The Dark Side of String Theory: Black Holes and Black Strings

Black holes are the hydrogen atoms of quantum gravity. For instance solving the information loss paradox will likely require a deep understanding of how the long-sought quantum gravity theory works. In this thesis we explore how black holes are modelled and how the quantum structure emerges in the context of string theory. We will mainly limit to four dimensional supersymmetric solutions, considering black holes microstates from three different viewpoints: intersecting string...

We study general properties of the classical solutions in non-polynomial closed string field theory and their relationship with two dimensional conformal field theories. In particular we discuss how different conformal field theories which are related by marginal or nearly marginal deformations can be regarded as different classical solutions of some underlying string field theory. We also discuss construction of a classical solution labelled by infinite number of parameters ...

We give an elementary introduction to black holes in supergravity and string theory. The focus is on BPS solutions in four- and higher-dimensional supergravity and string theory. Basic ideas and techniques are explained in detail, including exercises with solutions.

The resolution of black hole singularities represents an essential problem in the realm of quantum gravity. Due to the Belinskii, Khalatnikov and Lifshitz (BKL) proposal, the structure of the black hole interior in vacuum Einstein's equations can be described by the Kasner universe, which possesses the $O\left(d,d\right)$ symmetry. It motivates us to use the anisotropic Hohm-Zwiebach action, known as the string effective action with all orders $\alpha^{\prime}$ corrections fo...

String theory properly describes black-hole evaporation. The quantum string emission by Black Holes is computed. The black-hole temperature is the Hawking temperature in the semiclassical quantum field theory (QFT) regime and becomes the intrinsic string temperature, T_s, in the quantum (last stage) string regime. The QFT-Hawking temperature T_H is upper bounded by the string temperature T_S. The black hole emission spectrum is an incomplete gamma function of (T_H - T_S). For...

Introductory lectures on classical and quantum string black holes (supergravity, branes and dualities) given at the VII School "La Hechicera" of Relativity, Fields and Astrophysics, held in the University of Los Andes, Merida (Venezuela) 2001. Fully in Spanish.

We give some examples in which neglecting the interactions between particles or truncating the description of a black hole to the spherically symmetric mode leads to unphysical results. The restoration of the interactions and higher angular momentum modes resolves these problems. It is argued that mathematical consistency of the description of black holes in the Schwarzschild coordinate system requires that we neither truncate the theory nor ignore the interactions. We presen...

Recent progress on string theory in curved spacetimes is reviewed. The string dynamics in cosmological and black hole spacetimes is investigated.The methods to solve the string equations of motion in curved spacetimes are described.That is, the perturbation approach, the null approach, the $\tau$-expansion, and the construction of global solutions.The behaviour of strings in FRW and inflatio- nary spacetimes is obtained from the various types of string solutions. Three differ...

Supersymmetric solutions of supergravity have been of particular importance in the advances of string theory. This article reviews the current status of black hole solutions in higher-dimensional supergravity theories. We discuss primarily the gravitational aspects of supersymmetric black holes and their relatives in various dimensions. Supersymmetric solutions and their systematic derivation are reviewed with prime examples. We also study the stationary or dynamically inters...

A black hole solution to three dimensional general relativity with a negative cosmological constant has recently been found. We show that a slight modification of this solution yields an exact solution to string theory. This black hole is equivalent (under duality) to the previously discussed three dimensional black string solution. Since the black string is asymptotically flat and the black hole is asymptotically anti-de Sitter, this suggests that strings are not affected by...