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We classify supersymmetric solutions of D=5 (3,2) signature supergravity with either vanishing or imaginary gauge coupling constant preserving the minimal N=2 supersymmetry. We prove that the geometry of such solutions is characterized by a nilpotent integrable endomorphism, and obtain the necessary and sufficient conditions on the fluxes imposed by supersymmetry. We also construct examples of supersymmetric domain wall solutions for which the nilpotent integrable endomorphism is associated with a Killing-Yano 2-form, as well as a new descendant preon solution which preserves N=6 supersymmetry. This is notable as such N=6 descendant solutions do not exist in the standard signature D=5 supergravity., Comment: Equations (3.46), (3.47), (3.48) and comments on integrable distributions added in section 3.1. References 22, 23 added, and typos corrected. 23 pages, latex

We classify all warped $dS_5$ backgrounds in $D=11$ supergravity with enhanced supersymmetry. We show that backgrounds preserving $N=16$ supersymmetries consist of either a stack of M5 branes with transverse space $\mathbb{R}^5$, or a generalized M5-brane configuration with transverse space $\mathbb{R} \times N_4$, where $N_4$ is a hyper-Kahler manifold and the $M5$-brane harmonic function is determined by a hyper-Kahler potential on $N_4$. Moreover, we find that there are no backgrounds preserving exactly $N=24$ supersymmetries. Backgrounds preserving $N=32$ supersymmetries correspond to either $\mathbb{R}^{1,10}$ or $AdS_7\times S^4$., Comment: 14 pages, latex

Supersymmetric warped product dS4 solutions in D=11 supergravity are classified. The Killing spinor is associated with two possible stabilizer groups, SU(3) and G_2. We show that there are no solutions to the Killing Spinor equations in the G_2 stabilizer case. For the SU(3) stablilzer case, all of the conditions imposed from supersymmetry on the 4-form flux, and the geometry of the internal manifold, are determined in terms of SU(3) invariant spinor bilinears., Comment: 31 pages, latex

We determine the necessary and sufficient conditions for warped product $dS_n$ solutions, $5 \leq n \leq 10$, to preserve supersymmetry in $D=11$ supergravity, without assuming factorization of the Killing spinors. We prove that for $7 \leq n \leq 10$, all such solutions are flat, with vanishing 4-form. We also show that the only warped product $dS_6$ solutions are either the maximally supersymmetric $AdS_7 \times S^4$ solution, or $\mathbb{R}^{1,6} \times N_4$ where $N_4$ is hyperKahler, with vanishing 4-form. Supersymmetric warped product $dS_5$ solutions are then classified; it is shown that all such solutions are generalized M5-brane configurations, for which the transverse space is $\mathbb{R} \times N_4$, and $N_4$ is a hyperKahler manifold. If the 4-form is covariantly constant, then $N_4$ admits a hyperKahler potential., Comment: An interpretation for the warped product dS5 solutions as a generalized M5-brane configuration has been added to section 5.3. Consequently, sections 5.5 and Appendix F are superfluous and have been removed. 36 pages, latex

The supersymmetry of near-horizon geometries in heterotic supergravity is considered. A necessary and sufficient condition for a solution to preserve more than the minimal N=2 supersymmetry is obtained. A supersymmetric near-horizon solution is constructed which is a U(1) fibration of AdS3 over a particular Aloff-Wallach space. It is proven that this solution preserves the conditions required for N=2 supersymmetry, but does not satisfy the necessary condition required for further supersymmetry enhancement. Hence, there exist supersymmetric near-horizon heterotic solutions preserving exactly N=2 supersymmetry., Comment: Additional background material added to Section 2, and some extra clarification added in the final paragraph of Section 3.1. The definition of the Aloff-Wallach space was added at the start of section 5. Text from Appendix C has been moved into Section 5.1. Other minor typos corrected. 20 pages, latex

Extreme near-horizon geometries in D=11 supergravity preserving four supersymmetries are classified. It is shown that the Killing spinors fall into three possible orbits, corresponding to pairs of spinors defined on the spatial cross-sections of the horizon which have isotropy groups SU(3), G2, or SU(4). In each case, the conditions on the geometry and the 4-form flux are determined. The integrability conditions obtained from the Killing spinor equations are also investigated., Comment: 34 pages, latex

We present a modified implementation of the Euclidean action formalism suitable for studying the thermodynamics of a class of cosmological solutions containing Killing horizons. To obtain a real metric of definite signature, we perform a `triple Wick-rotation' by analytically continuing all space-like directions. The resulting Euclidean geometry is used to calculate the Euclidean on-shell action, which defines a thermodynamic potential. We show that for the vacuum de Sitter solution, planar solutions of Einstein-Maxwell theory and a previously found class of cosmological solutions of N = 2 supergravity, this thermodynamic potential can be used to define an internal energy which obeys the first law of thermodynamics. Our approach is complementary to, but consistent with the isolated horizon formalism. For planar Einstein-Maxwell solutions, we find dual solutions in Einstein-anti-Maxwell theory where the sign of the Maxwell term is reversed. These solutions are planar black holes, rather than cosmological solutions, but give rise, upon a standard Wick-rotation to the same Euclidean action and thermodynamic relations., Comment: 80 pages including 27 pages of appendices, 10 figures. Revised version: extended discussion of related results, several references added. Accepted for publication in JHEP

We classify all supersymmetric solutions of minimal D=4 gauged supergravity with (2,2) signature and a positive cosmological constant which admit exactly one Killing spinor. This classification produces a geometric structure which is more general than that found for previous classifications of N=2 supersymmetric solutions of this theory. We illustrate how the N=2 solutions which consist of a fibration over a 3-dimensional Lorentzian Gauduchon-Tod base space can be written in terms of this more generic geometric structure., Comment: 20 pages, latex

We give estimates for the eigenvalues of multi-form modified Dirac operators which are constructed from a standard Dirac operator with the addition of a Clifford algebra element associated to a multi-degree form. In particular such estimates are presented for modified Dirac operators with a $k$-degree form $0\leq k\leq 4$, those modified with multi-degree $(0,k)$-form $0\leq k\leq 3$ and the horizon Dirac operators which are modified with a multi-degree $(1,2,4)$-form. In particular, we give the necessary geometric conditions for such operators to admit zero modes as well as those for the zero modes to be parallel with a respect to a suitable connection. We also demonstrate that manifolds which admit such parallel spinors are associated with twisted covariant form hierarchies which generalize the conformal Killing-Yano forms., Comment: 36 pages. Minor typos corrected

Spinorial geometry methods are used to classify solutions admitting Majorana Killing spinors of the minimal 4-dimensional supergravity in neutral signature, with vanishing cosmological constant and a single Maxwell field strength. Two classes of solutions preserving the minimal amount of supersymmetry are found. The first class admits a null-Kahler structure and corresponds to a class of self-dual solutions found by Bryant. The second class admits a null and rotation-free geodesic congruence with respect to which a parallel frame can be chosen. Examples of solutions in the former class are pseudo-hyper-Kahler manifolds; and examples in the latter class include self-dual solutions, as well as a neutral-signature IWP-type solution., Comment: 23 pages, latex. References added to section 1

We review the remarkable progress that has been made the last 15 years towards the classification of supersymmetric solutions with emphasis on the description of the bilinears and spinorial geometry methods. We describe in detail the geometry of backgrounds of key supergravity theories, which have applications in the context of black holes, string theory, M-theory and the AdS/CFT correspondence unveiling a plethora of existence and uniqueness theorems. Some other aspects of supersymmetric solutions like the Killing superalgebras and the homogeneity theorem are also presented, and the non-existence theorem for certain smooth supergravity flux compactifications is outlined. Amongst the applications described is the proof of the emergence of conformal symmetry near black hole horizons and the classification of warped AdS backgrounds that preserve more than 16 supersymmetries., Comment: Review, 174 pages. v2: Minor changes, references added

The techniques of spinorial geometry are used to classify solutions admitting Killing spinors in the theory of minimal anti-de Sitter $N=2$, $D=4$ supergravity, where the gauge kinetic term comes with the opposite sign. There are four classes of solutions. One class is described by metrics corresponding to gravitational waves propagating on $AdS_2\times H^2$. The second class of solution is a new solution corresponding to a special limiting case of the Killing spinor. The third class of solution corresponds to fibrations over a Lorentzian three dimensional manifold which has a Lorentzian Gauduchon-Tod structure. The fourth class of solution is a cosmological extension of a Majumdar-Papapetrou type solution, described by a function satisfying the wave equation on $\mathbb{R}^{2,1}$ ., Comment: Minor typo corrected, reference added. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:0903.0179

We identify all symmetry superalgebras $\mathfrak{g}$ of near horizon geometries of black holes with a Killing horizon, assuming the solution is smooth and that the spatial cross section of the event horizon is compact without boundary. This includes all warped AdS$_2$ backgrounds with the most general allowed fluxes in 10- and 11-dimensional supergravities. If the index of a particular Dirac operator vanishes, we find that the even symmetry subalgebra decomposes as $\mathfrak{g}_0=\mathfrak{sl}(2,\mathbb{R})\oplus \mathfrak{t}_0$, where $\mathfrak{t}_0/\mathfrak{c}$ is the Lie algebra of a group that acts transitively and effectively on spheres, and $\mathfrak{c}$ is the center of $\mathfrak{g}$. If the Dirac operator index does not vanish, then the symmetry superalgebra is nilpotent with one even generator. We also demonstrate that there are no near horizon geometries, and also therefore no warped AdS$_2$ backgrounds, in 10- and 11-dimensions that preserve more than 16 supersymmetries., Comment: 20 pages latex

We present all the symmetry superalgebras $\mathfrak{g}$ of all warped AdS$_k\times_w M^{d-k}$, $k>2$, flux backgrounds in $d=10, 11$ dimensions preserving any number of supersymmetries. First we give the conditions for $\mathfrak{g}$ to decompose into a direct sum of the isometry algebra of AdS$_k$ and that of the internal space $M^{d-k}$. Assuming this decomposition, we identify all symmetry superalgebras of AdS$_3$ backgrounds by showing that the isometry groups of internal spaces act transitively on spheres. We demonstrate that in type II and $d=11$ theories the AdS$_3$ symmetry superalgebras may not be simple and also present all symmetry superalgebras of heterotic AdS$_3$ backgrounds. Furthermore, we explicitly give the symmetry superalgebras of AdS$_k$, $k>3$, backgrounds and prove that they are all classical., Comment: 41 pages, latex

The Ryu-Takayanagi prescription reduces the problem of calculating entanglement entropy in CFTs to the determination of minimal surfaces in a dual anti-de Sitter geometry. For 3D gravity theories and BTZ black holes, we identify the minimal surfaces as special Lagrangian cycles calibrated by the real part of the holomorphic one-form of a spacelike hypersurface. We show that (generalised) calibrations provide a unified way to determine holographic entanglement entropy from minimal surfaces, which is applicable to warped AdS$_3$ geometries. We briefly discuss generalisations to higher dimensions., Comment: v1 22 pages, 1 figure; v2 appendix improved and moved into the body to show the application of calibrations to find minimal surfaces in warped AdS, matches published version

We prove a non-existence theorem for smooth, supersymmetric, warped AdS6 solutions with connected, compact without boundary internal space in D=11 and (massive) IIA supergravities. In IIB supergravity we show that if such AdS6 solutions exist, then the NSNS and RR 3-form fluxes must be linearly independent and certain spinor bi-linears must be appropriately restricted. Moreover we demonstrate that the internal space admits an so(3) action which leaves all the fields invariant and for smooth solutions the principal orbits must have co-dimension two. We also describe the topology and geometry of internal spaces that admit such a so(3) action and show that there are no solutions for which the internal space has topology F * S^2, where F is an oriented surface., Comment: 26 pages, latex

We investigate deformations of extremal near-horizon geometries in Einstein-Maxwell-Dilaton theory, including various topological terms, and also in D=11 supergravity. By linearizing the field equations and Bianchi identities over the compact spatial cross-sections of the near-horizon geometry, we prove that the moduli associated with such deformations are constrained by elliptic systems of PDEs. The moduli space of deformations of near-horizon geometries in these theories is therefore shown to be finite dimensional., Comment: Some minor errors in linearized field equations in sections 3 and 4 corrected, with no change to results. Other minor typos removed. 21 pages, latex

We construct Nernst brane solutions, that is black branes with zero entropy density in the extremal limit, of FI-gauged minimal five-dimensional supergravity coupled to an arbitrary number of vector multiplets. While the scalars take specific constant values and dynamically determine the value of the cosmological constant in terms of the FI-parameters, the metric takes the form of a boosted AdS Schwarzschild black brane. This metric can be brought to the Carter-Novotny-Horsky form that has previously been observed to occur in certain limits of boosted D3-branes. By dimensional reduction to four dimensions we recover the four-dimensional Nernst branes of arXiv:1501.07863 and show how the five-dimensional lift resolves all their UV singularities. The dynamics of the compactification circle, which expands both in the UV and in the IR, plays a crucial role. At asymptotic infinity, the curvature singularity of the four-dimensional metric and the run-away behaviour of the four-dimensional scalar combine in such a way that the lifted solution becomes asymptotic to AdS5. Moreover, the existence of a finite chemical potential in four dimensions is related to fact that the compactification circle has a finite minimal value. While it is not clear immediately how to embed our solutions into string theory, we argue that the same type of dictionary as proposed for boosted D3-branes should apply, although with a lower amount of supersymmetry., Comment: 59 pages, 1 figure. Revised version: references added, typos corrected. Final version, accepted by JHEP: two references added

We show that all smooth Killing horizons with compact horizon sections of 4-dimensional gauged N=2 supergravity coupled to any number of vector multiplets preserve $2 c_1({\cal K})+4 \ell$ supersymmetries, where ${\cal K}$ is a pull-back of the Hodge bundle of the special K\"ahler manifold on the horizon spatial section. We also demonstrate that all such horizons with $c_1({\cal K})=0$ exhibit an SL(2,R) symmetry and preserve either 4 or 8 supersymmetries. If the orbits of the SL(2,R) symmetry are 2-dimensional, the horizons are warped products of AdS2 with the horizon spatial section. Otherwise, the horizon section admits an isometry which preserves all the fields. The proof of these results is centered on the use of index theorem in conjunction with an appropriate generalization of the Lichnerowicz theorem for horizons that preserve at least one supersymmetry. In all $c_1({\cal K})=0$ cases, we specify the local geometry of spatial horizon sections and demonstrate that the solutions are determined by first order non-linear ordinary differential equations on some of the fields., Comment: 60 pages, latex

We test the robustness of the conditions required for the existence of (supersymmetric) warped flux anti-de Sitter, de Sitter, and Minkowski backgrounds in supergravity theories using as examples suitable foliations of anti-de Sitter spaces. We find that there are supersymmetric de Sitter solutions in supergravity theories including maximally supersymmetric ones in 10- and 11-dimensional supergravities. Moreover, warped flux Minkowski backgrounds can admit Killing spinors which are not Killing on the Minkowski subspace and therefore cannot be put in a factorized form., Comment: 12 pages, latex

We consider supersymmetric near-horizon geometries in heterotic supergravity up to two loop order in sigma model perturbation theory. We identify the conditions for the horizons to admit enhancement of supersymmetry. We show that solutions which undergo supersymmetry enhancement exhibit an sl(2,R) symmetry, and we describe the geometry of their horizon sections. We also prove a modified Lichnerowicz type theorem, incorporating $\alpha'$ corrections, which relates Killing spinors to zero modes of near-horizon Dirac operators. Furthermore, we demonstrate that there are no AdS2 solutions in heterotic supergravity up to second order in $\alpha'$ for which the fields are smooth and the internal space is smooth and compact without boundary. We investigate a class of nearly supersymmetric horizons, for which the gravitino Killing spinor equation is satisfied on the spatial cross sections but not the dilatino one, and present a description of their geometry., Comment: 55 pages, latex. Minor changes to Appendix C

We prove a non-existence theorem for smooth AdS5 solutions with connected, compact without boundary internal space that preserve strictly 24 supersymmetries. In particular, we show that D=11 supergravity does not admit such solutions, and that all such solutions of IIB supergravity are locally isometric to the AdS_5 * S^5 maximally supersymmetric background. Furthermore, we prove that (massive) IIA supergravity also does not admit such solutions, provided that the homogeneity conjecture for massive IIA supergravity is valid. In the context of AdS/CFT these results imply that if strictly N=3 superconformal theories in 4-dimensions exist, their gravitational dual backgrounds are either singular or their internal spaces are not compact., Comment: 21 pages, latex

We classify the geometries of the most general warped, flux AdS backgrounds of heterotic supergravity up to two loop order in sigma model perturbation theory. We show under some mild assumptions that there are no $AdS_n$ backgrounds with $n\not=3$. Moreover the warp factor of AdS$_3$ backgrounds is constant, the geometry is a product $AdS_3\times M^7$ and such solutions preserve, 2, 4, 6 and 8 supersymmetries. The geometry of $M^7$ has been specified in all cases. For 2 supersymmetries, it has been found that $M^7$ admits a suitably restricted $G_2$ structure. For 4 supersymmetries, $M^7$ has an $SU(3)$ structure and can be described locally as a circle fibration over a 6-dimensional KT manifold. For 6 and 8 supersymmetries, $M^7$ has an $SU(2)$ structure and can be described locally as a $S^3$ fibration over a 4-dimensional manifold which either has an anti-self dual Weyl tensor or a hyper-K\"ahler structure, respectively. We also demonstrate a new Lichnerowicz type theorem in the presence of $\alpha'$ corrections., Comment: 34 pages. Reference added

We identify the fractions of supersymmetry preserved by the most general warped flux AdS and flat backgrounds in both massive and standard IIA supergravities. We find that $AdS_n\times_w M^{10-n}$ preserve $2^{[{n\over2}]} k$ for $n\leq 4$ and $2^{[{n\over2}]+1} k$ for $40}$. In addition we show that, for suitably restricted fields and $M^{10-n}$, the killing spinors of AdS backgrounds are given in terms of the zero modes of Dirac like operators on $M^{10-n}$. This generalizes the Lichnerowicz theorem for connections whose holonomy is included in a general linear group. We also adapt our results to $\bR^{1,n-1}\times_w M^{10-n}$ backgrounds which underpin flux compactifications to $\bR^{1,n-1}$ and show that these preserve $2^{[{n\over2}]} k$ for $2

We prove that Killing horizons in massive IIA supergravity preserve an even number of supersymmetries, and that their symmetry algebra contains an $\mathfrak{sl}(2, R)$ subalgebra, confirming the conjecture of [5]. We also prove a new class of Lichnerowicz type theorems for connections of the spin bundle whose holonomy is contained in a general linear group., Comment: 21 pages. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1409.6303

We present a systematic description of all warped $AdS_n\times_w M^{10-n}$ and ${\mathbb{R}}^{n-1,1}\times_w M^{10-n}$ IIB backgrounds and identify the a priori number of supersymmetries $N$ preserved by these solutions. In particular, we find that the $AdS_n$ backgrounds preserve $N=2^{[{n\over2}]} k$ for $n\leq 4$ and $N=2^{[{n\over2}]+1} k$ for $4

We show that smooth type IIA Killing horizons with compact spatial sections preserve an even number of supersymmetries, and that the symmetry algebra of horizons with non-trivial fluxes includes an sl(2,R) subalgebra. This confirms the conjecture of [1] for type IIA horizons. As an intermediate step in the proof, we also demonstrate new Lichnerowicz type theorems for spin bundle connections whose holonomy is contained in a general linear group., Comment: 26 pages

We give a systematic description of all warped $AdS_n$ and ${\mathbb{R}}^{n-1,1}$ backgrounds of M-theory and identify the a priori number of supersymmetries that these backgrounds preserve. In particular, we show that $AdS_n$ backgrounds preserve $N= 2^{[{n\over2}]} k$ for $n\leq4$ and $N= 2^{[{n\over2}]+1} k$ for $4

We show that the number of supersymmetries of IIB black hole horizons is N=2 N_- + 2 index(D_\lambda), where index(D_\lambda) is the index of the Dirac operator twisted with the line bundle \lambda^{1/2} of IIB scalars, and N_- is the dimension of the kernel of a horizon Dirac operator which depends on IIB fluxes. Therefore, all IIB horizons preserve an even number of supersymmetries. In addition if the horizons have non-trivial fluxes and N_- is nonzero, then index(D_\lambda) is non-negative, and the horizons admit an sl(2,R) symmetry subalgebra. This provides evidence that all such horizons have an AdS/CFT dual. Furthermore if the orbits of sl(2,R) are two-dimensional, the IIB horizons are warped products AdS_2 X S., Comment: 37 pages, latex

It has been proven in arXiv:1303.0853 that all regular supersymmetric near-horizon geometries in minimal five-dimensional gauged supergravity admit automatic supersymmetry enhancement. Using this result, the integrability conditions associated with the existence of the additional supersymmetry are analysed, and the near-horizon geometries are determined explicitly. We show that they all correspond to previously constructed examples. Hence, there are no supersymmetric black ring solutions in minimal five-dimensional gauged supergravity., Comment: 16 pages, latex

We solve the Killing spinor equations for all near-horizon IIB geometries which preserve at least one supersymmetry. We show that generic horizon sections are 8-dimensional almost Hermitian spin${}_c$ manifolds. Special cases include horizon sections with a $Spin(7)$ structure and those for which the Killing spinor is pure. We also explain how the common sector horizons and the horizons with only 5-form flux are included in our general analysis. We investigate several special cases mainly focusing on the horizons with constant scalars admitting a pure Killing spinor and find that some of these exhibit a generalization of the 2-SCYT condition that arises in the horizons with 5-form fluxes only. We use this to construct new examples of near-horizon geometries with both 3-form and 5-form fluxes., Comment: 27 pages

We show that near-horizon geometries of 11-dimensional supergravity preserve an even number of supersymmetries. The proof follows from Lichnerowicz type theorems for two horizon Dirac operators, the field equations and Bianchi identities, and the vanishing of the index of a Dirac operator on the 9-dimensional horizon sections. As a consequence of this, we also prove that all M-horizons with non-vanishing fluxes admit a sl(2,R) subalgebra of symmetries., Comment: Minor typos corrected. 22 pages, latex. Repeats equations and descriptions from arXiv:1207.7086

We prove that the near-horizon geometries of minimal gauged five-dimensional supergravity preserve at least half of the supersymmetry. If the near-horizon geometries preserve a larger fraction, then they are locally isometric to $AdS_5$. Our proof is based on Lichnerowicz type theorems for two horizon Dirac operators constructed from the supercovariant connection restricted to the horizon sections, and on an application of the index theorem. An application is that all half-supersymmetric five-dimensional horizons admit an $\mathfrak{sl}(2, {\mathbb{R}})$ symmetry subalgebra., Comment: Section 7, on the sl(2,R) symmetry, has been added. 23 pages, latex, uses jheppub.sty

We give a complete classification of supersymmetric gravitational instantons in Euclidean N=2 supergravity coupled to vector multiplets. An interesting class of solutions is found which corresponds to the Euclidean analogue of stationary black hole solutions of N=2 supergravity theories., Comment: 17 pages, latex. Typos corrected and references updated

We solve the Killing spinor equations and determine the near horizon geometries of M-theory that preserve at least one supersymmetry. The M-horizon spatial sections are 9-dimensional manifolds with a Spin(7) structure restricted by geometric constraints which we give explicitly. We also provide an alternative characterization of the solutions of the Killing spinor equation, utilizing the compactness of the horizon section and the field equations, by proving a Lichnerowicz type of theorem which implies that the zero modes of a Dirac operator coupled to 4-form fluxes are Killing spinors. We use this, and the maximum principle, to solve the field equations of the theory for some special cases and present some examples., Comment: 36 pages, latex. Reference added, minor typos corrected

We utilize the classification of IIB horizons with 5-form flux to present a unified description for the geometry of AdS_n, n=3,5,7 solutions. In particular, we show that all such backgrounds can be constructed from 8-dimensional 2-strong Calabi-Yau geometries with torsion which admit some additional isometries. We explore the geometry of AdS_3 and AdS_5 solutions but we do not find AdS_7 solutions., Comment: 20 pages, latex

All near horizon geometries of supersymmetric black holes in a N=2, D=5 higher-derivative supergravity theory are classified. Depending on the choice of near-horizon data we find that either there are no regular horizons, or horizons exist and the spatial cross-sections of the event horizons are conformal to a squashed or round S^3, S^1 * S^2, or T^3. If the conformal factor is constant then the solutions are maximally supersymmetric. If the conformal factor is not constant, we find that it satisfies a non-linear vortex equation, and the horizon may admit scalar hair., Comment: 21 pages, latex. Typos corrected and reference added

We determine the geometry of all static black hole horizons of M-theory preserving at least one supersymmetry. We demonstrate that all such horizons are either warped products R^{1,1} *_w S or AdS_2 *_w S, where S admits an appropriate Spin(7) or SU(4) structure respectively; and we derive the conditions imposed by supersymmetry on these structures. We show that for electric static horizons with Spin(7) structure, the near horizon geometry is a product R^{1,1} * S, where S is a compact Spin(7) holonomy manifold. For electric static solutions with SU(4) structure, we show that the horizon section S is a circle fibration over an 8-dimensional Kahler manifold which satisfies an additional condition involving the Ricci scalar and the length of the Ricci tensor. Solutions include AdS_2 * S^3 * CY_6 as well as many others constructed from taking the 8-dimensional Kahler manifold to be a product of Kahler-Einstein and Calabi-Yau spaces., Comment: 15 pages, latex. Section 5 has been added, containing additional details of the analysis of static solutions; typos corrected and references added

We classify under some assumptions the IIB black hole horizons with 5-form flux preserving more than 2 supersymmetries. We find that the spatial horizon sections with non-vanishing flux preserving 4 supersymmetries are locally isometric either to S^1 * S^3 * T^4 or to S^1 * S^3 * K_3 and the associated near horizon geometries are locally isometric to AdS_3 * S^3 * T^4 and AdS_3 * S^3 * K_3$, respectively. The near horizon geometries preserving more than 4 supersymmetries are locally isometric to R^{1,1} * T^8., Comment: 16 pages, latex. Minor typos corrected

We investigate the near horizon geometry of IIB supergravity black holes with non-vanishing 5-form flux preserving at least two supersymmetries. We demonstrate that there are three classes of solutions distinguished by the choice of Killing spinors. We find that the spatial horizon sections of the class of solutions with an SU(4) invariant pure Killing spinor are hermitian manifolds and admit a hidden Kahler with torsion (KT) geometry compatible with the SU(4) structure. Moreover the Bianchi identity of the 5-form, which also implies the field equations, can be expressed in terms of the torsion H as d(\omega\wedge H)=\partial\bar\partial \omega^2=0, where omega is a Hermitian form. We give several examples of near horizon geometries which include group manifolds, group fibrations over KT manifolds and uplifted geometries of lower dimensional black holes. Furthermore, we show that the class of solutions associated with a Spin(7) invariant spinor is locally a product R^{1,1} x S, where S is a holonomy Spin(7) manifold., Comment: 32 pages, latex. Minor corrections to section 5

We classify all pseudo-supersymmetric near horizon geometries of extremal black holes in five dimensional de-Sitter supergravity coupled to vector multiplets. We find that there are three types of solution. The first type corresponds to the near-horizon geometry of extremal de Sitter BMPV black holes, and the spatial cross-section of the horizon is topologically S^3. The other two solutions cannot be embedded into the minimal de-Sitter supergravity theory, and correspond to near-horizon geometries for which the spatial cross-sections of the horizon are T^3 or S^1 * S^2., Comment: 20 pages, latex. Minor typos corrected

We construct new supersymmetric solutions to the Euclidean Einstein-Maxwell theory with a non-vanishing cosmological constant, and for which the Maxwell field strength is neither self-dual or anti-self-dual. We find that there are three classes of solutions, depending on the sign of the Maxwell field strength and cosmological constant terms in the Einstein equations which arise from the integrability conditions of the Killing spinor equation. The first class is a Euclidean version of a Lorentzian supersymmetric solution found in arXiv:0804.0009, hep-th/0406238 . The second class is constructed from a three dimensional base space which admits a hyper-CR Einstein-Weyl structure. The third class is the Euclidean Kastor-Traschen solution., Comment: 15 pages, latex. Minor alterations to section 4

Supersymmetric instanton solutions in four dimensional Euclidean ungauged Einstein-Maxwell theory are analysed and classified according to the fraction of supersymmetry they preserve, using spinorial geometry techniques., Comment: 10 pages, latex

All supersymmetric N=1, D=4 supergravity horizons have toroidal or spherical topology, irrespective of whether the black hole preserves any supersymmetry., Comment: 17 pages, latex. Alterations to introduction and section 3.3

Heterotic horizons preserving 4 supersymmetries have sections which are T^2 fibrations over 6-dimensional conformally balanced Hermitian manifolds. We give new examples of horizons with sections S^3 X S^3 X T^2 and SU(3). We then examine the heterotic horizons which are T^4 fibrations over a Kahler 4-dimensional manifold. We prove that the solutions depend on 6 functions which are determined by a non-linear differential system of 6 equations that include the Monge-Ampere equation. We show that this system has an explicit solution for the Kahler manifold S^2 X S^2. We also demonstrate that there is an associated cohomological system which has solutions on del Pezzo surfaces. We raise the question of whether for every solution of the cohomological problem there is a solution of the differential system, and so a new heterotic horizon. The horizon sections have topologies which include ((k-1) S^2 X S^4 # k (S^3 X S^3)) X T^2$ indicating the existence of exotic black holes. We also find an example of a horizon section which gives rise to two different near horizon geometries., Comment: 33 pages, latex. Reference added

We classify all pseudo-supersymmetric extremal near-horizon geometries in minimal five-dimensional de-Sitter supergravity. It is shown that the only such near-horizon geometry is the near-horizon geometry of the de-Sitter BMPV solution, and hence there are no regular extremal pseudo-supersymmetric asymptotically de-Sitter black rings., Comment: 26 pages, latex. Minor typos in equations (4.16) and (6.12) corrected

We show that all M-theory backgrounds which admit more than 29 Killing spinors are maximally supersymmetric. In particular, we find that the supercovariant curvature of all backgrounds which preserve 30 supersymmetries, subject to field equations and Bianchi identities, vanishes, and that there are no such solutions which arise as discrete quotients of maximally supersymmetric backgrounds., Comment: 37 pages, latex. Minor changes.