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We study string theory duals of the expanding boost invariant conformal gauge theory plasmas at strong coupling. The dual supergravity background is constructed as an asymptotic late-time expansion, corresponding to equilibration of the gauge theory plasma. The absence of curvature singularities in the first few orders of the late-time expansion of the dual gravitational background unambiguously determines the equilibrium equation of the state, and the shear viscosity of the gauge theory plasma. While the absence of the leading pole singularities in the gravitational curvature invariants at the third order in late-time expansion determines the relaxation time of the plasma, the subleading logarithmic singularity can not be canceled within a supergravity approximation. We comment on the possible interpretations of this singularity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that the exisiting supergravity theories in ten dimensions can be extended with extra gauge fields whose rank is equal to the spacetime dimension. These gauge fields have vanishing field strength but nevertheless play an important role in the coupling of supergravity to spacetime filling branes. We discuss the role of these gauge fields in the construction of string theories with sixteen supercharges and mention their relation with a conjectured hyperbolic symmetry underlying string theory and M theory. © 2006 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]