World-Volume Description of M2-branes Ending on an M5-brane and Holography

TL;DR

This paper explores the world-volume description of M2-branes ending on M5-branes, demonstrating a holographic duality between a solitonic M5-brane solution and an effective string theory in six dimensions, with implications for non-gravitational holography.

Contribution

It establishes a holographic duality for M2-M5 brane systems through a detailed analysis of their world-volume descriptions and scalar scattering amplitudes.

Findings

Scalar scattering amplitudes are similar in both descriptions.

The soliton solution has a horizon-like throat region.

A decoupling limit supports a holographic duality without gravity.

Abstract

We consider world-volume description of M2-branes ending on an M5-brane. The system can be described either as a solitonic solution of the M5-brane field equations or in terms of an effective string propagating in 6-dimensions. We show that the zeroth order scalar scattering amplitudes behave similarly in both pictures. The soliton solution appears to have a horizon-like throat region. Due to the underlying geometric structure of the M5-brane theory, modes propagating near the horizon are subject to a large red-shift. This allows one to define a decoupling limit and implies a holographic duality between two theories which do not contain dynamical gravity.