Massive-Scalar Absorption by Extremal p-branes

TL;DR

This paper calculates the absorption probabilities of massive scalars by extremal p-branes, revealing exact solutions and relationships between different brane backgrounds, advancing understanding of black brane physics.

Contribution

It provides exact solutions for scalar absorption by extremal p-branes and establishes equivalences between different wave equations in brane backgrounds.

Findings

Exact absorption probabilities for specific branes

Equivalence of scalar wave equations in different backgrounds

Closed-form solutions for certain black hole cases

Abstract

We study the absorption probability of minimally-coupled massive scalars by extremal p-branes. In particular, we find that the massive scalar wave equation under the self-dual string background has the same form as the massless scalar wave equation under the dyonic string background. Thus it can be cast into the form of a modified Mathieu equation and solved exactly. Another example that we can solve exactly is that of the D=4 two-charge black hole with equal charges, for which we obtain the closed-form absorption probability. We also obtain the leading-order absorption probabilities for D3-, M2- and M5-branes.