We construct several classes of worldvolume effective actions for black holes by integrating out spatial sections of the worldvolume geometry of asymptotically flat black branes. This provides a generalisation of the blackfold approach for higher-dim
ensional black holes and yields a map between different effective theories, which we exploit by obtaining new hydrodynamic and elastic transport coefficients via simple integrations. Using Euclidean minimal surfaces in order to decouple the fluid dynamics on different sections of the worldvolume, we obtain local effective theories for ultraspinning Myers-Perry branes and helicoidal black branes, described in terms of a stress-energy tensor, particle currents and non-trivial boost vectors. We then study in detail and present novel compact and non-compact geometries for black hole horizons in higher-dimensional asymptotically flat space-time. These include doubly-spinning black rings, black helicoids and helicoidal $p$-branes as well as helicoidal black rings and helicoidal black tori in $Dge6$.
Minimal surfaces in Euclidean space provide examples of possible non-compact horizon geometries and topologies in asymptotically flat space-time. On the other hand, the existence of limiting surfaces in the space-time provides a simple mechanism for
making these configurations compact. Limiting surfaces appear naturally in a given space-time by making minimal surfaces rotate but they are also inherent to plane wave or de Sitter space-times in which case minimal surfaces can be static and compact. We use the blackfold approach in order to scan for possible black hole horizon geometries and topologies in asymptotically flat, plane wave and de Sitter space-times. In the process we uncover several new configurations, such as black helicoids and catenoids, some of which have an asymptotically flat counterpart. In particular, we find that the ultraspinning regime of singly-spinning Myers-Perry black holes, described in terms of the simplest minimal surface (the plane), can be obtained as a limit of a black helicoid, suggesting that these two families of black holes are connected. We also show that minimal surfaces embedded in spheres rather than Euclidean space can be used to construct static compact horizons in asymptotically de Sitter space-times.
We consider black probes of Anti-de Sitter and Schr{o}dinger spacetimes embedded in string theory and M-theory and construct perturbatively new black hole geometries. We begin by reviewing black string configurations in Anti-de Sitter dual to finite
temperature Wilson loops in the deconfined phase of the gauge theory and generalise the construction to the confined phase. We then consider black strings in thermal Schr{o}dinger, obtained via a null Melvin twist of the extremal D3-brane, and construct three distinct types of black string configurations with spacelike as well as lightlike separated boundary endpoints. One of these configurations interpolates between the Wilson loop operators, with bulk duals defined in Anti-de Sitter and another class of Wilson loop operators, with bulk duals defined in Schr{o}dinger. The case of black membranes with boundary endpoints on the M5-brane dual to Wilson surfaces in the gauge theory is analysed in detail. Four types of black membranes, ending on the null Melvin twist of the extremal M5-brane exhibiting the Schr{o}dinger symmetry group, are then constructed. We highlight the differences between Anti-de Sitter and Schr{o}dinger backgrounds and make some comments on the properties of the corresponding dual gauge theories.
We study Chern-Simons theory on 3-manifolds M that are circle-bundles over 2-dimensional orbifolds S by the method of Abelianisation. This method, which completely sidesteps the issue of having to integrate over the moduli space of non-Abelian flat c
onnections, reduces the complete partition function of the non-Abelian theory on M to a 2-dimensional Abelian theory on the orbifold S which is easily evaluated.
We analyse two issues that arise in the context of (matrix) string theories in plane wave backgrounds, namely (1) the use of Brinkmann- versus Rosen-variables in the quantum theory for general plane waves (which we settle conclusively in favour of Br
inkmann variables), and (2) the regularisation of the quantum dynamics for a certain class of singular plane waves (discussing the benefits and limitations of regularisations of the plane-wave metric itself).
We study various geometrical aspects of Schroedinger space-times with dynamical exponent z>1 and compare them with the properties of AdS (z=1). The Schroedinger metrics are singular for 1<z<2 while the usual Poincare coordinates are incomplete for z
geq 2. For z=2 we obtain a global coordinate system and we explain the relations among its geodesic completeness, the choice of global time, and the harmonic trapping of non-relativistic CFTs. For z>2, we show that the Schroedinger space-times admit no global timelike Killing vectors.
We study the generalisations of the Craps-Sethi-Verlinde matrix big bang model to curved, in particular plane wave, space-times, beginning with a careful discussion of the DLCQ procedure. Singular homogeneous plane waves are ideal toy-models of reali
stic space-time singularities since they have been shown to arise universally as their Penrose limits, and we emphasise the role played by the symmetries of these plane waves in implementing the flat space Seiberg-Sen DLCQ prescription for these curved backgrounds. We then analyse various aspects of the resulting matrix string Yang-Mills theories, such as the relation between strong coupling space-time singularities and world-sheet tachyonic mass terms. In order to have concrete examples at hand, in an appendix we determine and analyse the IIA singular homogeneous plane wave - null dilaton backgrounds.
We propose a natural generalisation of the BLG multiple M2-brane action to membranes in curved plane wave backgrounds, and verify in two different ways that the action correctly captures the non-trivial space-time geometry. We show that the M2 to D2
reduction of the theory along a non-trivial direction in field space is equivalent to the D2-brane world-volume Yang-Mills theory with a non-trivial (null-time dependent) dilaton in the corresponding IIA background geometry. As another consistency check of this proposal we show that the properties of metric 3-algebras ensure the equivalence of the Rosen coordinate version of this action (time-dependent metric on the space of 3-algebra valued scalar fields, no mass terms) and its Brinkmann counterpart (constant couplings but time-dependent mass terms). We also establish an analogous result for deformed Yang-Mills theories in any dimension which, in particular, demonstrates the equivalence of the Rosen and Brinkmann forms of the plane wave matrix string action.
