Holographic duals of 6d RG flows

Abstract

A notable class of superconformal theories (SCFTs) in six dimensions is parameterized by an integer $N$, an ADE group $G$, and two nilpotent elements ${\mu }_{\mathrm{L},\mathrm{R}}$ in $G$. Nilpotent elements have a natural partial ordering, which has been conjectured to coincide with the hierarchy of renormalization-group flows among the SCFTs. In this paper we test this conjecture for $G=\mathrm{SU}(k)$, where AdS${}_7$ duals exist in IIA. We work with a seven-dimensional gauged supergravity, consisting of the gravity multiplet and two $\mathrm{SU}(k)$ non-Abelian vector multiplets. We show that this theory has many supersymmetric AdS${}_7$ vacua, determined by two nilpotent elements, which are naturally interpreted as IIA AdS${}_7$ solutions. The BPS equations for domain walls connecting two such vacua can be solved analytically, up to a Nahm equation with certain boundary conditions. The latter admit a solution connecting two vacua if and only if the corresponding nilpotent elements are related by the natural partial ordering, in agreement with the field theory conjecture.

33 pages, 2 figures