) space. Our configurations are dual to black objects that generalize black rings and have horizon topology S^(d-n) x T^n, for n less than or equal to (d-1)/2. Locally our fluid configurations are plasma sheets that curve around into tori whose radii are large compared to the thickness of the sheets (the ratio of these radii constitutes a small parameter that permits the perturbative construction of these configurations). These toroidal configurations are stabilized by angular momentum. We study solutions whose dual horizon topologies are S^3 x S^1, S^4 x S^1 and S^3 x T^2 in detail; in particular we investigate the thermodynamic properties of these objects. We also present a formal general construction of the most general stationary configuration of fluids with boundaries that solve the d-dimensional relativistic Navier-Stokes equation.Comment: 32 pages, 10 figures; v2: Some figures are modified and a few references added