Spacetime singularity resolution by M-theory fivebranes: Calibrated geometry, anti-de Sitter solutions and special holonomy metrics (Q1006292)

Let \({\mathcal M}_{AdS}\) be a \(d\)-dimensional manifold admitting a warped-product \(AdS\) metric \(g_{AdS}\) that, together with a matter content \(F_{AdS}\), gives a supersymmetric solution of a supergravity theory in \(d\) dimensions. Let \({\mathcal M}_{SH}\) be a \(d\)-dimensional manifold admitting a special holonomy metric \(g_{SH}\) which gives a supersymmetric vacuum solution of the supergravity with holonomy \(G\subset \text{Spin}(d-1)\). Let \({\mathcal M}_I\) be a \(d\)-dimensional manifold admitting a globally-defined \(G\)-structure, together with a metric \(g_I\) and a matter content \(F_I\) that give a supersymmetric solution of the supergravity. Then, \(({\mathcal M}_I,g_I,F_I)\) is an interpolating solution if for all \(\varepsilon\), \(\zeta>0\), there exist open sets \(O_{AdS}\subset{\mathcal M}_{AdS}\), \(O_I\), \(O'_I\subset {\mathcal M}_I\), \(O_{SH}\subset{\mathcal M}_{SH}\), such that for all points \(p_{AdS}\in O_{AdS}\), \(p_I\in O_I\), \(p'_I\in O'_I\), \(p_{SH}\in O_{SH}\), \(|g_{AdS}(p_{AdS})-g_I(p_I)|<\varepsilon\), \(|g_{SH}(p_{SH})-g_I(p'_I)|<\zeta\). If for a given pair \(({\mathcal M}_{AdS},g_{AdS},F_{AdS})\) and \(({\mathcal M}_{SH},g_{SH},F_{SH})\) there exists an interpolating solution, then we say that \({\mathcal M}_{SH}\) is a special holonomy interpolation of \({\mathcal M}_{AdS}\) and \({\mathcal M}_{AdS}\) is an Anti-de Sitter interpolation of \({\mathcal M}_{SH}\). In this paper, the author studies the supergravity description of various configurations of supersymmetric \(M\)-fivebranes wrapped on calibrated cycles of special holonomy manifolds. The description is provided by solutions of eleven-dimensional supergravity which interpolate smoothly between a special holonomy manifold and an event horizon with Anti-de Sitter geometry. For known examples of Anti-de Sitter solutions, the associated special holonomy metric is derived. One explicit Anti-de Sitter solution of \(M\)-theory is so treated for fivebranes wrapping each of the following cycles: Kähler cycles in Calabi-Yau two-, three-, and four-folds; special Lagrangian cycles in three- and four-folds; associative three- and co-associative four-cycles in \(G_2\) manifolds; complex Lagrangian four-cycles in \(\text{Sp}(2)\) manifolds; and Cayley four-cycles in \(\text{Spin}(7)\) manifolds. The analogous known metrics are respectively: Eguchi-Hanson, the resolved conifold and the four-fold resolved conifold; the deformed conifold, and the Stenzel four-fold metric; the Bryant-Salamon-Gibbons-Page-Pope \(G_2\) metrics on an \(\mathbb R^4\) bundle over \(S^3\), and an \(\mathbb R^3\) bundle over \(S^4\) or \(\mathbb C\mathbb P^2\); the Calabi hyper-Kähler metric on \(T^*\mathbb C\mathbb P^2\); and the Bryant-Salamon-Gibbons-Page-Pope \(\text{Spin}(7)\) metric on an \(\mathbb R^4\) bundle over \(S^4\).