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Continuous distributions of D3-branes and gauged supergravity

D. Z. Freedman, S. S. Gubser, K. Pilch, N. P. Warner

TL;DR

The paper investigates Coulomb-branch states of N=4 SYM through five-dimensional gauged supergravity, showing that these states correspond to consistent truncations from type IIB supergravity and can be realized as continuous distributions of D3-branes. It identifies five universality classes of supersymmetric flows, each linked to a specific n-dimensional ball distribution and corresponding ten-dimensional uplifts, and analyzes two-point functions and Wilson loops in these backgrounds. The results reveal a mass gap and screening phenomena in the supergravity regime, in contrast to naive weak-coupling expectations, and motivate an interpretation in terms of brane ensembles and potential double-trace deformations. The discussion weighs possible resolutions, including halo-like transitions and ensemble effects, highlighting how the gravity construction challenges straightforward gauge-theory intuition on confinement and mass scales on the Coulomb branch.

Abstract

States on the Coulomb branch of N=4 super-Yang-Mills theory are studied from the point of view of gauged supergravity in five dimensions. These supersymmetric solutions provide examples of consistent truncation from type IIB supergravity in ten dimensions. A mass gap for states created by local operators and perfect screening for external quarks arise in the supergravity approximation. We offer an interpretation of these surprising features in terms of ensembles of brane distributions.

Continuous distributions of D3-branes and gauged supergravity

TL;DR

The paper investigates Coulomb-branch states of N=4 SYM through five-dimensional gauged supergravity, showing that these states correspond to consistent truncations from type IIB supergravity and can be realized as continuous distributions of D3-branes. It identifies five universality classes of supersymmetric flows, each linked to a specific n-dimensional ball distribution and corresponding ten-dimensional uplifts, and analyzes two-point functions and Wilson loops in these backgrounds. The results reveal a mass gap and screening phenomena in the supergravity regime, in contrast to naive weak-coupling expectations, and motivate an interpretation in terms of brane ensembles and potential double-trace deformations. The discussion weighs possible resolutions, including halo-like transitions and ensemble effects, highlighting how the gravity construction challenges straightforward gauge-theory intuition on confinement and mass scales on the Coulomb branch.

Abstract

States on the Coulomb branch of N=4 super-Yang-Mills theory are studied from the point of view of gauged supergravity in five dimensions. These supersymmetric solutions provide examples of consistent truncation from type IIB supergravity in ten dimensions. A mass gap for states created by local operators and perfect screening for external quarks arise in the supergravity approximation. We offer an interpretation of these surprising features in terms of ensembles of brane distributions.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 5 sections, 36 equations, 2 figures, 2 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Supergravity solutions
  3. A two-point function
  4. Wilson loops
  5. Discussion

Figures (2)

  • Figure 1: The various behaviors for $V(z)$ far from the boundary of $AdS_5$: a) Vanishes; b) Asymptotes to a finite value; c) Increases without bound; d) Decreases without bound.
  • Figure 2: Self-consistent treatment of leading order color-independent corrections to masses of the scalar $X_i$. The shaded circle indicates the full dressed propagator, and $a$ and $b$ are color indices. The operator $({\cal O}_{20'})^2$ is represented as a dotted line connecting the two ${\cal O}_{20'}$ insertions. The $\pm$ sign is chosen according as ${\cal O}_{20'}$ includes a positive or negative mass term for $X_i$.