Bubbling Orientifolds

TL;DR

This paper explores 1/2-BPS bubbling geometries linked to orientifolds in type IIB string theory, connecting these geometries to free fermions and potential flux compactification scenarios.

Contribution

It introduces a new class of bubbling geometries associated with orientifolds and relates them to free fermion models, extending understanding of supersymmetric solutions.

Findings

Identified geometries correspond to free fermions in a harmonic oscillator potential.

Branes on torsion cycles are characterized within the fermion fluid framework.

Potential applications in flux compactifications with orientifold planes.

Abstract

We investigate a class of 1/2-BPS bubbling geometries associated to orientifolds of type IIB string theory and thereby to excited states of the SO(N)/Sp(N) N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. The geometries are in correspondence with free fermions moving in a harmonic oscillator potential on the half-line. Branes wrapped on torsion cycles of these geometries are identified in the fermi fluid description. Besides being of intrinsic interest, these solutions may also occur as local geometries in flux compactifications where orientifold planes are present to ensure global charge cancellation. We comment on the extension of this procedure to M-theory orientifolds.