Thermodynamics of black M-branes from SCFTs

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the thermodynamics of multiple M-branes using SCFTs, deriving free energies that match supergravity predictions, thus providing insights into the field theory descriptions of M2 and M5-branes.

Contribution

It derives the thermodynamic free energies of M2 and M5-branes from SCFTs, aligning field theory results with supergravity predictions, and offers a potential understanding of M5-brane field theories.

Findings

Free energy of ABJM theory ~N^{3/2}k^{1/2}T^3 matches supergravity.

Estimated free energy of M5-branes ~N^3T^6 aligns with supergravity.

Field theory analysis supports the low energy description of multiple M-branes.

Abstract

We discuss thermodynamics of N M2-branes at strong coupling from the ABJM theory by employing the Smilga-Wiseman method, which explains the black Dp-brane thermodynamics from the maximally supersymmetric U(N) Yang-Mills theories through a field theory analysis. As a result we obtain the free energy of the ABJM theory ~N^{3/2}k^{1/2}T^3, which is consistent with the prediction from eleven-dimensional supergravity. We also estimate the free energy of N M5-branes by assuming some natural properties of the 6d superconformal field theory. Remarkably we obtain the free energy ~N^3T^6, which is consistent again with the supergravity prediction. This result might illuminate the low energy field theory description of the multiple M5-branes.