D-Brane Potentials from Multi-Trace Deformations in AdS/CFT

TL;DR

This paper explores how certain AdS boundary conditions lead to cosmological singularities, using dual field theories with multi-trace potentials and D-brane interpretations to understand the dynamics of big crunch scenarios.

Contribution

It provides a D-brane and M-brane interpretation of unbounded multi-trace potentials in AdS/CFT, linking boundary conditions to brane dynamics and cosmological singularities.

Findings

Spherical branes are driven to the AdS boundary in finite time.

The brane potential matches the dual field theory's multi-trace deformation.

Expanding D3-branes relate to big crunch solutions via geometric transition.

Abstract

It is known that certain AdS boundary conditions allow smooth initial data to evolve into a big crunch. To study this type of cosmological singularity, one can use the dual quantum field theory, where the non-standard boundary conditions are reflected by the presence of a multi-trace potential unbounded below. For specific AdS_4 and AdS_5 models, we provide a D-brane (or M-brane) interpretation of the unbounded potential. Using probe brane computations, we show that the AdS boundary conditions of interest cause spherical branes to be pushed to the boundary of AdS in finite time, and that the corresponding potential agrees with the multi-trace deformation of the dual field theory. Systems with expanding spherical D3-branes are related to big crunch supergravity solutions by a phenomenon similar to geometric transition.