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We explore the non-relativistic string theory (NRST) limit of type II string theory and its action on gravitational solitons. As a start, we exhibit in detail that the NRST limit is T-dual to a discrete lightcone limit and can be viewed as a near-BPS limit. This also clarifies the nature of multi-string states of NRST and its connection to matrix string theory. We consider the NRST limit of the fundamental string soliton, confirming the recent finding that it corresponds to a relativistic near-horizon background, which we argue is the manifestation of a strong coupling phase of the NRST worldvolume theory. Furthermore, we consider the NRST limit of a class of D-branes as well as the NS5-brane. This reveals that they become gravitational solitons in NRST, as they are sourced torsional string Newton-Cartan (TSNC) geometries. Finally, for the NRST D-brane solitons we show that a further decoupling limit leads to new holographic correspondences between multicritical matrix theories and NRST in curved TSNC backgrounds., Comment: 26 pages

We realize an explicit conformal mapping between the state and operator pictures in a class of (2+1)-dimensional non-Lorentzian field theories with SU(1,2)$\times$U(1) conformal symmetry. The state picture arises from null reducing four-dimensional relativistic conformal field theories on a three-sphere, yielding a non-Lorentzian geometry with the conformal Killing symmetry group SU(1,2). This is complementary to the operator picture recently studied by Lambert et al., where the geometry acquires an $\Omega$-deformation. We then use the geometric mapping between the two pictures to derive a correspondence between the generators. This provides a concrete realization of the state-operator correspondence in non-Lorentzian conformal field theories., Comment: 29+10 pages, 3 figures; v2, minor corrections

We propose a thermal scalar equation of motion (EOM) that takes into account curvature corrections for backgrounds supported by Ramond-Ramond fluxes. This can be used to obtain the Hagedorn temperature for type II string theory on AdS and pp-wave backgrounds. For Ramond-Ramond flux supported pp-waves we show that the proposed thermal scalar EOM reproduces the leading curvature correction in the Hagedorn temperature equation obtained from the type II string theory spectrum. Furthermore, we use the thermal scalar EOM to obtain curvature corrections to the Hagedorn temperature for the AdS$_5 \times S^5$ and AdS$_4 \times \mathbb{C} P^3$ backgrounds. These corrections match with strong coupling results of the integrable dual field theories, recently obtained by the Quantum Spectral Curve technique., Comment: 27 pages. v2: minor corrections, refs. added, version accepted for publication in JHEP

Binary-black-hole (BBH) mergers can take place close to a supermassive black hole (SMBH) while being in a bound orbit around the SMBH. In this paper, we study such bound triple systems and show that including the strong gravity effects of describing the SMBH with a Kerr metric can significantly modify the dynamics, as compared to a Newtonian point particle description of the SMBH. We extract the dynamics of the system, using a quadrupole approximation to the tidal forces due to the SMBH. We exhibit how the gyroscope precession is built into this dynamics, and find the secular Hamiltonian by both averaging over the inner and outer orbits, the latter being the orbit of the BBH around the SMBH. We study the long-time-scale dynamics, including the periastron precession and GW radiation-reaction of the binary system, finding that the strong gravity effects of the SMBH can enhance the von Zeipel-Lidov-Kozai mechanism, resulting in more cycles, higher maximum eccentricity, and thereby a shorter merger time, particularly when the binary is close to, or at, the innermost stable orbit of the SMBH. We end with an analysis of the peak frequency of the GW emission from the binary system, highlighting possible observable signatures in the LISA and ET frequency bands., Comment: 22 pages, 14 figures; V2 matched published version in MNRAS

It is well known that one can take an infinite speed of light limit that gives rise to non-relativistic strings with a relativistic worldsheet sigma model but with a non-relativistic target space geometry. In this work we systematically explore two further limits in which the worldsheet becomes non-Lorentzian. The first gives rise to a Galilean string with a Galilean structure on the worldsheet, extending previous work on Spin Matrix-related string theory limits. The second is a completely novel limit leading to a worldsheet theory with a Carrollian structure. We find the Nambu-Goto and Polyakov formulations of both limits and explore gauge fixing choices. Furthermore, we study in detail the case of the Galilean string for a class of target space geometries that are related to Spin Matrix target space geometries, for which the Nambu-Goto action (in static gauge) is quadratic in the fields., Comment: 29+3 pages; v2: minor changes

General relativity (GR) will be imminently challenged by upcoming experiments in the strong gravity regime, including those testing the energy extraction mechanisms for black holes. Motivated by this, we explore magnetospheric models and black hole jet emissions in MOdified Gravity (MOG) scenarios. Specifically, we construct new power emitting magnetospheres in a Kerr-MOG background which are found to depend non-trivially on the MOG deformation parameter. This may allow for high-precision tests of GR. In addition, a complete set of analytic solutions for vacuum magnetic field configurations around static MOG black holes are explicitly derived, and found to comprise exclusively Heun polynomials., Comment: 33 pages, 7 figure; v2: matches published version in JCAP

The dynamics of a binary system moving in the background of a black hole is affected by tidal forces. In this work, for the Kerr black hole, we derive the electric and magnetic tidal moments at quadrupole order, where the latter are computed for the first time in full generality. We make use of these moments in the scenario of a hierarchical triple system made of a Kerr black hole and an extreme-mass ratio binary system consisting of a Schwarzschild black hole and a test particle. We study how the secular dynamics of the test particle in the binary system is distorted by the presence of tidal forces from a much larger Kerr black hole. Our treatment includes strong gravitational effects beyond the post-Newtonian approximation both for the binary system and for the tidal forces since the binary system is allowed to be close to the event horizon of the Kerr black hole. We compute the shifts in the physical quantities for the secular dynamics of the test particle and show that they are gauge-invariant. In particular, we apply our formalism to the innermost stable circular orbit for the test particle and to the case of the photon sphere. Our results are relevant for the astrophysical situation in which the binary system is in the vicinity of a supermassive black hole., Comment: v1: 27 pages, 3 figures; v2: minor changes, matches published version in Phys. Rev. D

Spin Matrix theory describes near-BPS limits of $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM theory, which enables us to probe finite $N$ effects like D-branes and black hole physics. In previous works, we have developed the spherical reduction and spin chain methods to construct Spin Matrix theory for various limits. In this paper, by considering a supercharge $\mathcal{Q}$ which is cubic in terms of the letters, we construct the Hamiltonian of the largest Spin Matrix theory of $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM, called the PSU$(1,2|3)$ Spin Matrix theory, as $H = \{\mathcal{Q}, \mathcal{Q}^\dagger \}$. We show the resulting Hamiltonian is automatically positive definite and manifestly invariant under supersymmetry. The Hamiltonian is made of basic blocks which transform as supermultiplets. A novel feature of this Hamiltonian is its division into D-terms and F-terms that are separately invariant under PSU$(1,2|3)$ symmetry and positive definite. As all the other Spin Matrix theories arising from $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM can be acquired by turning off certain letters in the theory, we consider our work as revealing the "Panorama" of Spin Matrix theory., Comment: 32+11 pages, 3 figures; v2: minor changes; v3: journal version with minor changes

The Blandford and Znajek (BZ) split-monopole serves as an important theoretical example of the mechanism that can drive the electromagnetic extraction of energy from Kerr black holes. It is constructed as a perturbative low spin solution of Force Free Electrodynamics (FFE). Recently, Armas $et~al.$ put this construction on a firmer footing by clearing up issues with apparent divergent asymptotics. This was accomplished by resolving the behavior around the outer light surface, a critical surface of the FFE equations. Building on this, we revisit the BZ perturbative expansion, and extend the perturbative approach to higher orders in the spin parameter of the Kerr black hole. We employ matched-asymptotic-expansions and semi-analytic techniques to extend the split-monopole solution to the sixth-order in perturbation theory. The expansion necessarily includes novel logarithmic contributions in the spin parameter. We show that these higher order terms result in non-analytic contributions to the power and angular momentum output. In particular, we compute for the first time the perturbative contributions to the energy extraction at seventh- and eighth-order in the spin parameter. The resulting formula for the energy extraction improves the agreement with numerical simulations at finite spin. Moreover, we present a novel numerical procedure for resolving the FFE equations across the outer light surface, resulting in significantly faster convergence and greater accuracy, and extend this to higher orders as well. Finally, we include a general discussion of light surfaces as critical surfaces of the FFE equations., Comment: v1: 30 pages + 5 Appendices, 5 figures; v2: matches published version in JCAP

We consider limits of $\mathcal{N} = 4$ super-Yang-Mills (SYM) theory that approach BPS bounds. These limits result in non-relativistic theories that describe the effective dynamics near the BPS bounds and upon quantization are known as Spin Matrix Theories. The near-BPS theories can be obtained by reducing $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM on a three-sphere and integrating out the fields that become non-dynamical in the limits. In previous works we have considered various SU(1,1) and SU(1,2) types of subsectors in this limit. In the current work, we will construct the remaining Spin Matrix Theories defined near the $\frac{1}{8}$-BPS subsectors, which include the PSU(1,1|2) and SU(2|3) cases. We derive the Hamiltonians by applying the spherical reduction algorithm and show that they match with the spin chain result, coming from the loop corrections to the dilatation operator. In the PSU(1,1|2) case, we prove the positivity of the spectrum by constructing cubic supercharges using the enhanced PSU$(1|1)^2$ symmetry and show that they close to the interacting Hamiltonian. We finally analyse the symmetry structure of the sectors in view of an interpretation of the interactions in terms of fundamental blocks., Comment: 49 pages, 2 figures

We describe how to calculate the Hagedorn temperature of $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM theory and type IIB superstring theory on $AdS_5\times S^5$ via the Quantum Spectral Curve (QSC) -- providing further details on our previous letters 1706.03074 and 1803.04416. We solve the QSC equations perturbatively at weak 't Hooft coupling $\lambda$ up to seven-loop order and numerically at finite coupling, finding that the perturbative results can be expressed in terms of single-valued harmonic polylogarithms. Moreover, we generalize the QSC to describe the Hagedorn temperature in the presence of chemical potentials. Finally, we show that the Hagedorn temperature in certain deformations of $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM theory (real-$\beta$ and $\gamma_i$ deformation) agrees with the one in $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM theory at any value of $\lambda$., Comment: 52 pages; v2: added the analytic value for the leading correction at strong coupling (due to J. Maldacena and E. Urbach), as well as numeric values for the sub- and subsubleading correction

We revisit the formulation of non-relativistic (NR) string theory and its target space geometry. We obtain a new formulation in which the geometry contains a two-form field that couples to the tension current and that transforms under string Galilei boosts. This parallels the Newton-Cartan one-form that couples to the mass current of a non-relativistic point particle. We show how this formulation of the NR string arises both from an infinite speed of light limit and a null reduction of the relativistic closed bosonic string. In both cases, the two-form originates from a combination of metric quantities and the Kalb-Ramond field. The target space geometry of the NR string is seen to arise from the gauging of a new algebra that is obtained by an Inonu-Wigner contraction of the Poincar\'e algebra extended by the symmetries of the Kalb-Ramond field. In this new formulation, there are no superfluous target space fields that can be removed by fixing a St\"uckelberg symmetry. Classically, there are no foliation/torsion constraints imposed on the target space geometry., Comment: 21+11 pages

We consider limits of $\mathcal{N} = 4$ super-Yang-Mills (SYM) theory that approach BPS bounds. These limits result in non-relativistic near-BPS theories that describe the effective dynamics near the BPS bounds and upon quantization are known as Spin Matrix theories. The near-BPS theories can be obtained by reducing $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM on a three-sphere and integrating out the fields that become non-dynamical in the limits. We perform the sphere reduction for the near-BPS limit with $\mathrm{SU}(1,2|2)$ symmetry, which has several new features compared to the previously considered cases with $\mathrm{SU}(1,1)$ symmetry, including a dynamical gauge field. We discover a new structure in the classical limit of the interaction term. We show that the interaction term is built from certain blocks that comprise an irreducible representation of the $\mathrm{SU}(1,2|2)$ algebra. Moreover, the full interaction term can be interpreted as a norm in the linear space of this representation, explaining its features including the positive definiteness. This means one can think of the interaction term as a distance squared from saturating the BPS bound. The $\mathrm{SU}(1,1|1)$ near-BPS theory, and its subcases, is seen to inherit these features. These observations point to a way to solve the strong coupling dynamics of these near-BPS theories., Comment: 54 pages, 4 figures. V2: minor comments added

Spin Matrix theory (SMT) limits provide a way to capture the dynamics of the AdS/CFT correspondence near BPS bounds. On the string theory side, these limits result in non-relativistic sigma models that can be interpreted as novel non-relativistic strings. This SMT string theory couples to non-relativistic $U(1)$-Galilean background geometries. In this paper, we explore the relation between pp-wave backgrounds obtained from Penrose limits of AdS${}_5 \times S^5$, and a new type of $U(1)$-Galilean backgrounds that we call flat-fluxed (FF) backgrounds. These FF backgrounds are the simplest possible SMT string backgrounds and correspond to free magnons from the spin chain perspective. We provide a catalogue of the $U(1)$-Galilean backgrounds one obtains from SMT limits of string theory on AdS${}_5 \times S^5$ and subsequently study large charge limits of these geometries from which the FF backgrounds emerge. We show that these limits are analogous to Penrose limits of AdS${}_5 \times S^5$ and demonstrate that the large charge/Penrose limits commute with the SMT limits. Finally, we point out that $U(1)$-Galilean backgrounds prescribe a symplectic manifold for the transverse SMT string embedding fields. This is illustrated with a Hamiltonian derivation for the SMT limit of a particle., Comment: 32 pages

We consider limits of $\mathcal{N}=4$ super Yang-Mills (SYM) theory that approach BPS bounds and for which an $SU(1,1)$ structure is preserved. The resulting near-BPS theories become non-relativistic, with a $U(1)$ symmetry emerging in the limit that implies the conservation of particle number. They are obtained by reducing $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM on a three-sphere and subsequently integrating out fields that become non-dynamical as the bounds are approached. Upon quantization, and taking into account normal-ordering, they are consistent with taking the appropriate limits of the dilatation operator directly, thereby corresponding to Spin Matrix theories, found previously in the literature. In the particular case of the $SU(1,1|1)$ near-BPS/Spin Matrix theory, we find a superfield formulation that applies to the full interacting theory. Moreover, for all the theories we find tantalizingly simple semi-local formulations as theories living on a circle. Finally, we find positive-definite expressions for the interactions in the classical limit for all the theories, which can be used to explore their strong coupling limits. This paper will have a companion paper in which we explore BPS bounds for which a $SU(2,1)$ structure is preserved., Comment: 62 pages, 2 figures; v2: minor corrections

We obtain a first order post-Minkowskian two-body effective potential whose post-Newtonian expansion directly reproduces the Einstein-Infeld-Hoffmann potential. Post-Minkowskian potentials can be extracted from on-shell scattering amplitudes in a quantum field theory of scalar matter coupled to gravity. Previously, such potentials did not reproduce the Einstein-Infeld-Hoffmann potential without employing a suitable canonical transformation. In this work, we resolve this issue by obtaining a new expression for the first-order post-Minkowskian potential. This is accomplished by exploiting the reference frame dependence that arises in the scattering amplitude computation. Finally, as a check on our result, we demonstrate that our new potential gives the correct scattering angle., Comment: 20 pages

We show that ${\cal N} = 4$ supersymmetric-Yang-Mills (SYM) theory on $\mathbb{R} \times S^3$ with gauge group $\text{SU}(N)$ is described in a near-BPS limit by a simple lower-dimensional nonrelativistic field theory with $\text{SU}(1,1) \times \text{U}(1)$ invariant interactions. In this limit, a single complex adjoint scalar field survives, and part of its interaction is obtained by exactly integrating out the gauge boson of the SYM theory. Taking into account normal ordering, the interactions match the one-loop dilatation operator of the $\text{SU}(1,1)$ sector, establishing the consistency of the limit at the quantum level. We discover a tantalizing field-theoretic structure, corresponding to a $(1+1)$-dimensional complex chiral boson on a circle coupled to a nondynamical gauge field, both in the adjoint representation of $\text{SU}(N)$. The successful construction of a lower-dimensional nonrelativistic field theory in the $\text{SU}(1,1)$ near-BPS limit provides a proof of concept for other BPS bounds. These are expected to lead to richer field theories in nonrelativistic corners of ${\cal N} = 4$ SYM that include fermions, gauge fields and supersymmetry and can provide a novel path towards understanding strongly coupled finite-$N$ dynamics of gauge theories., Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure; v2: minor clarifications added, matches journal version

Despite their potential importance for understanding astrophysical jets, physically realistic exact solutions for magnetospheres around Kerr black holes have not been found, even in the force-free approximation. Instead approximate analytical solutions such as the Blandford-Znajek (split-)monopole, as well as numerical solutions, have been constructed. In this paper we consider a new approach to the analysis and construction of such magnetospheres. We consider force-free electrodynamics close to the rotation axis of a magnetosphere surrounding a Kerr black hole assuming axisymmetry. This is the region where the force-free approximation should work the best, and where the jets are located. We perform a systematic study of the asymptotic region with (split-)monopole, paraboloidal and vertical asymptotic behaviors. Imposing asymptotics similar to a (split-)monopole, we find under certain assumptions that demanding regularity at the rotation axis and the event horizon restricts solutions of the stream equation so much that it is not possible for a solution to be continuously connected to the static (split-)monopole around the Schwarzschild black hole in the limit where the rotation goes to zero. On the one hand, this result provides independent evidence to the issues discovered with the asymptotics of the Blandford-Znajek (split-)monopole in Ref. [1]. On the other hand, we also point out possible caveats in our arguments that one could conceivably exploit to amend the perturbative construction of the Blandford-Znajek (split-)monopole., Comment: 10 pages. v3: Discussion of the outer light surface expanded considerably. Assumptions are clarified

Non-relativistic string theories promise to provide simpler theories of quantum gravity as well as tractable limits of the AdS/CFT correspondence. However, several apparently distinct non-relativistic string theories have been constructed. In particular, one approach is to reduce a relativistic string along a null isometry in target space. Another method is to perform an appropriate large speed of light expansion of a relativistic string. Both of the resulting non-relativistic string theories only have a well-defined spectrum if they have nonzero winding along a longitudinal spatial direction. In the presence of a Kalb--Ramond field, we show that these theories are equivalent provided the latter direction is an isometry. Finally, we consider a further limit of non-relativistic string theory that has proven useful in the context of AdS/CFT (related to Spin Matrix Theory). In that case, the worldsheet theory itself becomes non-relativistic and the dilaton coupling vanishes., Comment: 23+5 pages, v2: added references and minor clarifications

We find a Polyakov-type action for strings moving in a torsional Newton-Cartan geometry. This is obtained by starting with the relativistic Polyakov action and fixing the momentum of the string along a non-compact null isometry. For a flat target space, we show that the world-sheet theory becomes the Gomis-Ooguri action. From a target space perspective these strings are non-relativistic but their world-sheet theories are still relativistic. We show that one can take a scaling limit in which also the world-sheet theory becomes non-relativistic with an infinite-dimensional symmetry algebra given by the Galilean conformal algebra. This scaling limit can be taken in the context of the AdS/CFT correspondence and we show that it is realized by the `Spin Matrix Theory' limits of strings on AdS$_5$ $\times$ $S^5$. Spin Matrix theory arises as non-relativistic limits of the AdS/CFT correspondence close to BPS bounds. The duality between non-relativistic strings and Spin Matrix theory provides a holographic duality of its own and points towards a framework for more tractable holographic dualities whereby non-relativistic strings are dual to near BPS limits of the dual field theory., Comment: 27 pages, LaTex. v2: Typos corrected, matches published version

The grand challenges of contemporary fundamental physics---dark matter, dark energy, vacuum energy, inflation and early universe cosmology, singularities and the hierarchy problem---all involve gravity as a key component. And of all gravitational phenomena, black holes stand out in their elegant simplicity, while harbouring some of the most remarkable predictions of General Relativity: event horizons, singularities and ergoregions. The hitherto invisible landscape of the gravitational Universe is being unveiled before our eyes: the historical direct detection of gravitational waves by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration marks the dawn of a new era of scientific exploration. Gravitational-wave astronomy will allow us to test models of black hole formation, growth and evolution, as well as models of gravitational-wave generation and propagation. It will provide evidence for event horizons and ergoregions, test the theory of General Relativity itself, and may reveal the existence of new fundamental fields. The synthesis of these results has the potential to radically reshape our understanding of the cosmos and of the laws of Nature. The purpose of this work is to present a concise, yet comprehensive overview of the state of the art in the relevant fields of research, summarize important open problems, and lay out a roadmap for future progress., Comment: White Paper for the COST action "Gravitational Waves, Black Holes, and Fundamental Physics", 272 pages, 12 figures; v4: updated references and author list. Overall improvements and corrections. To appear in Classical and Quantum Gravity

The Blandford-Znajek monopole is a conjectured solution of force-free electrodynamics in the vicinity of a slowly rotating Kerr black hole, supposedly defined as a perturbation in small angular momentum. It is used to argue for the extraction of energy from rotating black holes by the Blandford-Znajek process. We set up a careful analysis of the perturbative definition of the Blandford-Znajek monopole, showing in particular that the regime in which it is defined allows to use the technique of matched asymptotic expansions. Our conclusion is that the Blandford-Znajek monopole, as it is defined, is not consistent with demanding physically reasonable boundary conditions far away from the event horizon. This puts into question the existence of the Blandford-Znajek monopole, at least in the limit of slow rotation of the Kerr black hole., Comment: 8 pages, pdflatex. v2: minor typos corrected, conclusion improved, acknowledgments added. v3: published version, references added, MAE explanation and conclusions slightly expanded

Building on the recently established connection between the Hagedorn temperature and integrability [Phys.Rev.Lett. 120 (2018) no.7, 071605], we show how the Quantum Spectral Curve formalism can be used to calculate the Hagedorn temperature of AdS5/CFT4 for any value of the 't Hooft coupling. We solve this finite system of finite-difference equations perturbatively at weak coupling and numerically at finite coupling. We confirm previous results at weak coupling and obtain the previously unknown three-loop Hagedorn temperature. Our finite-coupling results interpolate between weak and strong coupling and allow us to extract the first perturbative order at strong coupling. Our results indicate that the Hagedorn temperature for large 't Hooft coupling approaches that of type IIB string theory in ten-dimensional Minkowski space., Comment: 7 pages; v2: clarifications added, typos corrected

Using the blackfold effective theory applied to extremal Kerr branes we provide evidence for the existence of new stationary extremal black hole solutions in asymptotically flat spacetime with both single and multiple disconnected horizons. These include extremal doubly-spinning black rings, black saturns, di-rings and bi-rings in five spacetime dimensions as well as extremal Myers-Perry black holes and black saturns in dimensions greater than five. Some of these constructions constitute the first examples of black hole solutions with extremal disconnected horizons in vacuum Einstein gravity., Comment: v2: 30pp, 12 figures; comments and reference added; comparison between approximate and analytic black ring and Myers-Perry solutions added; to be published in JHEP

In this paper we use the effective blackfold description of branes to extend the study of the thermal BIon, a D-brane and parallel anti-D-brane connected by a wormhole with F-string charge in hot flat space, by introducing a radial boost along the brane. The boosted system behaves qualitatively differently from both the extremal and the thermal BIon considered previously. Interestingly, we are able to formulate a first law of thermodynamics for the system as a whole, despite the fact that it is not a stationary blackfold. In particular, the global temperature is given by the rest frame temperature times the gamma factor of special relativity which is the inverse transformation compared to the case of stationary blackfolds. In addition we define two new kinds of thermodynamic conjugate variables, the energy flux $W$ and the integrated velocity on the brane. We find that a phase transition occurs by varying the energy flux $W$. Below a critical value of $W$ the brane separation $\Delta$ changes only slightly with $W$. Instead above the critical value $\Delta$ grows exponentially., Comment: 26 pages, 6 figures. v2: Introduction and conclusion improved, references added

We establish a framework for calculating the Hagedorn temperature of AdS5/CFT4 via integrability. Concretely, we derive the thermodynamic Bethe ansatz equations that yield the Hagedorn temperature of planar N=4 super Yang-Mills theory at any value of the 't Hooft coupling. We solve these equations perturbatively at weak coupling via the associated Y-system, confirming the known results at tree-level and one-loop order as well as deriving the previously unknown two-loop Hagedorn temperature. Finally, we comment on solving the equations at finite coupling., Comment: 6 pages; v3: references and further clarification added, matches journal version

Using target space null reduction of the Polyakov action we find a novel covariant action for strings moving in a torsional Newton-Cartan geometry. Sending the string tension to zero while rescaling the Newton-Cartan clock 1-form, so as to keep the string action finite, we obtain a non-relativistic string moving in a new type of non-Lorentzian geometry that we call $U(1)$-Galilean geometry. We apply this to strings on $AdS_5 \times S^5$ for which we show that the zero tension limit is realized by the Spin Matrix theory limits of the AdS/CFT correspondence. This is closely related to limits of spin chains studied in connection to integrability in AdS/CFT. The simplest example gives a covariant version of the Landau-Lifshitz sigma-model., Comment: 5 pages

Using the non-abelian DBI action we find an effective matrix model that describes the dynamics of weakly interacting giant gravitons wrapped on three-spheres in the AdS part of AdS_5 x S^5 at high energies with two angular momenta on the S^5. In parallel we consider the limit of \CN=4 super Yang-Mills theory near a certain unitarity bound where it reduces to the quantum mechanical theory called SU(2) Spin Matrix Theory. We show that the exact same matrix model that describes the giant gravitons on the string theory side also provides the effective description in the strong coupling and large energy limit of the Spin Matrix Theory. Thus, we are able to match non-supersymmetric dynamics of D-branes on AdS_5 x S^5 to a finite-N regime in \CN=4 super Yang-Mills theory near a unitarity bound., Comment: 7 pages

In this paper we explore the correspondence between four-dimensional Born-Infeld theory and five-dimensional classical gravity. The Born-Infeld theory side corresponds to the low energy effective theory for open strings ending on coincident D3-branes in a (slowly varying) background Kalb-Ramond field, including all higher-derivative corrections. On the gravity side one has the gravitational (closed string) description of D3-branes in the same background Kalb-Ramond field and the correspondence is thus a consequence of the open/closed string duality. According to the correspondence the gravity side provides a description of the strong coupling limit of Born-Infeld theory. This is a correspondence between effective theories in a similar sense as in the fluid/gravity correspondence. We match the Born-Infeld and gravity sides up to, and including, two-derivative corrections. To this end, we find a new gravity solution for D3-branes with flat embedding in the background of an arbitrary constant background Kalb-Ramond field and show that there are no two-derivative corrections to this for a slowly varying Kalb-Ramond field., Comment: 24 pages, 4 figures. v2: Refs added, paragraph added in introduction, footnote added in section 5.2. v3: minor changes

We introduce a new quantum mechanical theory called Spin Matrix theory (SMT). The theory is interacting with a single coupling constant g and is based on a Hilbert space of harmonic oscillators with a spin index taking values in a Lie (super)algebra representation as well as matrix indices for the adjoint representation of U(N). We show that SMT describes N=4 super-Yang-Mills theory (SYM) near zero-temperature critical points in the grand canonical phase diagram. Equivalently, SMT arises from non-relativistic limits of N=4 SYM. Even though SMT is a non-relativistic quantum mechanical theory it contains a variety of phases mimicking the AdS/CFT correspondence. Moreover, the infinite g limit of SMT can be mapped to the supersymmetric sector of string theory on AdS_5 x S^5. We study SU(2) SMT in detail. At large N and low temperatures it is a theory of spin chains that for small g resembles planar gauge theory and for large g a non-relativistic string theory. When raising the temperature a partial deconfinement transition occurs due to finite-N effects. For sufficiently high temperatures the partially deconfined phase has a classical regime. We find a matrix model description of this regime at any coupling g. Setting g=0 it is a theory of N^2+1 harmonic oscillators while for large g it becomes 2N harmonic oscillators., Comment: 36 pages, 3 figures. v2: Refs. added

We develop further the effective fluid theory of stationary branes. This formalism applies to stationary blackfolds as well as to other equilibrium brane systems at finite temperature. The effective theory is described by a Lagrangian containing the information about the elastic dynamics of the brane embedding as well as the hydrodynamics of the effective fluid living on the brane. The Lagrangian is corrected order-by-order in a derivative expansion, where we take into account the dipole moment of the brane which encompasses finite-thickness corrections, including transverse spin. We describe how to extract the thermodynamics from the Lagrangian and we obtain constraints on the higher-derivative terms with one and two derivatives. These constraints follow by comparing the brane thermodynamics with the conserved currents associated with background Killing vector fields. In particular, we fix uniquely the one- and two-derivative terms describing the coupling of the transverse spin to the background space-time. Finally, we apply our formalism to two blackfold examples, the black tori and charged black rings and compare the latter to a numerically generated solution., Comment: v2: 26pp, 3 figures, minor clarifications, presentation improved, to be published in JHEP

We argue that the effective theory describing the long-wavelength dynamics of black branes is the same effective theory that describes the dynamics of biophysical membranes. We improve the phase structure of higher-dimensional black rings by considering finite thickness corrections in this effective theory, showing a striking agreement between our analytical results and recent numerical constructions while simultaneously drawing a parallel between gravity and the effective theory of biophysical membranes., Comment: v2: 5pp, 3 figures, improved introduction, to be published in PRD

We study the effective action for finite-temperature D3-branes with an electromagnetic field at weak and strong coupling. We call this action the thermal DBI action. Comparing at low temperature the leading $T^4$ correction for the thermal DBI action at weak and strong coupling we find that the $3/4$ factor well-known from the AdS/CFT correspondence extends to the case of arbitrary electric and magnetic fields on the D3-brane. We investigate the reason for this by taking the decoupling limit in both the open and the closed string descriptions thus showing that the AdS/CFT correspondence extends to the case of arbitrary constant electric and magnetic fields on the D3-brane., Comment: 30 pages, no figures

We study the giant graviton solution as the AdS_5 X S^5 background is heated up to finite temperature. The analysis employs the thermal brane probe technique based on the blackfold approach. We focus mainly on the thermal giant graviton corresponding to a thermal D3-brane probe wrapped on an S^3 moving on the S^5 of the background at finite temperature. We find several interesting new effects, including that the thermal giant graviton has a minimal possible value for the angular momentum and correspondingly also a minimal possible radius of the S^3. We compute the free energy of the thermal giant graviton in the low temperature regime, which potentially could be compared to that of a thermal state on the gauge theory side. Moreover, we analyze the space of solutions and stability of the thermal giant graviton and find that, in parallel with the extremal case, there are two available solutions for a given temperature and angular momentum, one stable and one unstable. In order to write down the equations of motion, action and conserved charges for the thermal giant graviton we present a slight generalization of the blackfold formalism for charged black branes. Finally, we also briefly consider the thermal giant graviton moving in the AdS_5 part., Comment: v1: 32 pages + 11 pages appendices, 13 figures, v2: typos fixed in Sec.2 and other misprints, references added

We apply a new description of thermal fundamental string probes to the study of finite temperature Wilson loops in the context of the AdS/CFT correspondence. Previously this problem has been considered using extremal probes even though the background is at finite temperature. The new description of fundamental string probes is based on the blackfold approach. As a result of our analysis we find a new term in the potential between static quarks in the symmetric representation which for sufficiently small temperatures is the leading correction to the Coulomb force potential. We also find an order 1/N correction to the onset of the Debye screening of the quarks. These effects arise from including the thermal excitations of the string probe and demanding the probe to be in thermodynamic equilibrium with the Anti-de Sitter black hole background., Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures

We explore the recent weak/strong coupling match of three-point functions in the AdS/CFT correspondence for two semi-classical operators and one light chiral primary operator found by Escobedo et al. This match is between the tree-level three-point function with the two semi-classical operators described by coherent states while on the string side the three-point function is found in the Frolov-Tseytlin limit. We compute the one-loop correction to the three-point function on the gauge theory side and compare this to the corresponding correction on the string theory side. We find that the corrections do not match. Finally, we discuss the possibility of further contributions on the gauge theory side that can alter our results., Comment: 24 pages, 2 figures. v2: Typos fixed, Ref. added, figure improved. v3: Several typos and misprints fixed, Ref. updated, figures improved, new section 2.3 added on correction from spin-flipped coherent state, computations on string theory side improved

We generalize the domain structure for stationary black hole space-times to include asymptotically de Sitter and Anti-de Sitter space-times. Given a set of commuting Killing vector fields of a space-time the domain structure lives on the submanifold of the orbit space on which at least one of the Killing vector fields has zero norm. In general the domain structure provides topological and geometrical invariants of black hole space-times that in specific cases have proven to be a crucial part of a full characterization leading to uniqueness theorems. In four and five dimensions the domain structure generalizes the rod structure. We examine in detail the domain structure for four, five, six and seven-dimensional black hole space-times including a very general class of spherically symmetric and static black hole space-times as well as the exact solutions for Kerr-(Anti)-de Sitter black holes. While for asymptotically Anti-de Sitter space-times the domain structures resemble that of asymptotically flat space-times, the domain structures of asymptotically de Sitter space-times are shown to be compact. Finally, we find under certain assumptions that the horizon topologies for four- and five-dimensional black holes are restricted by our domain structure analysis., Comment: 45 pages, 14 figures. v2: Typos fixed, ref. added

We explore corrections in the blackfold approach, which is a worldvolume theory capturing the dynamics of thin black branes. The corrections probe the fine structure of the branes, going beyond the approximation in which they are infinitely thin, and account for the dipole moment of worldvolume stress-energy as well as the internal spin degrees of freedom. We show that the dipole correction is induced elastically by bending a black brane. We argue that the long-wavelength linear response coefficient capturing this effect is a relativistic generalization of the Young modulus of elastic materials and we compute it analytically. Using this we draw predictions for black rings in dimensions greater than six. Furthermore, we employ our corrected blackfold equations to various multi-spinning black hole configurations in the blackfold limit, finding perfect agreement with known analytic solutions., Comment: v1: 28 pages + appendices. v2: Important sign corrections in sec. 3. Other minor corrections

We develop the effective worldvolume theory for the dynamics of black branes with charges of the kind that arise in many supergravities and low-energy limits of string theory. Using this theory, we construct numerous new rotating black holes with charges and dipoles of D-branes, fundamental strings and other branes. In some instances, the black holes can be dynamically stable close enough to extremality. Some of these black holes, such as those based on the D1-D5-P system, have extremal, non-supersymmetric limits with regular horizons of finite area and a wide variety of horizon topologies and geometries., Comment: 47 pages. v2: comments and refs added

We investigate the thermodynamics of the recently obtained finite temperature BIon solution of arXiv:1012.1494, focusing on two aspects. The first concerns comparison of the free energy of the three available phases for the finite temperature brane-antibrane wormhole configuration. Based on this we propose a heuristic picture for the dynamics of the phases that involves a critical temperature below which a stable phase exists. This stable phase is the finite temperature analogue of the thin throat branch of the extremal brane anti-brane wormhole configuration. The second aspect that we consider is the possibility of constructing a finite temperature generalization of the infinite spike configuration of the extremal BIon. To this end we identify a correspondence point at the end of the throat where the thermodynamics of the D3-F1 blackfold configuration can be matched to that of k non-extremal black fundamental strings., Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures

We revisit the calculation of curvature corrections to the pp-wave energy of type IIA string states on AdS_4 x CP^3 initiated in arXiv:0807.1527. Using the near pp-wave Hamiltonian found in arXiv:0912.2257, we compute the first non-vanishing correction to the energy of a set of bosonic string states at order 1/R^2, where R is the curvature radius of the background. The leading curvature corrections give rise to cubic, order 1/R, and quartic, order 1/R^2, terms in the Hamiltonian, for which we implement the appropriate normal ordering prescription. Including the contributions from all possible fermionic and bosonic string states, we find that there exist logarithmic divergences in the sums over mode numbers which cancel between the cubic and quartic Hamiltonian. We show that the cubic Hamiltonian naturally requires that the cutoff for summing over heavy modes must be twice the one for light modes. With this prescription the strong-weak coupling interpolating function h(\lambda), entering the magnon dispersion relation, does not receive a one-loop correction, in agreement with the algebraic curve spectrum. However, the single magnon dispersion relation exhibits finite-size exponential corrections., Comment: Published version, references added. A discussion on single oscillator states included

We propose a new method to consider D-brane probes in thermal backgrounds. The method builds on the recently developed blackfold approach to higher-dimensional black holes. While D-brane probes in zero-temperature backgrounds are well-described by the Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) action, this method addresses how to probe thermal backgrounds. A particularly important feature is that the probe is in thermal equilibrium with the background. We apply our new method to study the thermal generalization of the BIon solution of the DBI action. The BIon solution is a configuration in flat space of a D-brane and a parallel anti-D-brane connected by a wormhole with F-string charge. In our thermal generalization, we put this configuration in hot flat space. We find that the finite temperature system behaves qualitatively different than its zero-temperature counterpart. In particular, for a given separation between the D-brane and anti-D-brane, while at zero temperature there are two phases, at finite temperature there are either one or three phases available., Comment: 37 pages, 11 figures. v2: typos fixed, refs. added

We find a new Penrose limit of AdS_5 x S^5 giving the maximally supersymmetric pp-wave background with two explicit space-like isometries. This is an important missing piece in studying the AdS/CFT correspondence in certain subsectors. In particular whereas the Penrose limit giving one space-like isometry is useful for the SU(2) sector of N=4 SYM, this new Penrose limit is instead useful for studying the SU(2|3) and SU(1,2|3) sectors. In addition to the new Penrose limit of AdS_5 x S^5 we also find a new Penrose limit of AdS_4 x CP^3., Comment: 30 pages

We initiate a systematic scan of the landscape of black holes in any spacetime dimension using the recently proposed blackfold effective worldvolume theory. We focus primarily on asymptotically flat stationary vacuum solutions, where we uncover large classes of new black holes. These include helical black strings and black rings, black odd-spheres, for which the horizon is a product of a large and a small sphere, and non-uniform black cylinders. More exotic possibilities are also outlined. The blackfold description recovers correctly the ultraspinning Myers-Perry black holes as ellipsoidal even-ball configurations where the velocity field approaches the speed of light at the boundary of the ball. Helical black ring solutions provide the first instance of asymptotically flat black holes in more than four dimensions with a single spatial U(1) isometry. They also imply infinite rational non-uniqueness in ultraspinning regimes, where they maximize the entropy among all stationary single-horizon solutions. Moreover, static blackfolds are possible with the geometry of minimal surfaces. The absence of compact embedded minimal surfaces in Euclidean space is consistent with the uniqueness theorem of static black holes., Comment: 54 pages, 7 figures; v2 added references, added comments in the subsection discussing the physical properties of helical black rings; v3 added references, fixed minor typos

We find the full interacting Lagrangian and Hamiltonian for quantum strings in a near plane wave limit of AdS_4 x CP^3. The leading curvature corrections give rise to cubic and quartic terms in the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian that we compute in full. The Lagrangian is found as the type IIA Green-Schwarz superstring in the light-cone gauge employing a superspace construction with 32 grassmann-odd coordinates. The light-cone gauge for the fermions is non-trivial since it should commute with the supersymmetry condition. We provide a prescription to properly fix the kappa-symmetry gauge condition to make it consistent with light-cone gauge. We use fermionic field redefinitions to find a simpler Lagrangian. To construct the Hamiltonian a Dirac procedure is needed in order to properly keep into account the fermionic second class constraints. We combine the field redefinition with a shift of the fermionic phase space variables that reduces Dirac brackets to Poisson brackets. This results in a completely well-defined and explicit expression for the full interacting Hamiltonian up to and including terms quartic in the number of fields., Comment: 40 pages. v2: Typos fixed, Refs. added

We show uniqueness of stationary and asymptotically flat black hole space-times with multiple disconnected horizons and with two rotational Killing vector fields in the context of five-dimensional minimal supergravity (Einstein-Maxwell-Chern-Simons gravity). The novelty in this work is the introduction in the uniqueness theorem of intrinsic local charges measured near each horizon as well as the measurement of local fluxes besides the asymptotic charges that characterize a particular solution. A systematic method of defining the boundary conditions on the fields that specify a black hole space-time is given based on the study of its rod structure (domain structure). Also, an analysis of known solutions with disconnected horizons is carried out as an example of an application of this theorem., Comment: 28 pages, 5 figures. v3: Further improvements on uniqueness theorem, Lemma introduced for clarity of derivation, new quantities introduced to treat special case with zero flux, refs. added, typos fixed

We develop and significantly generalize the effective worldvolume theory for higher-dimensional black holes recently proposed by the authors. The theory, which regards the black hole as a black brane curved into a submanifold of a background spacetime -a blackfold-, can be formulated in terms of an effective fluid that lives on a dynamical worldvolume. Thus the blackfold equations split into intrinsic (fluid-dynamical) equations, and extrinsic (generalized geodesic embedding) equations. The intrinsic equations can be easily solved for equilibrium configurations, thus providing an efficient formalism for the approximate construction of novel stationary black holes. Furthermore, it is possible to study time evolution. In particular, the long-wavelength component of the Gregory-Laflamme instability of black branes is obtained as a sound-mode instability of the effective fluid. We also discuss action principles, connections to black hole thermodynamics, and other consequences and possible extensions of the approach. Finally, we outline how the fluid/AdS-gravity correspondence is related to this formalism., Comment: 37 pages, v2 minor comments and a reference added

We introduce the domain structure for stationary black hole space-times. Given a set of commuting Killing vector fields of the space-time the domain structure lives on the submanifold where at least one of the Killing vector fields have zero norm. Depending on which Killing vector field has zero norm the submanifold is naturally divided into domains. A domain corresponds either to a set of fixed points of a spatial symmetry or to a Killing horizon, depending on whether the characterizing Killing vector field is space-like or time-like near the domain. The domain structure provides invariants of the space-time, both topological and geometrical. It is defined for any space-time dimension and any number of commuting Killing vector fields. We examine the domain structure for asymptotically flat space-times and find a canonical form for the metric of such space-times. The domain structure generalizes the rod structure introduced for space-times with D-2 commuting Killing vector fields. We analyze in detail the domain structure for Minkowski space, the Schwarzschild-Tangherlini black hole and the Myers-Perry black hole in six and seven dimensions. Finally we consider the possible domain structures for asymptotically flat black holes in six and seven dimensions., Comment: 32 pages, 5 figures. v2: Minor corrections. v3: Language regarding zero norm Killing vector fields made more precise, terminology improved

We argue that the main feature behind novel properties of higher-dimensional black holes, compared to four-dimensional ones, is that their horizons can have two characteristic lengths of very different size. We develop a long-distance worldvolume effective theory that captures the black hole dynamics at scales much larger than the short scale. In this limit the black hole is regarded as a blackfold: a black brane (possibly boosted locally) whose worldvolume spans a curved submanifold of the spacetime. This approach reveals black objects with novel horizon geometries and topologies more complex than the black ring, but more generally it provides a new organizing framework for the dynamics of higher-dimensional black holes., Comment: 11 pages. v2: title changed to match published version in PRL; otherwise minor corrections

We consider finite-size corrections in the SU(2) x SU(2) sector of type IIA string theory on AdS_4 x CP^3, which is the string dual of the recently constructed N=6 superconformal Chern-Simons theory of Aharony, Bergman, Jafferis and Maldacena (ABJM theory). The string states we consider are in the R x S^2 x S^2 subspace of AdS_4 x CP^3 with an angular momentum J on CP^3 being large. We compute the finite-size corrections using two different methods, one is to consider curvature corrections to the Penrose limit giving an expansion in 1/J, the other by considering a low energy expansion in lambda'=lambda/J^2 of the string theory sigma-model, lambda being the 't Hooft coupling of the dual ABJM theory. For both methods there are interesting issues to deal with. In the near-pp-wave method there is a 1/\sqrt{J} interaction term for which we use zeta-function regularization in order to compute the 1/J correction to the energy. For the low energy sigma-model expansion we have to take into account a non-trivial coupling to a non-dynamical transverse direction. We find agreement between the two methods. At order lambda' and lambda'^2, for small lambda', our results are analogous to the ones for the SU(2) sector in type IIB string theory on AdS_5 x S^5. Instead at order lambda'^3 there are interactions between the two two-spheres. We compare our results with the recently proposed all-loop Bethe ansatz of Gromov and Vieira and find agreement., Comment: 21 pages. v2: typos fixed, refs. added. v3: misprints corrected, refs. added