Torons and black hole entropy

TL;DR

This paper explores the microscopic origin of black hole entropy in a supersymmetric D-5-brane system, linking supergravity solutions with gauge theory and Landau degeneracy, achieving agreement with the entropy formula.

Contribution

It demonstrates that black hole entropy can be explained via Landau degeneracy of open strings and torons in a twisted super Yang-Mills gauge theory.

Findings

Matching of supergravity and gauge theory entropy calculations

Identification of torons as key contributors to entropy

Confirmation of theoretical predictions with exact agreement

Abstract

We consider a supersymmetric system of D-5-branes compactified on a 5-torus with a self-dual background field strength on a 4-torus and carrying left-moving momentum along a circle. The corresponding supergravity solution describes a 5-dimensional black hole with a regular horizon. The entropy of this black hole may be explained in terms of the Landau degeneracy for open strings stretching between different branes. In the gauge theory approximation this D-5-brane system is described by a super Yang-Mills theory with a t'Hooft twist. By choosing a supersymmetric branch of the theory we obtain perfect agreement with the entropy formula. The result relies on the number of massless torons associated with the gauge field components that obey twisted boundary conditions.