N=8 SCFT and M Theory on AdS_4 x RP^7

We review the basic structure of the higher spin extension of D=4, N=8 AdS supergravity. The theory is obtained by gauging the higher spin superalgebra shs^E(8|4) by a procedure pioneered by Vasiliev. The algebra shs^E(8|4) is a subalgebra of the enveloping algebra of OSp(8|4). The physical states of the theory are in one to one correspondence with the symmetric product of two OSp(8|4) singletons. This singleton theory, which may be viewed in a certain limit as the supermembr...

We start from the classical action describing a single M2-brane on AdS_4 x S^7/ Z_k and consider semiclassical fluctuaitions around a static, 1/2 BPS configuration whose shape is AdS_2 x S^1. The internal manifold S^7/ Z_k is described as a U(1) fibration over CP^3 and the static configuration is wrapped on the U(1) fiber. Then the configuration is reduced to an AdS_2 world-sheet of type IIA string on AdS_4 x CP^3 through the Kaluza-Klein reduction on the S^1. It is shown tha...

Utilizing AdS/CFT correspondence in M-theory, an example of interacting d=3 conformal field theories and renormalization group flow between them is presented. Near-horizon geometry of N coincident M2-branes located on a conical singularity on eight-dimensional hyperk\"ahler manifold or manifold with Spin(7) holonomy is, in large-N limit, AdS4*X7, where X7 is seven-sphere with squashing. Deformation from round $\S_7$ to squashed one is known to lead to spontaneous breaking of ...

In a recent paper, Polchinski and Strassler found a string theory dual of a gauge theory with reduced supersymmetry. Motivated by their approach, we perturb the $\N=8$ theory living on a set of N M2 branes to $\N=2$, by adding fermion mass terms. We obtain M-theory duals corresponding to M2 branes polarized into M5 branes, in $AdS_4 \times S_7$. In the course of doing this we come across an interesting feature of the M5 brane action, which we comment on. Depending on the ferm...

We consider M-theory on AdS_4 x N^{0,1,0} where N^{0,1,0}= (SU(3) x SU(2))/(SU(2) x U(1)). We review a Penrose limit of AdS_4 x N^{0,1,0} that provides the pp-wave geometry of AdS_4 x S^7. There exists a subsector of three dimensional N=3 dual gauge theory, by taking both the conformal dimension and R-charge large with the finiteness of their difference, which has enhanced N=8 maximal supersymmetry. We identify operators in the N=3 gauge theory with supergravity KK excitation...

We study supersymmetric $AdS_3\times M^4$ solutions of $N=2$ gauged supergravity in seven dimensions coupled to three vector multiplets with $SO(4)\sim SO(3)\times SO(3)$ gauge group and $M^4$ being a four-manifold with constant curvature. The gauged supergravity admits two supersymmetric $AdS_7$ critical points with $SO(4)$ and $SO(3)$ symmetries corresponding to $N=(1,0)$ superconformal field theories (SCFTs) in six dimensions. For $M^4=\Sigma^2\times\Sigma^2$ with $\Sigma^...

We consider D3 branes world-volume theories substaining $N=1,2$ superconformal field theories. Under the assumption that these theories are dual to $N=2,4$ supergravities in $AdS_5$, we explore the general structure of the latter and discuss some issues when comparing the bulk theory to the boundary singleton theory.

We study the supergravity dual of four-dimensional ${\mathcal{N}=1}$ superconformal field theories arising from wrapping M5-branes on a K\"ahler two-cycle inside a Calabi-Yau threefold. We derive an effective three-dimensional theory living on the cobordism between the infrared and ultraviolet Riemann surfaces, describing the renormalization group flows between AdS$_7$ and AdS$_{5}$ as well as between different AdS$_{5}$ fixed points. The realization of this system as an effe...

We consider a few ansatzs for the four and seven forms of 11-dimensional supergravity over AdS_4 x S^7/Z_k while try to keep the geometry unchanged. From the 4-form equations, we arrive at some massless scalars and pseudoscalars in the bulk of Euclidean AdS_4 that match with some boundary $\Delta_+$=3 operators. Indeed, the main objects are instantons and domain walls as the fully and partially localized objects in the external space, respectively. The latter comes from an (a...

In this letter we describe an infinite family of new N=1 AdS_5/CFT_4 dual pairs which arise from M5-branes wrapping Riemann surfaces in Calabi-Yau threefolds. We use the relevant brane constructions to compute the central charges of the infrared fixed points from the M5-brane anomaly polynomial. We then present AdS_5 x M_6 solutions of eleven-dimensional supergravity which are dual to these CFTs at large N. Finally, we provide a purely four-dimensional field theory constructi...